... Being unaware of the burden that hit friend, Hercules is at a feast in Admet’s palace. He is drinks booze and just easy at everything. The peasants know how hard it is to serve to such a guest for they have already been informed that their beloved lady is dead. Despite Admet’s order to hide their burden, peasants fail to conceal the tears on their faces. Hercules calls one of them over and tells him to drink some wine to help getting rid of his sadness. The servant yet rejects. Then, Hercules conjectures that something really bad happened in Admet’s home.
"Admet’s wife has passed away, o, foreigner", the peasant eventually tells.
That makes Hercules feel rather uneasy for he kept having fun while such a big burden had happened recently. He decides to do a favour to noble Ahmet and take Alkestide from the gloomy god of death Thanatos.
He hides behind Aklestide’s tomb and waits for Thanatos to arrive. Here he is, with all his black wings, and the lust for sacrificed blood. Hercules rushes to Thanatos from his ambush. A great fight begins. The god presses Hercules with his bony arms, and freezes him with his breath. Yet, the mighty son of Zeus the god of thunders defeats the dark god. He ties Thanatos with ropes and demands to free Alkestide in return to Thanatos’ own freedom. So it happens, and happy woman is with her husband again...
This naïve myth was designed by Greeks to overpower the natural fear of death. Greeks did not use the concept of heaven, and were very much afraid of what happens after death. Hence, their graveyards (necropolises) were rather gloomy and formidable, in contrast to those of Christians who indeed do believe in heaven.
Plenty things to think about...
Hierapolis being the largest antique graveyard within Turkish territory extends along the way leading to water flowing on Pamukkale travertines. One can freely approach to crypts and look inside...
Though there are no corpses there, the overall atmosphere is extremely ominous. In the past when Hierapolis was just started to be investigated, the place attracted a good deal of various semi-educated treasure hunters and adventurers. They all tried to find golden coins that were believed to persist in any Hellenic tomb. Well, this delusion ensued from the real custom of putting coins into the mouths of the deceased.
"This will go to pay to Haron", they used to tell.
It implied that these coins will be given to Haron the boatman who transported the dead across the river of fire. Watching all these magnificent tomb statues of the ancient Greeks, one will wonder how many dead people and coins are hidden in this land...
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