The myth of Charon, boatman of the underworld

The myth of Charon tells us about one of the most enigmatic characters in Greek mythology. He was the ferryman of the underworld and his mission was to transport the souls of those who had died to Hades, where they would dwell for all eternity.

This character is described as a ragged and unkempt old man, with a white, matted beard.. Her face was grim, dirty, gloomy, and her character was sour. The myth of Charon tells that he made his boat move forward with the help of a pole, that he raised the sails and that his ship was always rusty and dilapidated.

Charon made his journey along the river Acheron, which means ‘river of pain’. His work was endless and routine, so his character was sullen. The only thing that took him out of his infinite routine were the exceptional situations in which a living person wanted to penetrate the underworld, as happened with Hercules and Orpheus. For the rest, his activity was an eternal repetition of the same thing.

The origin of the myth of Charon

The myth of Charon says that the ferryman of the underworld was the son of Nyx and Erebus and that he had been born in a time so ancient that there was no possible memory to remember him. Nyx was the goddess of the night and was endowed with such overwhelming beauty that even Zeus himself feared her. She was the daughter of Chaos and had been present at the very creation of the universe.

«You will not be able to find limits to the soul, whatever path you follow. So profound is the reason he has!».

—Heraclitus (Fragment 45)—

Charon, the ferryman of the underworld who took souls to Hades.

Erebus, for his part, was the god of darkness and from the shadows. He reigned over the deep mists that surrounded the ends of the Earth and was present in all underground places. He was the brother of Nix and with her he conceived two children: Ether, the brightness and luminosity, and Hemera, the day.

According to the myth of Charon, Nyx managed to conceive other children herself without the intervention of her brother and husband Erebus. That’s how he had the boatman’s brothers, who were next.

Moors, Fate.Ker, Perdition.Tanatos, Death.Hypnos, Sleep.Geras, Old Age.Ezis, Pain.Apate, Deception.Nemesis, deserved Punishment.Eris, Discord.Filotes, Tenderness .Momo, the Mockery.The Hesperides, the Daughters of the Evening.The Oniros, the Dreams.The Keres, the spirits of destruction and death.The Fates or Fates, Fatality.

Charon, the boatman

The myth of Charon tells that the name of this character means ‘intense brilliance’. It is said that people, just a second before dying, show a particular shine in their eyes. This is what the name of the boatman alludes to, which has also been translated as ‘the one with a fierce look’ or ‘the one with a look of fire’.

It is said that those who called him to fulfill his duty were the Fates, his sisters, who invoked him with furious impatience when someone was about to die. It was then that Charon arrived at the shore where he awaited the souls of the deceased, but not all of them could cross the river of pain, or Acheron, with him. The souls had to pay the passage with a coin.

That was the reason why the Greeks buried their dead with a coin, the obolus, under the tongue: It was the payment they had to give to the boatman to take them to Hades. If the dead did not carry that coin, or if they had been buried in an inadequate manner, they had to wander around the river for a hundred years. After that time, Charon allowed them to cross without payment.

The souls had to pay Charon to cross the river.

Charon and Hades

The myth of Charon tells that only two characters managed to make the trip to Hades without dying in the attempt. One of them was Hercules, whom Charon transported to the underworld (without him knowing very well why and without having asked for any payment). For that reason, the gods punished him and he had to spend a year in prison.

The other mortal who was able to cross was Orpheus, who managed to enchant him with the magic of his music. and broke the will of the boatman. Charon also allowed the goddess Psyche, who represented the soul, to pass due to the tricks that this divinity used to confuse him.

Although the place where Charon stayed was the river Acheron, He also had the right to navigate other rivers of the underworld, such as Cocytus, the river of lamentations.; Phlegethon, the river of fire; Lethe, the river of oblivion; and Styx, the river of hate.

Charon in literature and art

According to the World History Encyclopedia, Charon was first mentioned in the poem Minyasaround the 6th century BC

Also appeared in Greek worksas Frogs of Aristophanes, and in Roman worksas the Aeneid of Virgilio (whose content of the underworld analyzes Minor Herrera, of the University of Costa Rica) and the Dialogues by Luciano.

The oldest illustration of the ferryman of Hades is seen in the lectios . These were vessels where fine oil and perfumes were kept. It was from 470 BC onwards that the image of Charon was stamped on them. Likewise, it can be seen in the Hall of the Cnidia in Delphi, in Etruscan art, in funerary urns and in sarcophagi.

In both literature and art, this mythological character always wears a hat and propels the boat with an oar. At the front, the craft has a drawn eye that provides protection against evil spirits.

The myth of Charon, one of the most famous in classical history

The myth of Charon is one of the most enigmatic in Greek mythology. His figure has been illustrated in various ways, and the best-known representation of him is that of a ragged, bearded old man steering a boat with an oar.

His role as a boatman and transporter to the underworld makes him a very relevant character for mythology. So much so that, Today, it is still spoken of as a symbol of death and the journey to the afterlife.

You might be interested…