THE CARONTE’S ROW BOAT
MYTHOLOGY
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Charon
Oil on panel
Author: Joachim Patinir
Date: first half of 16th century
Location: Prado Museum, Madrid
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In Greek
mythology, Charon is the ferryman who drives the souls of the dead through the
Acheron river into the Styx marsh to the kingdom of the underworld, ruled by
Hades. He rejects the souls of the dead people who cannot afford the journey
because they had not been buried with a coin in their mouths.
In classical
theatre he is described as a tall old man with a white beard and white hair and
flames in his eyes. He is dressed in fur and he has a stick which he uses to
hit the spirits if they do not row the boat fast enough or if they riot. All
the writers who wrote about him have described him as bad- tempered and quiet.
Charon is mentioned for the first time in the year 500 B.C in The Myths of Miniada, a poem written by
Pausanias.
Although he
is well known, he only appears in his ferryman role. No one knows whether he
was sentenced to cross the Styx or it was his own choice.
MEANING
We use the
name of Caronte when we refer to death or destruction.
OTHER IMAGES
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The Charon´s boat, the night´s dream and Morpheus
Fresco
Author: Luca Giordano
Date: 1684-1686
Location: Palazzo Medici-Ricardi, Florence
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 |
Charon and Psyche
Author: John Roddam Spencer Stanhope
Date: 1883
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EXAMPLES
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