According to the ancient Greeks, Hades was the ruler of the underworld. He became ruler by defeating the Titans, the previous generation of Greek gods. Upon his victory, Hades descended into the underworld and took the job of ruling over the dead. Though Hades was feared by many, his primary role was to maintain balance and order in the underworld.
The Greeks believed that once a person died, he or she passed to the underworld through a crater named Avernus. From there, the person would be ferried across a river. The ferry driver, Charon, charged a fee. For this reason, the Greeks often buried their dead with coins in their mouths.
At the gates of Hades, three judges decided the fate of the dead person. If the person was good, he or she was allowed to ascend to the Elysian Fields, a place of paradise. If the person was evil, he or she was sentenced to Tartarus. In some cases, certain individuals were singled out for special treatment. Sisyphus, for example, was forced to roll a boulder up a hill repeatedly—only to watch it roll back down.
Passage 2
The Hindus of ancient India believed that upon dying, they would be judged by Yama, the lord of death. Yama was a terrifying ruler. He was thought to be the first mortal to have ever died. It was said that upon dying, Yama discovered a path to the heavens. Because he was the first to see this path, he became guardian over it.
Yama presided over the dead from his throne in a gloomy palace. From time to time, he would ascend to the mortal world, riding his buffalo. Because of his position as judge, Yama was thought to be cruel. At the same time, he was also considered a just ruler who was dedicated to maintaining balance and harmony.
According to the Vedas, ancient Hindu texts, after a person died he or she was taken to an underground palace by Yama's assistants. There, Yama listened as an assistant read from a book. The book contained a summary of the good and bad things the person had done during his or her life. After hearing this summary, Yama would decide the fate of this person. If the person was especially good, he or she would often be reincarnated, or born again, as a superior being. If, however, the person was evil, he or she was reincarnated as an inferior being.
4
Which of the following is a common purpose in both myths?
A.
to educate people on how to live a long and healthy life on Earth
B.
to warn people that they will be judged for good and bad deeds
C.
to prepare people for an expensive trip across an underground river
D.
to remind people they will have a second life after reincarnation