ABSTRACT
This chapter looks at the various characterisations of Hades, both as a personified god and as the location of the Underworld. It begins with an examination of the ambiguity between these two characterisations, particularly in Homer and other literary sources. It then moves on to a discussion of Hades and Plouton, and whether these two gods should be considered as distinct or if the lines between them are fuzzy. The main case study for this discussion is the cult of the Eleusinian Mysteries. Finally the chapter looks at the relationships between mortals and Hades as a god, and presents a brief case for the inclusion of Underworld gods in the discussion of mainstream religious practices in ancient Greece, which continues throughout the following chapters.
