Final answer:
Hades, the Greek god of the underworld, is not synonymous with Judeo-Christian Satan, an embodiment of evil. While both are associated with the afterlife, they serve different roles and representations in their respective mythologies.
Step-by-step explanation:
No, Hades is not synonymous with Satan. Hades in Greek mythology is the god of the underworld, a figure who rules over the dead and is concerned with the afterlife but is not inherently evil. In contrast, Satan as described in Judeo-Christian beliefs is considered the embodiment of evil and the nemesis of God.
While there are some conceptual parallels between Hades and figures like the Zoroastrian Ahriman, Satan evolved in these traditions to represent a distinct, malevolent being, a corruption of a previously ambiguous or undefined dark spirit.
In classical literature, Hades is seen as a stern but just ruler of the underworld, as expressed in various texts including critiques like those from Hesiod and mentions in Homer's narratives, where the afterlife involves varying realms and judgement based on moral actions.
Vergil's contribution to the understanding of the underworld in classical literature further differentiates Hades by dividing the afterlife into separate compartments for different souls.
Thus, while Hades and Satan may share the trait of being associated with the afterlife and the concept of judging souls, they are fundamentally different characters in their respective mythologies and religious narratives, with Satan being a figure associated with temptation and evil, contrasting with the more neutral role of Hades.