Perseus Abyssos (ἄβυσσος)
As the saying goes, if Zeus rules the heavens then Hades rules the underworld, and here his charisma and power were absolute. He commanded a host of gods beneath him, most of them of a gloomy lineage, and to me this place felt far more terrifying than Olympus.
The dead who had come to greet us bowed politely to the god Hermes. Passing them without hesitation, we entered the grand palace. Deeper still, beyond the pillars, gloomy gods with veiled faces appeared.
‘As expected, they’re here.’
Among them was Eris, the goddess of discord who had sparked the golden-apple affair. Nearby stood Momus, god of blame, or perhaps Geras, god of old age. The god of sleep, the god of lies, and Thanatos—whom I had seen earlier—were also present.
“Brother, may I excuse myself for a moment?”
“Hm? Why so suddenly?”
“I’ve prepared gifts not only for Lord Hades but for the others as well. I’d like to hand them out here.”
“Oh-ho, you’ve a kind heart. My little brother, yet so thoughtful!”
This was a frightening place. Hermes smiled with his usual nonchalance, but these were jealous gods. I took several ornaments from the chest he carried and presented them to the gods under Hades who had been watching us from the shadows.
“Eh?”
“You’re giving this to us?”
“Yes. If it is not too presumptuous, would you accept it?”
“Hmm…”
Led by Eris, whose brow was furrowed with jealousy, they all looked startled. Up close she was beautiful for a goddess of discord, her blood-red eyes and hair unforgettable. To Geras, the aged god in an old man’s form, I gave a new wooden staff; to Momus, the sharp-tongued god of blame, sweet honey wine; to Eris, an apple-shaped ornament; and to the rest, whatever items I had prepared in the chest, each matched to its recipient while I spun the lie that “I prepared this from the very beginning for this god.”
‘These are gloomy folk whose intentions I cannot guess. Simply passing by and offering tribute only to Lord Hades would be suicide.’
Since I did not know the anthropomorphized forms of the gods well, the chest had been packed with items that let me improvise lies on the spot. I had practiced deception for this day, and even Apate, goddess of deceit, had been fooled; my flattery must have seemed excellent even to Hermes.
“Why give this to us? What schemes lie in that little head of yours?”
“Though I see you all for the first time today, as a human it would be unthinkable to pass the gods without respect or tribute. This is my heart and my courtesy; I hope you will look upon it with favor.”
“………Hmph.”
Eris made a displeased sound, yet she fastened the ornament I had given her into her red hair and idly twirled the end with her fingers.
“Then, if you will excuse me.”
Fortunately, with Eris’s words the group drifted away and spoke no more. I had not yet met Hades, but cold sweat already trickled down my back. I feared they might strike me, yet Hermes merely shrugged.
“They may look that way, but they like people. Secretly they’ll be pleased.”
“They didn’t seem so.”
“Their personalities are prickly, and some are barred from Olympus, but that’s that and this is this. Gods are bound closely to you humans, aren’t they? Lies and blame are human specialties, and since they govern those domains they feel a special attachment. They secretly long to be respected by mortals yet cannot be, and now they’ve received a gift from you… well, you understand, don’t you?”
“The impression differs from what one hears on the surface.”
“Of course. What would humans know? They only guess from rumors.”
Hermes’ explanation strengthened my conviction that my choice for Hades had been correct.
“This way, I think. It’s been a while, so I’m a little lost.”
Together we explored the palace until we stood before a massive door. Fitting for the edge of the underworld, it radiated majesty and menace. The presence within was intense; I realized at once that one of the great gods of this age awaited me inside.
Knock, knock.
While I wiped the cold sweat from my brow, my brother rapped on the door.
“I have arrived. I bring the promised tribute and a special gift. May I enter?”
『Such insolence. Is it Hermes?』
“Yep~!”
『A special gift? What scheme have you hatched this time?』
“That’s rude~! This time it truly is a gift!”
『How many times have our gods been fooled by that silver tongue?』
A low, dark voice echoed through the palace. I moistened my lips and steadied my breathing. The presence beyond the door had terrified me, yet the voice carried a trace of humanity that quickly calmed my trembling. Perhaps he was not so fearsome after all; the door opened of its own accord and welcomed us.
『One foot is still swift as ever. Very well—I permit it. Enter at once.』
“Yep! Excuse us! ……Little brother?”
“Yes, brother. ──Please excuse me as well, Lord Hades!”
『Hmm-?』
Shouting our request for entry, we stepped through. On the larger of two thrones sat a handsome middle-aged man with black hair, clad in a black chiton, gazing down at me in surprise. Darkness pooled before the throne; blue flames flickered. This was truly the palace of the god of death, and the figure who occupied its finest seat was none other than the great Dis Pater—Hades.
“Hmm, Hermes? What is this? Why is a living soul in the underworld? Speak, or depending on your answer you may not escape a scolding.”
I set the tribute chest and box before me and bowed deeply. Hermes, ever eloquent, answered at once.
“Come now, no need to be so stiff. Didn’t I say it? A special gift. Gift. Gift.”
“A gift? Why would a living person be my gift? Who is this child?”
“Last time you requested tribute, Lord Hades, you muttered that everyone else receives offerings yet you do not, and that you wished to see the face of whoever pleases the others so greatly.”
“And?”
“Here, little brother. Tell him yourself.”
Hermes had prepared the stage. I knelt, raised only my head, and addressed Lord Hades. His black eyes, perhaps pitying that a child stood in the underworld, were filled with sympathy—yet that gaze soon turned to astonishment.
“I apologize for the rudeness of a living soul entering the underworld. I am Perseus II, the one who pleased the Twelve Gods with tribute and who has come in person to the underworld this time to please Lord Hades—a humble jester, if you will.”
“Oh-ho~! Then you are the master of that tribute!”
“Yes.”
“Still a child, yet so capable?! Why come directly to the underworld?! You must know what manner of place this is!”
Lord Hades proved far more considerate than I had expected; his tone was genuinely worried. My trembling ceased entirely, and my tongue moved more freely than usual.
“This young kin lacked the knowledge to send tribute to the underworld. Having caused displeasure to Lord Hades, I came to apologize, bringing tribute and to pay my respects in person. I wished to offer my life in atonement, yet I have a mother who depends on me alone and could not commit such unfilial folly. Therefore I apologize once more for entering the underworld while still alive; please calm your anger.”
“Hmm, hmm… Well now…”
The sight of a child babbling and bowing his head seemed novel to Hades. He asked Hermes my age and looked even more surprised. My age was neither particularly young nor old in this world, leaving him at a loss for reaction.
“Very well. Raise your head. I never dreamed a child would journey all this way merely to lift my mood. It is bewildering, yet the courage pleases me.”
“I am ashamed.”
“However, Hermes—you called this child your little brother. What is the meaning of that?”
At those words Hermes’ spirits lifted again; he bounced on his feet, tapping the floor repeatedly with his staff. His reply seemed calculated to stir even Hades’ jealousy.
“Lord Hades, you see it too—this child is clever and knows courtesy. Beneath the dawn sky I secretly listened to his thoughts, and they ran so deep that I took him as my little brother and we toured the underworld together in good fellowship.”
“Is he truly so remarkable?”
“Yes. Of course.”
“Hmm…”
The handsome middle-aged god stroked his black beard and regarded me with interest. He seemed lost in thought, yet without waiting Hermes opened the box and laid out the tribute. The surrounding dead carried it away.
“It has been so long since I received tribute from the surface. Still, I heard you offered pleasing words to each of the gods. I expected a word for me as well, yet I see no such item prepared.”
“……Oh?”
Hermes looked puzzled as well. I answered by opening the chest. Inside lay the remaining gifts and, prepared especially for Hades, a single book bound in parchment.
“Lord Hades, how many times have you seen mortals beg for their lives with flattery before you? I am not so shameless as to offer ugly flattery in the presence of the god of the underworld. I wish to please you in another way.”
“Oh?”
I suspected many desperate souls had performed the same groveling show, believing flattery might spare them. When cornered, anyone begs the powerful. Therefore I had decided that open flattery would only earn me contempt. Instead I drew out the books concerning Hades and the underworld that had found their way into our temple from Athens, and in my other hand I lifted a blank sheet of parchment.
“Is that not my myth as known on the surface? Why bring it out now?”
“Because there is something I wish to ask of Lord Hades.”
“Something to ask?”
Hades’ eyes narrowed warily, perhaps fearing I would request the revival of the dead, but I denied it at once.
“I do not seek any favor that would displease you. Yet if you examine this book and the others, you will understand.”
I took out the remaining myth books. The epics and tales of heroes were thick volumes, but the writings concerning Hades were noticeably thin by comparison.
“As you can see, mortals on the surface write long, thick accounts of heroes and the Twelve Gods, yet they treat Lord Hades with neglect—the god of the underworld who stands beside Lord Zeus, ruler of the sky, and Lord Poseidon, ruler of the sea. Moreover, even in Athens, famed for its wise men, the first page of the book on Lord Hades’ myths boldly declares this phrase.”
I opened the book and showed the first page.
Do not call upon the name of Hades, lest you incur a curse.
Seeing the page, Hades looked genuinely disconcerted.
“Hmm… A curse, you say?”
“It is disconcerting, is it not? How rude these mortals are! The one who governs the underworld and maintains the harmony of the world—they claim that speaking his name brings displeasure, so they rename him Pluto or Dis Pater and publish such a book! Then, after dying and descending here, they call upon Lord Hades’ name as they please and beg to be revived! ──Such shameless wretches!”
I shouted with passionate conviction, as though intoxicated by my own words, then hurled the book into the blue flames.
Whoosh! Crackle!
Burning a book in a world where parchment was endlessly precious—even I thought the act mad. Yet the performance, costly as it was, succeeded. Both Hades and Hermes stared with wide eyes, listening to the end.
“I will not offer the same lip-service flattery as those unpleasant mortals! Instead, I will hear Lord Hades’ true myth from your own lips, write it into a book, and proclaim to the rude people of the surface world that this is the genuine form of the god Hades! Thus I will make your name resound even on the surface, and win for you the same respect that the other great gods enjoy from mortals!”
Thud!
I emptied the chest of every sheet of parchment I had collected. Obtaining them had been difficult; I had scraped covers from existing books to create new sheets. The sheer quantity drew surprised looks from everyone present. I bowed my head once more.
“Since I offer tribute, accept this proposal in place of empty flattery and grant me the honor of writing Lord Hades’ myth.”
“That is how you intend to please me?”
“Yes! I currently maintain a temple. If you entrust the writing to me, there could be no finer opportunity to proclaim your glory anew.”
“Hmm… Hmm, hmm, ha, hahahahaha~! Hahahahaha~!”
Hades exhaled in astonishment, and for a moment I feared I had failed. He seemed to ponder, then threw his head back and roared with laughter.
“Hah, ha, hah… Ahem… Ahem……”
The great god laughed in a manner ill-suited to his imposing frame, clutching his stomach. Only after a fit of coughing did he rise. His sharp gaze turned to Hermes.
“Hermes~! You shamelessly enviable scoundrel! You snatched the place beside me, bypassing both Zeus and myself!”
“Heeheehee! Such things belong to the swiftest god~! If you are so envious, keep him by your side when his lifespan ends!”
“Damn it, I should have noticed him first!”
With another hearty laugh, Hades bade me stand. He approved my proposal and declared he would summon the most skilled among the dead so that the writing might begin at once.
Thus was the new myth of the underworld born.
It proved, unexpectedly, a masterpiece.