Why Ancient Greeks Didn’t Always Fear Ghosts

 

Orpheus Leading Eurydice from the Underworld, where ghosts guided Orpheus to his beloved.

By Thanos Matanis

Jean-Baptiste Camille Corot (1796–1875). Credit: DcoetzeeBot, via Wikimedia Common. Public Domain

Ghosts terrorize the living in modern horror movies and shows. However, the ancient Greeks didn’t always fear these phantoms. While they acknowledged the dangers of being haunted, they also revered ghosts as guides and protectors, sources of wisdom who could offer crucial insight and comfort.

Ghosts as guides

Greek mythology provides many examples of how the ancient Greeks didn’t always fear spirits. These spectral figures often appeared to the living, not to terrify them but to offer advice and warnings or reveal hidden truths.

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