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 Eridanos. 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.

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 Phaëton 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 hell of Christianity as well, notably in The Divine Comedy. The ferryman Charon is in modern times commonly believed to have transported the souls of the newly dead across this river into the underworld, though in the original Greek and Roman sources, as well as in Dante, it was the river Acheron that Charon plied. Dante put Phlegyas over the Styx and made it the fifth circle of Hell, where the wrathful and sullen are punished by being perpetually drowned in the muddy waters.

Psyche presents the water of Styx to Aphrodite, Raphael

Traversing the Styx, Gustave Doré, 1861.

Satan plunging in the Styx, Flatters, From an edition of Paradise lost.

Hercules Gets Cerberus from the Underworld, Charon the Ferryman of the Styx, Jacob van Campen

Achilles Into The River Styx Print by Follower of Peter Paul Rubens" src="https://render.fineartamerica.com/images/images-profile-flow/400/images/artworkimages/mediumlarge/1/thetis-dipping-the-infant-achilles-into-the-river-styx-follower-of-peter-paul-rubens.jpg" alt="Thetis Dipping The Infant Achilles Into The River Styx Print by Follower of Peter Paul Rubens" />

Thetis dipping the infant Achilles into the River Styx, Follower of Peter Paul Rubens

Aeneas on the Bank of the River Styx, Pietro Testa

Jupiter's Eagle Bringing Water of the Styx to Psyche, Leon Davent

Passage on the river Styx, Nicolas-Louis-François Gosse 1819

William Blake, Styx

Goddess

Styx is also the name of a primordial goddess who represented that river. She was a daughter of Erebus and Nyx. With Pallas, she was the mother of Zelus, Nike, Cratos and Bia (and sometimes Eos).

The Greek Underworld
Residents:
Persephone Hades Minos Aeacus	Rhada- manthys Charon Cerberus
Geography:
Acheron Cocytus Tartarus Lethe	Styx Phlegethon Asphodel Erebus
Famous inmates:
Ixion Sisyphus	Tantalus The Titans

Potamoi / Rivers Achelous | Alpheios | Bolbe | Brychon | Inachus | Styx

Greek Mythology

See also : Greek Mythology. Paintings, Drawings

Mythology Images