In ancient Greek religion and mythology, Hades embodies the realm of the deceased as the god of the dead and ruler of the underworld, his name becoming synonymous with this domain.
Hades is rarely linked with fatherhood in Greek mythology. As the deity of the Underworld and the deceased, his domain is usually seen as conflicting with the idea of fertility and reproduction. However, Hades did have at least six children considering all the different versions of Greek myths associated with Hades, including two with Persephone.
Children of Hades With Persephone
Hades, the god of the underworld, fell deeply in love with Persephone, the daughter of the goddess Demeter. He conspired with Zeus to abduct Persephone, bringing her to his realm as his wife and queen of the underworld. The story is told in the Greek myth of Hades and Persephone. The couple had at least two children together according to the Greek myths.
Melinoe – Daughter of Persephone and Hades
Melinoe was a mysterious character in Greek stories. It is not clear if she was a goddess or a nymph from under the earth. She was the daughter of Persephone, who was the Queen of the Underworld. The debate about her real father has made experts and fans of Greek myths contemplate a lot.
According to some sources, it’s Hades, and others say it’s Zeus. It’s even more puzzling because sometimes Hades is called the “Zeus of the Underworld,” mixing up these two gods. The Orphics even thought that Zeus and Hades were actually the same gods.
Melinoe was born at the Cocytus River’s mouth, the base of her cousin Hermes as a psychopomp. In some myths, she merges with her mother, both reigning as Underworld queens. Possessing the chilling abilities of Hades, Melinoe could inflict nightmares and night terrors by morphing, vanishing, or casting shadowy forms. Her power mirrored his. She could push mortals to the brink of insanity with her ‘sendings.’
A frequent participant in magical triads, Melinoë’s name was invoked in sacred divination alongside her mother Persephone and Leucophryene, an aspect of her cousin Artemis. Dione, the ancient goddess, Phoebe, the primal moon goddess, and the lesser-known Nyche are also linked with her. Her portrayal as half black and half white symbolized her lineage’s duality—born of sky-god Zeus and underworld king Hades.
Zagreus – Son of Persephone and Hades
Zagreus, a prominent figure in Orphic myth, was the son of Hades and Persephone. This rendition of the myth cast him as the second Dionysus, birthed from the dual deity Zeus-Hades. In conventional Greek lore, Zagreus held a preeminent status among the gods of the Underworld. Intriguingly, he formed a profound connection with Gaia, Earth’s incarnate, serving as her intimate companion or even as a consort.
In the realm of the Orphic Mysteries, Zagreus held sway as a pivotal figure within the Dionysos cult, embodying the essence of divine sacrifice and rebirth. The Titans played a sinister role in his narrative, dismembering and consuming him, drinking his blood, boiling his bones, and roasting his form upon a spit.
Apollo, his cousin, interred the remaining fragments within a protective cauldron secreted away in Delphi. It was either Zagreus’s grandmother, Rhea, or his aunt and grandmother, Demeter, who orchestrated the reassembly and resurrection of his being.
Some accounts narrate that his fragmented components were amalgamated into a potent elixir, which found its way into the hands of Semele, the mother of Dionysus. In the realm of Orphic myth, this intricate process signified the reincarnation of Zagreus-Dionysus.
Makaria – The Daughter of Hades
Makaria, her name imbued with the essence of ‘blessed’, was the daughter of Hades, while her mother’s identity is unknown as recounted by the Suda. Makaria assumed the role of a divine overseer, presiding over serene and blessed deaths. She worked with both her father, Hades, and the god of the dead, Thanatos.
In the ancient Greek belief, those who met their end with valor on the battlefield, during childbirth, or in similarly heroic circumstances were deemed recipients of Makaria’s benevolence. It was she who extended the tranquility of the afterlife to such souls. Conversely, those denied the solace of a blessed demise often faced the specters of fear and condemnation.
A parallel narrative intertwines with Makaria, possibly conflating her with a daughter of Heracles, Hades’ own nephew, and a revered Greek champion. This alternate Makaria found herself in Athens during a time of impending peril, compelled by an oracle’s pronouncement that the city’s salvation rested upon her sacrifice to Persephone.
Valiantly, Makaria offered herself as a shield, safeguarding the lives of her fellow maidens and fortifying the city’s defenses. Athens, in deep reverence, commemorated her with a grandiose funeral, honoring her courage and selflessness.
Children of Hades With The Goddess Nyx.
Typically born of the union between Hades and Nyx, the Erinyes were also known as the Furies. The primordial embodiment of night, the Erinyes carried an ambiguous number, but a trio of lead Furies stood prominent, striking fear into all who encountered them. Often depicted as creatures with bat-like wings, serpents for hair, and eyes oozing blood, their appearance was truly formidable.
They exhibited an intriguing duality, sometimes appearing as elderly crones and at other times as youthful maidens. These underworld deities were embodiments of vengeance, each specializing in their unique brand of retribution. Within the Underworld, their duty was to exact punishment upon those who violated oaths or led morally destitute lives.
The three Erinyes are:
Alecto
Named “unceasing anger,” Alecto punished moral wrongs, including anger, jealousy, and negative behaviors toward others. Under Hera‘s command, Alecto incited turmoil among the Trojans in the war, shapeshifting to raise rebellion and using dreams to fuel conflict. Hera later recalled her to the Underworld, fearing her chaos had become overwhelming.
Tisiphone
The Fury of “vengeance,” Tisiphone specializes in torturing and punishing murderers. She distinguished various forms of murder, including homicide, patricide, matricide, fratricide, and sororicide. Tisiphone’s ill-fated love for a mortal named Cithaeron led to his rejection and her vengeful response, wherein a serpent from her hair fatally bit him.
The serpents in her hair possessed a breath that induced madness, a skill she wielded under Hera’s command during wars. During the conflict between Polynices and Eteocles, sons of Oedipus, Tisiphone exacerbated its brutality. Her torture even drove the Aetolian hero Tydeus to resort to cannibalism.
Megaera
The meaning of her name is “jealousy,” and her role was to punish infidelity, theft, and oath-breakers. Her name is synonymous in various languages with describing a bitter, jealous woman, or one embodying the shrew archetype.
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