Who is Tartarus in Greek mythology?
Tartarus emerged from Chaos and Gaia as the third primordial deity in existence during the late 8th century BC. Hesiod described him as a being who preceded Eros and followed only Chaos and Earth.
Questions about Tartarus
Short answers, pulled from the story.
What happened to Cronus and the Titans after their defeat by Zeus?
Cronus and many other Titans were banished to Tartarus following their defeat by the gods of Olympus. The monster Typhon was also thrown into wide Tartarus after Zeus overcame him, while Arke lost her wings and was cast into the pit alongside them.
How long does it take for an object to fall from heaven into Tartarus according to ancient cosmology?
An anvil dropped from heaven would take nine days to reach the ground and another nine days to fall from earth into Tartarus. Zeus declared the distance between Hades and Tartarus matched the space between heaven and earth.
Which souls go to Tartarus for punishment according to Plato's Gorgias and Phaedo?
Souls deemed unjust or perjured go to Tartarus for punishment where uncurable criminals demonstrate warning examples for living people. Temple robbers and murderers form part of the uncurable group while sons killing parents in rage but regretting it all life could leave after one year if they ask victims for forgiveness.
Who guards the entrance to Tartarus in Virgil's Aeneid Book VI?
Tisiphone stands sleepless guard at the top of the wide-walled castle lashing her whip representing vengeance. A hydra with fifty black gaping jaws sits atop gates screeching when opened while Adamantine columns flank the entrance like diamond substance nothing can cut through.
What is the relationship between Tartarus and fallen angels in Jewish literature dated 400 to 200 BC?
Hellenistic Jewish literature placed archangel Uriel in charge of Tartarus where two hundred fallen Watchers were imprisoned according to Book of Enoch texts. Jude 1:6-7 describes angels bound by chains under everlasting darkness and 2 Peter 2:4 further details fallen angels committed to chains in Tartarus.