Empousai and Katoblepones Iapetus, the titans of Dusk, attack them. For the book series mostly called "Percy Jackson", see, Shrijith, A. His breastplate has faces of gorgons, monsters, cyclopes and drakons all pressing against his armor as if trying to escape. This is intriguing, because the Heroes of Olympus series itself deals with the animosity between two sets of demigods: the children of Greek deities and those of their Roman counterparts. Hecate (Percy Jackson) Tartarus (Percy Jackson) Apollo (Percy Jackson) Clay | Dream's Sister Drista (Video Blogging RPF) Camp Half-Blood (Percy Jackson) endermoms; Ranboo Has Two Mothers (Video Blogging RPF) Tubbo is a main character; Wilbur Soot and TommyInnit are Siblings; Phil Watson is Not Technoblade's Parent (Video Blogging RPF) so many . Annabeth asks their identity: The arai, hissed a voice. Percy Jackson in Tartarus fanfiction follows the story of the demigod Percy Jackson as he bravely navigates his way through the treacherous underworld of Tartarus. The arai, on the other hand, act as individuals and like to get up close and personal. As Percy Jackson has stated, the Greek word ara better serves as a prayer in relation to theseus, or in general as a request for protection from the god. Ouranos, despite their mythological strength, have not been weakened by the natural world; Tartarus spiders are evidence that life on this planet remains resilient. Annabeth Chasenotes that the only reason she, Percy Jackson, and Bobwere still alive was because Tartarus was too busy marveling at his mortal form. Percy Jackson is played by Logan Lerman in the film adaptations and by Chris McCarrell in the musical. He possibly is the most powerful Protogenos though Gaea and Ouranos rival him with the sole exception of Chaos as he can suck in Titans whereas Gaea and Ouranos could not. [8] Percy likes and respects his new step-father and eventually reveals to him that he is a demigod. The soil is variable, sometimes with thick mud, sometimes with pebbles and gravel, with large stones here and there. It is simply a ruse to gain attention. It is discovered that Gaea had forced the gates open to allow monsters to reform instantly and to allow souls to escape to fight the gods. Bob explains that he jumped in Tartarus to help them, and they both decided to stay. He has ADHD and dyslexia, allegedly because he is hardwired to read Ancient Greek and has inborn "battlefield reflexes". The concepts of Tartarus, the embodiment of the Pit, and requests for vengeance have been incorporated into his modern translation, creating a forum for discussion. Shadow-transporters are transported by the presence of Hazel, who is only the second person to have shadow-traveled. We own you, flesh and spirit!Tartarus to Damasen. Despite the fact that they are nearly certain to fall, they survive thanks to the River Cocytus, which cushions their fall. Address: 31 Rulla Road, Percy grabs her by the hand, but does not have the strength to pull her or himself back out. They must discover a way to survive in order to ultimately return to the surface. Their relationship gradually changes throughout the first series, with the goddess Aphrodite first insinuating that it was romantic in The Titan's Curse, when Percy undertakes a quest to free Annabeth from the Titan Atlas. It is difficult to comprehend the mystery of Tartarus because it is so elusive. The five rivers that run through the Underworld, the, The heart of Tartarus contains one side of the. Like the writers of antiquity who took the common stories and adapted them for their own purposes, Riordan has adopted the concepts of Tartarus as the embodiment of the Pit and of requests for revenge and interpreted them in such a way that evokes discussion in his modern readers. [14], Percy has several animal companions. Killing an ara causes a demigod to experience the monsters death, both physically and emotionally. According to Percy, Tartarus is so massive, and radiates such pure malevolence, that Percy wanted to crawl away and hide as soon as he saw him, and even dropped his sword in terror. 21. r/PercyJacksonMemes. he traveled all-around Tartarus. The scene is filled with intense action, allies and adversaries, and a sense of urgency, as the group must battle their way through the creatures of Tartarus in order to reach their goal. Despite the many dangers, he was able to rely on his strength, courage, and loyal friendships to make it out alive. These careers are your best chance to get a job in 2023, The BOPs Approved Fiction Books: Whats Allowed In US Prisons, Will There Be A Third Movie In The Percy Jackson Franchise Exploring The Possibility Of A Will Solace Movie, Does Percy Jackson The Lightning Thief Have Hermes Shoes. And so, some months before the start of the semester, I read through the text, in order to familiarize myself with the selections. Being there nearly drove him insane and in order to reset the Doors of Death, someone must physically go into Tartarus and cut the chains on that side as well as the mortal side. He is one of the Protogenoi. Report story. Our main objective at Tagari Publications is to support the work of the Permaculture Institute by publishing and selling books about sustainability and transferring the profit at the end of the year to the Institute. In addition to crossover stories The Crown of Ptolemy and The Sword of Hades, the book contains a short story written by The Demigod Files. he was running when he saw a flash of blonde in his Peripheral vision. Along the way, they have to face various challenges, such as battling monsters and gods, and facing the titans. Email: [emailprotected], The Best Length For A Kindle Fiction Book. She intends to use it for her own benefit as soon as she destroys it in The Battle of the Labyrinth. [3], Percy's oldest romantic relationship is with Annabeth Chase. Hazel Levesque is a narrator for this installment, which gives a unique perspective on the story of their journey to the depths of Hades. It follows the adventures of Percy, Annabeth, and their friends as they try to prevent the god of the underworld, Hades, from unleashing the giants of the ancient world and plunging the world into chaos. The entrance to Tartarus is guarded by the three-headed dog, Cerberus, and it is from this pit that monsters, such as the Cyclops, and the Minotaur, emerge. The Mist, Tartarus, and Duat are interrelated. Throughout Percy Jackson & the Olympians, Percy grows more confident and brave. The House of Hades is the fourth book in The Heroes of Olympus series. [10] The second is Calypso, who was banished to the island of Ogygia. It consists of multiple black marble columns that surround an altar of the same material. But Riordan makes this dichotomy explicit, and has thus very cleverly dealt with the ancient conception of the gods as both anthropomorphic entities and also as the embodiments of their realms. As one of the Protogenoi, he is an aspect of existence itself, and thus cannot ever be truly killed. Percy has also used magic javelins made by his brother Tyson, magically camouflaging armor made by Charles Beckendorf, and the wand of Carter Kane. This feeling of pride did not extend, however, to children who defied their destinies and refused to fight the gods, with Tartarus referring to his peaceful Gigantes son, Damasen, as his "disgraced son" and being quite fine with battling and possibly destroying his own son, likely meaning he considered any child of his who betrayed him to no longer be any son or daughter of his. Euripides sometimes uses it to mean curse, like Aeschylus and Sophocles, as at Medea 607 and Orestes 996. Annabeth compares them to hair follicles. It's his only option if he wants to make it out of this alive. Percy and Annabeths courage and loyalty to one another ultimately propels them to survival in Tartarus. I can certainly foresee supplying these passages to future students as a clear and accessible explanation of this rather difficult idea. In the two series involving Percy Jackson, the Mist manipulates reality and normal human beings see normal, predictable things. After bathing in the River Styx, Percy was given the curse of Achilles, making him invulnerable except for the small of his back. When you kill an ara, you cause the monster to die, both physically and emotionally. From the start, Annabeth becomes certain they were walking across a living thing. Tartarus, as the father of Echidna and Tartarus, is the grandfather of many of the greatest monsters in Greek Mythology. Nico di Angelo, Coach Hedge, Frank Zhang, Hazel Levesque, Jason Grace, Leo Valdez, and Piper McLean risked their lives to try and save their dearest friends. Despite the difficult conditions in Tartarus, the two were grateful for their saviors bravery and kindness. After hearing what they are doing, Bob agrees to guide them to the Doors of Death, though the regenerative powers of Tartarus on monsters slowly restores his memory. His loyalties reversed, his personality flipped over. This is usually not the case in antiquity, where even someone like Heracles, who admittedly wronged many over the course of his life, is able to atone for his crimes as they come, and so does not build up a massive collection of curses. Though Mrs. O'Leary is described as "the size of a tank", the magical veil known as the Mist causes her to appear as a poodle to mortals. Percy and Annabeth are dragged into a pit that leads to the Underworld as the book progresses, and they are thrown into a perilous situation. The House of Hades is the fourth book in the Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan. Shortly after Annabeth defeats Arachne with her wits and a Chinese Handcuff, Arachne falls into a abyss made in the ground, leading directly to Tartarus. [3] Riordan has also stated that Percy has "[his] sense of humor" and is also "based on many of the students [he has] had in the past."[5]. Between the time of The Battle of the Labyrinth and The Last Olympian, Sally marries Paul Blofis, a man she met in a writing seminar. The House of Hades (hereafter HH) follows Percy and Annabeth as they make their way through Tartarushere described as an evil pit where monsters dwellin an attempt to foil Gaeas plans to unseat the Olympians. [7] In the first novel of the series, The Lightning Thief, he is twelve years old. The Furies work together, en masse, to punish their prey for one specific crime, often employing threats and insultsimagine if one of Orestes pursuers represented the actual murder of Clytemnestra, another the violation of her hospitality by killing her while a guest in the palace, a third her being prevented from giving Aegisthus a proper burial, etc.! However, demigods can actually this reality to a certain degree. [6] He also obtains a bullet- and sword-proof lion skin coat when he killed the Nemean lion, which he later sacrifices as an offering to Poseidon in order to save Annabeth. He arrives at a Roman establishment called Camp Jupiter, and is elected praetor as a result of the help he offers them on a quest. [6] Percy's birthday is August 18. Riordan Wiki is a FANDOM Books Community. After a long and tumultuous journey, Percy and Annabeth ultimately succeeded in closing the Doors of Death, thus saving the world from an impending disaster. [14] In addition, he has an "empathy link" with his first friend from Camp Half-Blood, Grover.[13]. In Tartarus, the two faced many trials and tribulations, eventually managing to make it out alive. Contents 1 History 2 The Heroes of Olympus 2.1 The House of Hades 3 The Trials of Apollo 3.1 The Tower of Nero 4 Personality 5 Appearance 6 Abilities 7 Trivia It has taken them through the Lords Kingdom on a number of other journeys. [10], Percy is described as handsome, with messy jet black hair, a Mediterranean[pageneeded] complexion, and sea-green eyes like his father Poseidon. [8] Percy's "powers", which start small and develop as the books proceed, include controlling water, making hurricanes, breathing underwater, and talking to horse-like animals and fish. His fingers are tipped with razor-sharp black talons. All the gods worshiped the god of time, darkness, and mountains, the god of all things. Percy has also traveled with a small calico kitten called Small Bob by Bob the Titan. He is fond of Bob and protective of the traveling group, leading Bob to call him "a good monster". The scholion to the Hippolytus states, however, that Theseus uses the other two arai to escape from the Underworld and the Labyrinth, respectively. Haley then[when?] Percy, after leaving Annabeth, takes her blind from Polyphemus curse and thinks she has been cursed by Calypso. Read In Library Add to Library. Nico di Angelo and Coach Hedge joined Frank Zhang, Hazel Levesque, Jason Grace, Leo Valdez, and Piper McLean in their quest to save their friends and fulfill the Prophecy of Seven, which resulted in a journey to Greece. No, Percy Jackson did not go to Tartarus. with our luck, Annabeth thought, were marching through the armpit of Tartarus (HH 184). The Underworld side of the doors is located in Tartarus. In the story, Percy Jackson is portrayed as a demigod, the son of the mortal Sally Jackson and the Greek god Poseidon. Even after the arrival of Damasen, the maximum that did was to distract so that Percy and Annabeth escaped since there would be no way to defeat him in his home domain. It is one of the primordial beings that sprung from Chaos, along with Gaea, though some believe it was a son of Aether and Chaos, whilst Orphic sources claim Tartarus to be the unbounded first-existing entity. Percy looks scary and is not some kind of soft idiot as some fans have imagined. Fortunately, Percy was found unharmed and was able to return to his life with his loved ones. He explains that as a result, people are returning to life and monsters aren't staying in Tartarus as they should. They are able to heal themselves with water from the River Phlegethon and start their journey deeper into Tartarus by following Kelli and some empousi who are headed to the Doors of Death. Tartarus is also the deepest, darkest pit in the Underworld. Tartarus's choices to help his earth goddess wife in her wars also showed that, as devoid of light as he might be, he loved Gaea dearly, referring to her as his "beloved" Gaea and wondering if she was right in her desire to awaken from her slumber and take on a physical form. Dec 26, 2014 - Roses are red I like blue If you fall in Tartarus I'll fall with you. Summary Tartarus is the primordial manifestation of the abyss from the Underworld and the "prison guard" of the Underworld pit that bears his name. In the Underworld, Percy and his friends faced many challenges and powerful enemies, but ultimately they were able to complete their mission and return home. Nico di Angelo was also pulled into Tartarus, and unlike Percy and Annabeth, he saw it without the veil of mist. The most severe punishments involve being submerged in pools of boiling water or having their limbs chained to the walls of Tartarus, never to leave. As a son of Poseidon, one of the "Big Three" (the others being Zeus and Hades), Percy is more powerful than most of the gods' other children. One of the character's darkest moments comes in The House of Hades, when Percy discovers that he can control the water in a person's body, and uses it to torture the goddess Akhlys. he continued to walk or run around when he felt like it. [12], Percy has a half-brother named Tyson, who is a cyclops. Sisters Creek 7325, Tasmania, Australia. Meanwhile, Arachne tells Annabeth Chase that the power of the Athena Parthenos draws monsters from Tartarus; the floor of her chamber is held together only by fragile tile and spider webs, and beneath it is a pit which leads directly to Tartarus. There is no easy answer to the story of Nico di Angelo and Tartarus. Percy Jackson goes a little rogue in this film. Tartarus' laugh sounded like a mountain "cracking in half". They fall into Tartarus as part of their quest, a dark and deep part of the Underworld. [8], Three other characters in the novels are romantically interested in Percy, though he remains mostly oblivious. Only the Elder Olympians have travelled to Tartarus once, to free the imprisoned Elder Cyclopes and the Hekatonkheires. Instructing Nico to lead his crew mates of the Argo II to the earth side of the Doors of Death and refusing to leave Annabeth, Percy lets go, and he and Annabeth tumble into Tartarus. As the heroes progress, they encounter different body parts, reflected in the terrain. Percy Jackson and Annabeth Chases quest to defeat Death brought them to Tartarus, where they discovered their path to the Doors of Death. The story is turned around for the worse, as Annabeth Chase becomes a bit too scared. Like Gaea, he also takes great pride in his Gigantes children (except for Damasen). Percy and Annabeth, two brave demigods, have survived a perilous journey through Tartarus. Percy Jackson and Annabeth travel through Tartarus in their journey to the House of Hades (hereafter HH). As Percy stares into the seemingly endless abyss, he musters up all his courage and strength to take the first step down. It makes sense, then, that Riordan has chosen to employ, not the more unified and anonymous Furies, but instead these personalized, and personified, arai. I have one additional observation to make concerning the word ara. They used their friends assistance to bring an end to their journey by closing the doors of death. By that definition, Riordans latest series, The Heroes of Olympus, is extremely successful, especially in its depiction of the Underworld. The Hekatonkheires, after the Titanomachy, became the guards of Tartarus with the Titans imprisoned. It is one of the primordial beings that sprung from Chaos, along with Gaea, though some believe it was a son of Aether and Chaos, whilst Orphic sources claim Tartarus to be the unbounded first-existing entity. Once there, a person will be subjected to a variety of punishments, depending on the severity of their crimes. Zeus strikes him with a lightning bolt and sends Typhon down to Tartarus. After making their way through the Mansion of Night, the demigods reunite with Bob who regains his memories after an encounter with Koios but continues helping them. Just as Gaea inhabited the surface of the earth, Tartarus inhabited the pit (HH 161-62). To learn how this can be accomplished, the Classicist should read Percy Jackson and the Olympians. In The Mark of Athena, the Heroes use him as bait to rescue Otis and Ephialtes, who used him as bait. Location They will not obey Jason because they believe he no longer belongs to Roman. His next-oldest friend is Annabeth Chase, whom he meets when she helps nurse him back to health after his first fight with the Minotaur. There are numerous arai to be found. He is the "prison guard" of Tartarus, the darkest pit in the Underworld where monsters go to reform once they are slain. Despite their despair, they kept going, determined not to give up on their dreams. The two heroes were on a mission to save the world and went to Tartarus to close the Doors of Death. The father of Tartarus is Chaos. [1] But in this series, the souls of the wicked, including those who, in myth, were sent to Tartarus (Tantalus and Sisyphus), are condemned to face eternal torment within the Fields of Punishment. Percy Jackson was missing for roughly two weeks, before eventually being found safe and sound. She is a hellhound whom he receives from Daedalus before the inventor dies. It turns out that each one represents a monster that had previously been defeated by either Percy or Annabeth. The scene in which Percy Jackson descends into Tartarus is one of the most gripping moments in the entire series. It is a place of punishment, located in the depths of the underworld, far below Hades. Multiple hawthorns grow throughout the swamp and the air smells of stagnant water. Jackson is a demigod, born to the Greek god Poseidon and a mortal woman, and is known for his bravery and courage. A mythical god of the Underworld Pit was a Greek Primordial God. Appearance , Annabeth C. . Though understandably shocked, Blofis still stays with the Jackson family and accepts Percy's complicated life. Synopsis. And later still, Percy figured they must be on the bottom of his foota rough calloused expanse where only the most disgusting plant life grew (HH 355). by section 8 housing o'fallon. Nico began hearing a voice from Tartarus, the deepest and darkest part of his fathers realm, the Underworld, during the final book in The Trials of Apollo, The Tower of Nero. Hesiod similarly portrays Tartarus, in different parts of the Theogony, as both a place and a personification (for more, see Timothy Gantz [1993], Early Greek Myths, Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, pp. The two quickly discover that Tartarus is deadly to them to the point that they start to suffocate in the air and form blisters on their skin. When Riptide breaks down, Percy and Annabeth are able to defeat Arachne, who survived the fall, and with the assistance of the other five demigods of the Prophecy of Seven, Nico diAngelo, and Coach Hedge, they are able to overcome Arachne once more The act of sacrifice by Damasen and Iapetus/Bob reminds us that even in the darkest moments, hope can be found. Tartarus is described as a dark, gloomy pit, surrounded by a wall of bronze and beyond that a three-fold layer of night. In addition to being successful on numerous levels, author Rick Riordans Percy Jackson novels have received numerous awards. A few years ago, I adopted the Anthology of Classical Myth, edited by SM Trzaskoma, RS Smith, and S Brunet (Hackett, 2004), for my Greek and Roman mythology course. Percy sometimes uses Mrs. O'Leary's ability to "shadow travel" to cross large distances almost instantaneously. Percy and Arachne were soon separated after they fell into the River Cocytus, and Arachne was killed by Riptide right away. But you will be destroyed by Tartarus himself!Tartarus to Percy Jackson and Annabeth Chase. . [13][3][16] In The Sea of Monsters, his half-brother Tyson gives him a wristwatch that changes into a shield covered with designs, but the watch is damaged in The Titan's Curse and lost in The Battle of the Labyrinth. The Percy Jackson book series is beloved by readers of all ages, and it follows the adventures of the titular character, Percy Jackson, as he battles mythical monsters and defeats powerful gods. Underworld Tartarus is also the primordial Greek god of the abyss. They discover Arachne also survived the fall, but she is soon killed by Percy with Riptide when she attacks. All of Percy's abilities correspond to the myths about and abilities of his father. It is a climactic moment in the story where Percy and his friends must fight their way through the depths of Tartarus, a powerful and dangerous realm, in order to save the world. The trio faces numerous challenges, including a battle with the monstrous Minotaur and a confrontation with the dreaded monster, Gaea. In the Labyrinth, there is a bottomless pit that is connected directly to Tartarus. This happened shortly after the two had helped to defeat Kronos and the other Titans. Nico di Angelo, the son of Hades, was able to see Tartarus without the misty veil because he saw the God of the universe as the God of all creation. Percy also has a unique relationship with Clarisse La Rue, daughter of Ares and Camp Half-Blood's resident bully, whom he allegedly dislikes but often helps. They were rescued by Iapetus (aka Bob), who reunited them with the other five demigods after defeating Tartarus arai monsters. Poseidons son Theseus uses ara to bring about the death of his own son Hippolytus, which serves as an appropriate allusion to the curse. Each chapter contains a name of one of the main characters, which is written in Roman numerals. Along the way, they encounter a host of mythical creatures and gods, and make new allies in a race against time to prevent disaster. According to Annabeth, if Tartarus wanted to, he could kill them all with a single thought, if it were not his desire to experience the pleasure of killing his victims one at a time as he rarely assumes physical forms. Their collective strength is what determines whether Percy and Annabeth can defeat Tartarus. The third is Reyna Ramrez-Arellano, who, while is silently attracted to her comrade Jason Grace, finds herself attracted to many of Percy's similar traits. Percy Jackson is thrown alone into Tartarus by an enemy with whom he has no known ties. The two accompany him on his first, and most of his subsequent, quests. The demigods must band together in order to defeat their adversaries, close the Doors of Death, and save Percy and Annabeth from Tartarus, and they must overcome their heart-breaking and friendship-strength. The more he gains in power, the more he loses his morals as he grows older. A dense black mist covers the lower areas of this region. The first beings to be jailed there, however, were the Cyclopes and the Hekatonkheires, by Ouranos, although Kronos later freed them. The Battle of the Labyrinth (graphic novel), The Sun and the Star: A Nico di Angelo Adventure, Tartarus is once misspelled as "Tatarus" in, Between both series, five entrances to Tartarus have been shown. The landscape descends to the most dangerous area, where the heart of the god himself is found. Percy Jackson is a beloved fictional character from the widely popular series of books by Rick Riordan. It is a thrilling and exciting adventure filled with action, suspense and friendship. The two are trapped in Tartarus, a place of suffering and despair, and there is no way to escape. He also mentions how Tartarus is like the gods' recycling bin for their enemies. When boasting to Jason Grace before their battle in the Wolf House, Porphyrion states "In olden times, I rose from Tartarus, the abyss of my father, to challenge the gods.". Nicos courage and strength made him a god and monster, earning him the respect of both gods and monsters, and eventually allowing him to survive a perilous journey. Nico adds that Gaea's minions are strongest in Tartarus, and despite being the son of Hades, he was overwhelmed and captured immediately. In the end, Percy and Annabeth are rescued from the arai when the Titan Iapetus (aka Bob) is able to destroy them all (HH 241). Percy Jackson, Rick Riordans main character in the five-book series, is now 16 years old and resides in The House of Hades. In Venice, Frank, Hazel, and Nico discover that there are herbivorous monsters known as katoblepones. For a very good reason, it was referred to as the crooked one. His courage and resourcefulness will be put to the test as he battles to overcome the forces of evil and restore justice. The five other demigods must put aside their grief and follow Percys instructions in order to locate the mortal side of the Doors of Death. However, time is very hard to tell in Tartarus - nine days in Tartarus could be 9 seconds in the mortal world, and vice versa. he fell and his body tried healing but percy didn't allow that to happen. However, his journey through Tartarus is not written. Jason has had daily audiences with Auster, the Roman god of the south wind, in Cancun, Africa. Small Bob remains in Tartarus with Iapetus to help hold open the Doors of Death. [15], This article is about the character. After they encounter Nyx, they make their way to the pit and proclaim it is a tour to get her out. Percy experiences the hardest days of his life - and that's saying something - as he attempts to find his way to the Doors of Death. Our hero, once known as Percy Jackson, was thrown into Tartarus for a crime he didn't commit. It is also the place where the gods keep the souls of the wicked and the dead, and it is said that the entrance to the Underworld itself can be found in Tartarus. Percy and Annabeth escaped through the Doors of Death to the mortal world as a result of his and Iapetus/Bobs sacrifice, and they also made it through the Deaths Doors. Multiple pointed mountains and volcanic chasm adorn the landscape. Percy is also distantly related to horses, pegasi, some other monsters, and numerous gods and demigods through his father. His adventures have taken him all over the world, but in one of his most perilous journeys, he was forced to brave the depths of Tartarus, the darkest and most dangerous realm of the classical Greek underworld. The mission of the arai is To curse you, of course! It is the darkest and most miserable of places, where those who have committed terrible crimes, such as the Titans, the Giants, and other mythical monsters, are confined and eternally punished. It can be assumed that he was only able to easily defeat Krios and Hyperion, two Titans at a fraction of their full power because he caught them by surprise and had their allegiance, as it took him much longer to defeat (if he did) a Titan and a giant of similar power. Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Ultimate Guide, Tartarus, like the location that shares his name and that he is, is able to hold monsters within himself. Nico uses the Scepter of Diocletian to summon Roman soldiers in order to summon ghosts. suggested it be written as a novel. Fans of the series may wonder if Percy ever faced the ultimate challenge of dealing with the Greek Underworld of Tartarus. Modern students often complain about the many different, and somewhat vague, descriptions of the Underworld to be found in ancient texts. It was clear that everything was extremely difficult, and Hesiod predicted that it would take nine days to reach the bottom.