Myth Library · Psychopomp Journey
Hermes Leads the Suitors’ Souls
1 source witness · 1 source-scoped variant · reviewed 2026-08-30
Hermes summons the souls of the slain suitors with his wand and leads them along the underworld road.
Canonical narrative
At the opening of Odyssey 24, Hermes of Cyllene takes the golden wand that closes human eyes or wakes sleepers and summons the souls of the slain suitors. They follow him with a thin cry, compared to bats moving through a cave.
Hermes leads them past Ocean’s stream, the White Rock, the gates of the Sun, and the land of dreams to the asphodel meadow where worn human spirits dwell. The exact passage ends there. Hermes gathers and conducts the dead; he does not judge them, rule them, or determine their fate.
Episodes in this myth
Episode 1
The souls gather
Hermes uses his wand to summon the slain suitors.
Episode 2
The underworld road
The souls follow across Ocean, dream country, and the asphodel meadow.
Participants and roles
Hermes
summons and conducts the suitors’ souls along the underworld road
He guides rather than judges the dead.The slain suitors
follow Hermes crying like bats toward the asphodel meadow
Their arrival begins a new underworld conversation.Source-scoped variants
The Odyssey’s underworld road
Hermes gathers the slain suitors and conducts them through named thresholds.
What differs: The god serves as guide, not judge or ruler of the dead.
Greek Archaic · Greek UnderworldSource witnesses
EXPLICIT PRIMARY · Reviewed
Odyssey
Homer; translated by A. T. Murray · 1919
Book 24 · Line 1-14
Book-opening psychopomp scene.
Open reviewed source