Rhadamanthus judge of dead from "summary" of Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology: Earinus-Nyx by William Smith
Rhadamanthus was one of the three judges of the dead in Greek mythology. He was a son of Zeus and Europa and was famous for his wise and just decisions in the underworld. He was sometimes referred to as the "King of Crete".- Rhadamanthus was an incredibly wise figure in Greek mythology. He was thought to be the Judge of Dead and one of the three Judges of King Minos' underworld.
- According to legend, Rhadamanthus was the brother of Zeus and son of the Greek Goddess Europa.
- It was said that Rhadamanthus lived an honourable life and never succumbed to temptation or wrongdoing, earning him the title of Judge of Dead.
- It was believed that when souls arrived in Hades, Rhadamanthus would decide which areas they should go and whether their sins could be forgiven or punished.
- Representing justice and moral righteousness, Rhadamanthus has been reused across other media forms such as novels and comics, emphasising the necessity of these virtues for civilisation.
- The work of Rhadamanthus is likened to that of a court-appointed lawyer who ensures perfect justice is served in all cases regardless of personal opinion or bias.
- Although recently outshone by more current characters, Rhadamanthus will always remain an important symbol in classical history and mythology, reminding us of what it takes to be a truly righteous person.
- In his position as judge, he set standards for people process judgement with impeccable fairness: rewarding the just and punishing the guilty.
