Asphodel Meadow
The meadow reached by the suitors’ shades under Hermes’ guidance in Odyssey 24.
Overview
At the opening of Odyssey 24, the Asphodel Meadow is the place reached when Hermes leads the suitors’ shades beyond Oceanus, the White Rock, the gates of the Sun and the land of dreams. The poem says that powerless souls and shadows dwell there and lets the newly dead encounter Achilles, Ajax, Agamemnon and others who died earlier. The place belongs to this particular route and scene. This account does not declare it the only destination accepted by every Greek author or derive an unstated moral rank from the flower’s name.
Key facts
Destination on Hermes’ route
Odyssey Book 24The suitors’ shades follow Hermes past world-boundaries and reach the Asphodel Meadow.
Meeting the earlier war dead
The newly dead meet shades including Achilles, Ajax and Agamemnon in the meadow.
Relationships
- Underworldis the shades’ destination in this book
Odyssey 24 has Hermes lead this company of shades to the Asphodel Meadow.
Story appearances
- Gates of the UnderworldMeadow reached by a particular company of shades in Odyssey 24
Meadow reached by a particular company of shades in Odyssey 24, part of the Underworld story's crossings, losses, judgments or guarded spaces.
Ancient sources
MythWeave distinguishes ancient-source evidence from later adaptations and modern interpretation.