Tartarus

• 1. Primordial Deity And Cosmic Depth

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  In the late 8th century BC, Hesiod wrote of a being named Tartarus who emerged from Chaos and Gaia. This entity stood as the third primordial deity in existence. He preceded Eros and followed only Chaos and Earth. The poet described him as the father of Typhon by Gaia's union. Another account from Hyginus claimed Aether and Gaia were his parents instead. Ancient cosmology placed this abyss far below the earth itself. An anvil dropped from heaven would take nine days to reach the ground. It required another nine days for that same object to fall from earth into Tartarus. Zeus declared the distance between Hades and Tartarus matched the space between heaven and earth. Apollodorus later called it a gloomy place distant from earth like the sky is distant from the ground.

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• 2. Imprisoned Giants And Divine Enemies

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  Cronus once imprisoned three ancient one-eyed Cyclopes within the deep abyss. He also locked away the hundred-armed Hecatonchires there. The monster Campe guarded these prisoners with a ring of animal heads around her waist. She snapped at anyone daring to approach while wielding a whip to torture the giants. Zeus killed Campe and released the imprisoned Cyclopes to aid his war against Titans. The gods of Olympus eventually triumphed over their predecessors. Cronus and many other Titans were banished to Tartarus after their defeat. Prometheus, Epimetheus, and female Titans like Metis escaped this fate. Apollo threatened Hermes with imprisonment in the abyss during a Homeric hymn. Apollo himself faced condemnation by Zeus for killing the Cyclops. Later Zeus threw the monster Typhon into wide Tartarus after overcoming him. Arke lost her wings following the Titan victory and was cast into the pit alongside them.

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• 3. Eternal Torments For Mortal Sinners

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  King Sisyphus rolled a large boulder up a mountain slope forever in Tartarus. No matter how many times he nearly succeeded, it always rolled back to the bottom. He had killed guests and travelers at his castle in violation of hospitality laws. Sisyphus reported Zeus's sexual conquests to the river god Asopus regarding Aegina. Thanatos chained him initially but Sisyphus tricked the death spirit into being bound instead. Ares freed Thanatos and turned Sisyphus back over to him. Persephone sent him briefly to scold his wife before Hermes dragged him forcefully back. King Tantalus stood in water beneath fruit trees that raised branches from his grasp. Water receded whenever he bent down to drink while threatening stones towered overhead. He cut up his son Pelops and served him as food to gods. Tantalus stole ambrosia from Gods and told people its secrets. Ixion sat tied to a winged flaming wheel spinning endlessly in the sky then Tartarus. The wheel stopped only when Orpheus played music during his descent for Eurydice. Danaïdes carried water in cracked jugs trying to fill baths that washed off sins. Tityos stretched out in Tartarus fed upon by vultures eating his liver. Phlegyas entombed in rock starved before an eternal feast shouting warnings to others.

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• 4. Judges And Soul Evaluation Systems

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  Plato wrote about Rhadamanthus, Aeacus, and Minos judging souls after death in the Gorgias. Rhadamanthus judged Asian souls while Aeacus judged European souls. Minos cast the deciding vote for Greek souls according to these ancient texts. Souls deemed unjust or perjured would go to Tartarus for punishment. Those committing curable crimes received purification there instead of eternal damnation. Uncurable criminals demonstrated warning examples for living people. Archelaus I of Macedon appeared as a possible example among uncurable tyrants. Thersites was considered curable due to lack of power. Temple robbers and murderers formed part of the uncurable group in Plato's Phaedo. Sons killing parents in rage but regretting it all life could leave after one year. They asked victims for forgiveness before returning if not pardoned. The Myth of Er described fallen soldiers seeing their realm after resurrection. Punishment length corresponded to ten times earthly years for each crime committed. Good deeds were rewarded equally in this system of judgment.

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• 5. Roman Walls And Flaming Rivers

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  Virgil expanded Tartarus into an expansive underworld structure in Book VI of the Aeneid. Three perimeter walls surrounded the place beyond which flowed a flaming river named Phlegethon. Drinking from Phlegethon caused great pain yet healed mortals without killing them. A hydra with fifty black gaping jaws sat atop gates screeching when opened. Adamantine columns flanked the entrance like diamond substance nothing could cut through. Inside walls stood a wide-walled castle with tall iron turret. Tisiphone stood sleepless guard at top lashing her whip representing vengeance. Roman mythology described a pit extending twice earth-to-Olympus distance down into ground. Twin sons of Titan Aloeus imprisoned at bottom of this deep chasm. Sinners defined by Roman societal norms received punishment after death within these boundaries. The structure prevented escape through multiple layers of physical barriers and divine guards.

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• 6. Biblical Translations And Fallen Angels

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  Tartarus appears in Septuagint translation of Job 40:20 and 41:24 into Koine Greek. Hellenistic Jewish literature dated 400, 200 BC placed archangel Uriel in charge of Tartarus. Two hundred fallen Watchers were imprisoned there according to Book of Enoch texts. Jude 1:6-7 describes angels bound by chains under everlasting darkness. 2 Peter 2:4 further details fallen angels committed to chains in Tartarus. The noun Tartarus does not appear in New Testament but tartaroō verb form exists. Acusilaus from 5th century BC used shortened forms related to casting down Titans. Apollodorus wrote about throwing Titans down to Tartarus in Didymus's Scholia on Homer. Adam Clarke reasoned ancient Greeks heard Biblical accounts of fallen angel punishments. Evangelical commentaries distinguish Tartarus for wicked angels versus Gehenna for wicked humans. Satan and his angels remain active during Christ's time yet some groups are locked up. Azazel possibly another name for Satan remains uncertain among scholars today.

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