What all the Mystery cults shared was an intense, focused study of the land of the dead. Some gave particular worship to Demeter and Persephone, others followed traditions supposedly laid down by the legendary poet Orpheus. The Mysteries were widespread in the Greek world. The increasing popularity of the Mystery cults, however, changed the perception of what awaited people in the afterlife. They were completely empty and devoid of their former personalities. Some Greek writers even claimed that the souls sent to Hades’ realm forgot their lives and identities entirely. The souls of the dead were reduced to mere whisps, forever wandering the underworld without purpose, rational thought, or emotion. Virtually everyone, regardless of class, deeds, or devotion to the gods, spent eternity on the Asphodel Plains in the heart of the underworld. While the wicked were tortured in Tartarus, the average person had little to look forward to in the next life. Only the most distinguished mortals, typically the sons and daughters of the gods, had ever gone there. The Underworld Realmįor most people, the pastoral pleasures of Elysium were entirely out of reach. However, the heroes of legend were the only ones who were admitted.
The man in the elysian field free#
The Islands of the Blessed were an idyllic and pristine afterlife free of suffering, pain, and hardship. They played games, held friendly contests, and played music. The people there, he said, had all day to pursue leisure. The grass, trees, and water were dotted with fragrant blooms. Pindar claimed that Elysium was covered in golden flowers. The only notable weather was a gentle, refreshing breeze that blew in from the west and an occasional light sprinkle of rain. There were never storms on the Islands of the Blessed and snow never fell. Homer described Elysium as a place of eternal rest where men did not have to take part in any of the difficult toils they had faced in their mortal lives. The Elysian Fields were the destination for great heroes and the favored children of the gods. It was the exclusive destination for those who had been most favored by the gods in life.Ī person could not earn their way onto the island through good deeds or devotion.
This peaceful afterlife was reserved for the very few. Its remoteness and the dangers of crossing the expanse of Oceanus made it impossible to reach for those who were not sent there by the gods. The Islands of the Blessed existed instead at the farthest edge of the physical world on the western stream of the wide river Oceanus that encircled the earth. Although it was reserved for those who had died, it was not under the purview of Hades. This realm was, precisely speaking, not a part of the underworld. Most often in English it is called the Elysian Fields. It was sometimes called the White Island, and more often was referred to as the Islands of the Blessed. The Elysian Fields of the BlessedĮlysium went by many names. The Elysian Fields were hard to reach, but for those few deemed worthy they promised an eternal life of relaxation, beauty, and amusements. Initially, there was no promise of a reward at all.įrom a bleak and depressing eternity as a shade, the Greeks developed the idea of a true paradise. The Greek idea of reward in the next world was constantly evolving. The Egyptian pharaohs believed they would live a life very similar to the one they had while they lived, including servants and food. The form of that reward varied greatly from culture to culture.įor Norse warriors it was drinking and brawling in the hall of Odin until the last battle of Ragnarok. The wicked are punished for their evil ways, while those people that led a good life are given rich rewards. Often, the experience of the afterlife depends on the person’s actions and beliefs during their time on earth.Ī common feature in the afterlives of the world’s religion is a system of punishment and reward. Every religion in history has had its own concept of what happens to the human soul after death.
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