Charon in the ancient sources

Ancient Sources / Figures / Charon

5 passages from 3 ancient authors that tell of Charon, in the original with English translation, author by author in the order the Greeks read them. Charon is the ferryman of Hades who carries souls of the deceased across the rivers Styx and Acheron in Greek mythology. For the story in one place, read our article on Charon.

Euripides (1)

Euripides, Alcestis 213–279First choral song; Alcestis comes out to dieThe Chorus prays to Apollo as Paean to save Admetus, and then sees Alcestis come out of the house, supported by her husband. Alcestis speaks to the sun and the clouds, and sees Charon, the ferryman of the dead, calling her to come. Admetus begs her not to leave him or the children.

Aristophanes (3)

Aristophanes, Frogs 172–207bPrologue: the dead man and Charon's ferryA dead man refuses to carry the luggage for less than two drachmas, and Xanthias has to go round the lake on foot because slaves are not taken on the ferry. Charon makes Dionysus take an oar, and Dionysus complains that he is no seaman. Charon promises that the rowing will go better with a timing song, and the frogs begin their refrain.
Aristophanes, Lysistrata 387–613Episode: the Magistrate confronts LysistrataA Magistrate, attended by Scythian archers, complains of women's wantonness and tries to break open the treasury with crowbars. Lysistrata and other women come out and beat off the archers, and she explains to him that the women will keep the money and so end the war, comparing the tangled affairs of the city to a skein of wool that women know how to untangle. The women dress him in a veil and give him a wool-basket, and then mock him with the preparations for his funeral.
Aristophanes, Frogs 208–279bFrog chorus: Dionysus rows across the lakeThe frogs sing their Brekekekex refrain as Dionysus rows, and he complains of blisters and a sore seat. They answer every protest with the same song, and he swears that he will out-shout them. At last Charon calls a halt and sends him ashore, where he meets Xanthias again.

Pausanias (1)

Pausanias, Description of Greece 10.28.1–8Delphi: Polygnotus' painting of the underworld (1): Acheron, Charon and the punishedPausanias describes the left-hand painting in the Lesche, showing Ulysses in hell consulting Tiresias, with the river Acheron, Charon's boat and its passengers Tellis and Cleoboea. He describes the man throttled by his father, with the tale of the pious folk of Catana who carried their parents away from the lava, and the punished sacrilegious man. He then describes the demon Eurynomus, said by the Delphians to eat corpses, and Auge and Iphimedea.