Katabasis and Anabasis Trivia Quiz

Answer: Aeneas

In Greek and Roman mythology, Aeneas is a Trojan hero and a central character in Virgil's epic poem, the "Aeneid." Aeneas' journey to the underworld occurs in Book VI of the "Aeneid." He travels to the underworld to seek guidance from his father Anchises, who has died on the perilous journey from Troy. Aeneas is guided through the underworld by the Sibyl of Cumae, a priestess of Apollo. During his visit, Aeneas encounters various shadows of the dead, including heroes, historical figures, and his past companions.

The journey to the underworld and his meeting with Anchises provide Aeneas with insights into his destiny and the future of Rome and reinforce his determination to fulfill his divine mission.

Answer: Pirithous

Pirithous was the king of the Lapiths of Larissa and a close friend of Theseus, the Athenian hero and slayer of the Minotaur. The two friends descended into the Underworld to abduct Persephone, the wife of Hades, whom Pirithous desired. Pirithous' descent (Theseus and Pirithous eis Adou katabasis) was one of the epic poems that Pausanias attributed to Hesiod. Since no passage has been saved from the work we assume that Hesiod narrated the descent of the two heroes into the kingdom of the Underworld to steal Persephone. From other accounts, we know that Hades understood their plan and deceitfully made them sit on the throne of oblivion.

They remained there, turned into marble and unable to move, for a long time until Hercules came and managed to free Theseus, but not Pirithous who remained forever chained to the Underworld for committing the hubris of desiring the wife of a god.

His was a journey without "anabasis."

Answer: Psyche

Psyche was a princess so beautiful that people started comparing her with Aphrodite. The furious goddess instructed her son Eros to strike Psyche with one of his arrows and make her fall in love with the most hideous creature on earth but Eros struck himself by mistake and fell in love with the girl.

When Aphrodite realized that her son was in love with Psyche she became enraged and punished the girl with a series of impossible tasks. One of them was to descend into the Underworld and steal some of Persephone's beauty cream. Psyche gave some gold coins to Charon and sweet cakes to Cerberus and entered and exited the Underworld successfully.

Then, the couple appealed to the gods, and Zeus permitted them to marry. Psyche was given ambrosia to become immortal, and she and Eros were united in a divine marriage. The story of Psyche is often interpreted as an allegory of the soul's journey, with Psyche representing the human soul and Eros representing divine love.

The challenges and trials symbolize the trials of life and the quest for spiritual growth and fulfillment.

Answer: Sisyphus

Sisyphus is a character from Greek mythology, who as king of Ephyra (Ancient Corinth) became famous when he "tricked" death twice. The first time he was punished by Zeus to be sent to Tartarus for revealing the location where the god had hidden Aegina after her abduction.

When he was in the Tartarus, Sisyphus tricked the god Death (Thanatos) and managed to escape. When Zeus found out he ordered him back to the Underworld from which he returned to the living by pleading with Persephone. On the third time he descended to the Underworld, the "Judges of the Dead" imposed eternal punishment on him, to push a boulder up a hill, but upon reaching the top, the rock rolled down and he had to push it up again, eternally.

His myth has been handed down to popular culture and, often, a difficult but hopeless task is described as "Sisyphean."

Answer: Odysseus

In Homer's epic poem, "The Odyssey," in Book XI, also called "Nekuia", Odysseus embarks on a treacherous journey to the underworld, guided by the sorceress Circe's advice. Seeking guidance and insights to help him to reach his home, Odysseus descends into the realm of Hades, the land of the dead.

There, "the ghosts of the dead swarmed out of Erebus", including his mother Anticleia, his companion Elpenor, and the seer Tiresias. The journey to the underworld is full of challenges and eerie encounters, testing Odysseus's resilience and cunningness.

He meets with the spirits of Achilles, Agamemnon, and Ajax, and, finally, Tiresias provides crucial prophecies and counsel, foretelling the challenges that lie ahead for Odysseus on his arduous journey to Ithaca.

Answer: Orpheus

The myth of Orpheus and Eurydice is a poignant tale of love, loss, and the fragility of second chances. Orpheus, a gifted musician and poet, fell deeply in love with the nymph Eurydice but, alas, tragedy struck when Eurydice was bitten by a serpent and died. Overwhelmed by grief, Orpheus, armed with his lyre and musical talent, descended into the underworld to plead with Hades, the god of the dead, for the return of his beloved. Touched by Orpheus's enchanting music, Hades agreed to release Eurydice on the condition that Orpheus would lead her back to the world of the living without looking back until they reached the surface.

Unfortunately, in a moment of longing and impatience, Orpheus turned to ensure Eurydice was behind him, breaking the pact.

As a result, Eurydice vanished back into the shadows of the underworld, leaving Orpheus heartbroken. Orpheus had accomplished the unimaginable, to descend into the underworld and return, but he failed to bring Eurydice back with him.

Answer: Semele

In Greek mythology, Semele was a mortal woman and the daughter of King Cadmus of Thebes. She was renowned for her beauty and caught the eye of Zeus who pursued her romantically. However, their affair drew the jealousy and ire of Hera, Zeus's wife.
Hera, seeking revenge, befriended Semele and convinced her to request Zeus to reveal himself in his full divine glory to prove his love. Despite Zeus's attempts to discourage her, Semele insisted, and Zeus, bound by his promise, revealed his true form. The sight of Zeus in all his splendor was too much for the mortal Semele to bear, and she was consumed by divine fire.
To save the unborn child in Semele's womb, Zeus sewed him into his thigh until he was ready to be born. This child was Dionysus, the god of wine, fertility, and revelry. When Dionysus grew up he went to the underworld and took his mother to Olympus with him where she became immortal taking the name Thyone, "she who became immortal through the purifying fire."

Answer: Heracles

For his twelfth labor, Heracles was tasked with capturing and bringing back Cerberus, the three-headed dog guarding the entrance to the underworld. Cerberus was a fearsome creature, and bringing him to the surface presented a significant challenge.
Heracles entered the underworld through the entrance in Taenarum (or according to other versions, in Hermione) and, with the help of the gods, successfully captured Cerberus. Hades, the ruler of the underworld, allowed Heracles to take Cerberus to the surface on the condition that he did so without using any weapons, only the strength of his hands.
Heracles managed to fulfill this labor, bringing Cerberus to the mortal world and presenting him to King Eurystheus as proof of his accomplishment. This final labor marked the completion of Heracles' divine penance and secured his place among the greatest heroes of Greek mythology.
During this journey to the underworld, Heracles freed Theseus who was held captive by Hades for wanting to abduct his wife, Persephone and Alcestis.

Answer: Er

The myth of Er is perhaps one of the oldest and most popular allegories about the afterlife, which Plato mentions in the tenth book of the "Republic." This myth stated for the first time that the righteous man is rewarded both in this world and in the afterlife, as opposed to the unrighteous and tyrants who are severely punished. Er, son of Armenius from Pamphylia, was a fearless warrior who was killed in battle. For ten whole days, his body remained on the battlefield among the other corpses. On the twelfth day, after his family had taken him home, just before the funeral pyre, Er returned to life and began to recount what his soul had seen in the underworld.

When Er descended into the underworld he did not drink from the river Lethe which makes the dead forget, so he returned to give an account of what he saw and convey the message of leading a life of righteousness and justice which will follow you into the afterlife.

Answer: Alcestis

Alcestis was the daughter of King Pelias of Iolchus and the wife of Admetus, the king of Pherae in Thessaly. She is particularly known for her self-sacrifice and devotion to her husband and a version of her story, death and rescue is known to us from the tragedy 'Alcestis" by Athenian dramatist Euripides.
According to the myth, Admetus was fated to die prematurely, but Apollo, the god of the sun, had secured a bargain on his behalf with the Fates who would allow Admetus to escape death if someone willingly volunteered to die in his place. When both his parents denied it, Alcestis, deeply devoted to her husband, offered herself for this sacrifice.
When the day of Admetus's death arrived, Alcestis died in his stead, demonstrating an exceptional act of love and loyalty. However, the hero Heracles, a friend of Admetus, visited Pherae around the time of Alcestis's death. With his great strength, Heracles wrestled Death (Thanatos) and brought Alcestis back from the underworld, reuniting her with Admetus.