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In Greek mythology, Styx ("[river of] hate") is the name of a river which formed the boundary between earth and the underworld, Hades. It circles Hades nine times. Styx and Phlegethon, Acheron and Cocytus converge on the center of the Hades on a great marsh. Other important rivers of Hades are Lethe and Eridanus. The Buddhist version of this river is known as the river Sanzu.
Styx is guarded by Phlegyas, who passes the souls from one side to another of the river. In other versions, Phlegyas guards Phlegethon, another of the main rivers of Hades, but Dante put Phlegyas over the Styx.
The gods respected the Styx and swore binding oaths by it. Zeus swore to give Alcmene whatever she wanted and was then obliged to follow through, resulting in her death. Helios similarly promised Phaeton whatever he desired, also resulting in his death. Gods that did not follow through on such an oath had to drink from the river, causing them to lose their voices for nine years.
Styx was primarily a feature in the afterworld of Greek mythology, but has been described as a feature present in the hellHell is, according to many religious beliefs about the afterlife, a place of torment, of great weeping and gnashing of teeth. The English word 'hell' comes from the Norse Hel', which originally referred to the goddess of the Norse underworld. In most reli of ChristianityChristian cross and its many variations are widely recognized as an ancient Christian symbol. Christianity is an Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as described in the New Testament. Although Christians generally chara as well, notably in the Divine Comedy. The ferryman CharonIn Greek mythology, Charon fierce brightness was the ferryman of Hades. Etruscan equivalent: Charun) He took the newly dead from one side of the river Acheron to the other if they had an obolus (coin) to pay for the ride. Corpses in ancient Greece were al is in modern times commonly believed to have transported the souls of the newly dead across this river into the underworld, though in actuality it was the river Acheron that Charon plied.