Charon was the aged ferryman who conveyed all dead souls from the land of the living to the land of the dead. Charon waited with his boat at the the edge of the river Styx. Since he was quite stingy, Charon had to be paid for his services with the toll (naulon). This was the reason for the tradition of putting a coin (danake) in the mouth of the dead. Charon played an important role in two adventures. When Orpheus came to the Underworld to save Eurydice (unsuccessfully), he charmed Charon with his voice. When Hercules came to kidnap Cerberus, he scared Charon into submission. Hades was so angry with Charon that he punished him for an entire year.

ACTIVITIES:
Charon activity

KEY TEST WORDS:
None

The Underworld

Creatures

Footnotes:
Charon is a stock figure in mythology, and he often appears in poetry and literary metaphors.

SOURCES:
Jane Smith
Edith Hamilton's Mythology
Bulfinch's Mythology
"Manual of Mythology" by Alexander S. Murray.