Tag Archive for: ferryman

According to Greek mythology, to be properly buried, a coin called an obol needed to be placed under your tongue. This would then be presented to Charon (the ferryman of the River Styx), as payment for the crossing of the river. The entrance to Hades, the underworld, was on the other side of the river. If you were not buried with a coin in your mouth you were destined to wander the banks of the Styx until you found the paupers’ entrance to Hades.

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