The+River+Styx

THE RIVER STYX  ﻿ ﻿ ﻿By: Mary Hickerson, Morgan Kitzmiller, and Molly McConnell

**Basics: **
 * In the underworld this river was used to seperate the living from the dead
 * There are 5 rivers that separate the underworld from the world of the living:
 * Acheron- the river of woe
 * Cocytus- the river of lamentation
 * Phlegethon- the river of fire
 * Lethe-the river of forgetfulness
 * Styx- the river of hate
 * These rivers converge at the center of the underworld, which is also called the Styx
 * The river plays an important part in Greek Mythology- the gods respected it so much that they swore oaths on it

Hermes led the deceased to the shore, where they would meet Charon, the old ferryman who ferries the dead into the underworld. In order to get to the other side, one had to have a Greek coin (placed in the mouth), which would pay the fare. If they did not have the fee they could never cross the river. Upon arrival, Cerberous (the guard and dragon-tailed dog) allows the soul to enter. Once a soul got to Hades (underworld), they could never leave.
 * Crossing the river: **

//<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Achilles: // <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">When Achilles was born he was half mortal half god, a demi-god. His mother decided to dip him in the River Styx to make him invincible. However, she held him by his heel, leaving that area the only part of his body not indestructible. He later died in the Trojan War because he was shot in the ankle. The only part of the body not dipped, is now known today as the Achilles tendon.
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Allusions: **

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">//Great Gatsby//: <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> The River Styx is alluded to by Fitzgerald in the Great Gatsby. The Hudson River seperates New York from Long Island. New York is seen as a more rugged, scene of "sin" in the 1920's, whereas Long Island is for wealthy, proseperous families.

//<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The Styx (band): // <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> This album cover is a representation of the River Styx by the band the Styx who named themselves after the river. //<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Narcissus: // <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> It is said that after Narcissus died (from gazing at himself and falling into a lake), he still admires himself in the reflection of the River Styx.

//<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Hercules: // <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Hercule's final labor (in the story) is to cross the River Styx and bring back Cerberous the dog.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> The River of Styx was to the Greeks, what Limbo is to most Chrisitans today. This was the Greek's version of the afterlife, which they feared (death itself) but ultimately respected.
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The overall meaning: **