Thanatos - the god personifying death in the mythology of ancient Greece.Most often depicted in the image of a young man in a black cloak with wings on his back, holding extinguished torch in his hand, as a symbol of extinct life.
Thanatos art
huge part of the works of masters of ancient Greece, was devoted to the myths - that sculpture, and paintings and frescoes, and blood vessels.In contemporary culture, we can also find products on the subject of myths.In addition, the image of death for many artists is very attractive.
The picture on the left - Eros and Thanatos, the life instinct and the death instinct, modern sculpture.Right - Thanatos, a bas-relief on a marble pillar in the temple of Artemis.
Each rich, self-respecting man had to have his house painted vessels and vases, which were immortalized by masters of various scenes from mythology and life of the ancient Greeks.
on a vessel below shows twins Hypnos (left) and Thanatos (right), taking Sarpedon warrior from the battlefield.That is how the Greeks imagined Thanatos.
Thanatos mythology
Thanatos - the son of nobody (Nyukty, Knicks) and the god of darkness of Erebus.Nix - the goddess of the night, the mother of Thanatos and ether (eternal light), Hemera (day light) and Kerala (destruction) and Hypnos (sleep), Eris (strife), Apt (cheating) and many others.
death of God lives in Tartarus, but usually lives near the throne of God's kingdom of the dead Hades.He also has a twin brother Hypnos, which you have read above.Hypnos - God is always followed by death, bringing on its wings sleep.He is calm and supportive people.Goddess of fate Moira and Nemesis (goddess of justice) were their sisters.
only god who does not recognize the gifts, is Thanatos.Mythology also reported that he had an iron heart, and he was the object of hatred of the Greek gods.
When the term of life allotted to man goddesses of fate Moira came to an end, man is Thanatos.This meant certain death.True, there are exceptions to every rule, but about them later.According to legend, the god of death with his sword cut off from dying her hair for her dedication to Hades, and then carried the souls of the dead.
Hercules defeated Death
ancient Greeks there was a view that only depends on Thanatos death of a person, that only he is free to decide whether to kill or to leave alive.That is, he could give someone a second chance at life, or it can be persuaded to do it.
King Admetus and his wife Alcestis (Alcestis) were happy, loving and rich people in Thessaly.But then Admetus sharply and very seriously ill, could not move his arms or legs, falls into unconsciousness.Alcestis can only pray to the gods for that her beloved husband recovered.She prayed that took a heavy hand on her husband's god of death Thanatos.It worked.
Instead Admetus has to go into the realm of the dead anyone else.And neither parents nor friends did not dare to die for Admetus nice.Alcestis had to take the hit, and she died.
Admetos recovered, but did not stay in one place, always sad and mourns his wife.At this time, to visit him coming Hercules.First Admetos pretends nothing happened, and then runs out of the room crying.Then Hercules and know the sad story of the king from his old servant and decides to rescue Alcestis, causing a duel Thanatos.He won it, never touching the body of the god of death, because it was felt that a single touch of the Thanatos deprives life.And then he demanded the return of Alcestis.God of death had no choice other than consent, or Hercules would have pierced his neck with his sword.Alcestis to her husband returned from the dead.Hercules defeated death.
Below is a picture of Frederic Leighton on the topic of this myth, however it still Hercules touches Thanatos.
Like Sisyphus tricked Death
Sisyphus - Corinthian king who cheated death twice.Once a Sisyphus Zeus sent Thanatos, which was, as befits a god of death, take the life and soul of Sisyphus.But the cunning ruler of Corinth was not taken aback and deception of the god of death chained chains - he merely asked to explain how to use them.
and remains in prison at Sisyphus several years angry Thanatos.This contributed to the fact that God is not able to perform its functions, and people just become immortal.Even if a person is decapitated, he was still alive.Mortally wounded could not die.I wonder how a couple of years the gods of Olympus would not notice?The first came in a rage of Hades, when finally realized that the souls into his kingdom is not coming.Then the gods sent Ares to the poor freed Thanatos.
Sisyphus for such an act immediately taken to the realm of the dead, but he was able to shine here by cunning.Before his death, the king asked his wife not to perform funeral rites and make sacrifices.Sisyphus asked God for the death of a delay of three days, to punish his wife for such an offense, but the back, as already guessed, did not return, and Hermes had to catch him.
Sisyphus and Hades was severely punished for their actions.That's about it idiom "Sisyphean labor".His task - to roll a huge boulder to the top of the mountain, but every time almost the very top of the stone breaks down and Sisyphus must begin all over again.Not to be trifled with death, is not it?
Thanatos in psychology
Many philosophers from different times puzzled over what motivates human activity.Famous psychologist and psychiatrist Sigmund Freud also thought about this issue and decided to study it in detail.
Freud began to consider the primary drive, driving vital functions, such notions as "life instinct" and "death instinct" - Eros and Thanatos.Freud writes that on the basis of these two instincts built the whole of human life.
They constantly interact with each other.Through Eros developing culture, because the instinct of life and love helping people interact with each other and unite in the family, the nation, the state.Bede, devastation and horror that brought the First World, show the human propensity for violence, aggression and self-destruction, it prompted Freud's idea of the "death instinct."
"The aim of all life is death" - said Freud, Eros and Thanatos are constantly fighting with each other.Agree with it or not - you decide.
few words about the mythology
Greek mythology, like any other, carries a lot of information about the people, among the beautiful fairy tales hidden any lessons (remember the story of Sisyphus, who was playing with death?).Myths easy to remember, because in them a myriad of simple and understandable way.
mythology served as an impetus for the development of art, this theme has been very popular among artists of different times and peoples.So read, study, watch and think.
