Justice and the Underworld

 

I managed to mediate the conflict between Ares, Aphrodite, and Eos well enough. Although, calming Aphrodite’s anger proved quite challenging.

[Aphrodite, try not to get so worked up and just listen.]

[Hades?!]

[If Eos has taken Ares from you, is there any reason you cannot win him back? I don’t see the goddess of love and beauty as any less attractive than the goddess of dawn.]

[…But.]

I reminded her of all the feats Eos had achieved and persuaded her, pointing out that free love was in line with her own desire to leave Hephaestus.

"Lady Eos, targeting Ares when he already had a partner was not the right thing to do."

"Is that your judgment as the god of fairness?"

"...Anyone would say the same. While not formally married, Ares and Aphrodite already have children together…"

I also chastised Lady Eos, gave Ares a talking-to, and resolved the matter without invoking the power of fairness.

Though I did not wield Dike's sacred balance, there was still an unsettling feeling when things went awry. This was indeed the power—and the duty—of fairness.

But I would not be governed by it. I would make judgments based on my own rationality. Since fairness was merely an additional role for the ruler of the Underworld, it was a perspective I could take.

The standards of fairness are not so clear-cut. For instance, blasphemy among gods is typically punishable by death…

It serves well enough as a reference, but it is far from perfect. Can a judgment based on my own understanding truly be called fair?

With that thought, I began walking toward Zeus.

 

When I saw Zeus again, he was leisurely gazing down at the mortals below from beneath the clouds, his hand resting on his chin and a blue light glinting in one of his eyes.

As I entered the audience chamber of the Olympian palace, Zeus waved away the other gods and attendants.

"Observing the mortal realm, were you?"

"Indeed. Lately, it seems like people are committing fewer sins—perhaps thanks to you, brother."

"This whole fairness business is nothing but a nuisance."

Zeus smiled as he looked at me.

"I think I understand why you’ve been given multiple domains. Mortals revere you so fervently…"

"So, why did you summon me? It must be an important matter."

"Ah… about that."

He cleared his throat, then stroked his beard, drawing out his words.

"Hmm. Hmm. You know, it’s about Dike, the goddess of justice."

"Since she recently became part of the Underworld, I doubt she’s caused any trouble…"

"I understand why you accepted the domain of fairness, but could you spare a thought for my pride?"

Ah, I immediately understood what Zeus meant. I’d heard that Dike had been going around lecturing the gods whenever she had a moment. The unruly gods likely didn’t take it well and went to Zeus with their complaints.

It seemed they had gone to Zeus because I, as the god of fairness, had been standing my ground and supporting her.

"I did manage to dismiss them easily enough, but there’s still quite a bit of dissatisfaction. It’s just that they’ve been living that way for so long…"

"There are too many who lack sense. Tsk."

"Hmph. While it would be nice if everything went justly, that’s not always the best approach."

Pursuing absolute justice inevitably clashes with reality. Just as reason and emotion conflict, so too must injustice and justice find a balanced compromise.

Even if I supported Dike, achieving a dramatic change would be difficult. But, I had accepted her for a reason, so gradual change might be possible.

Zeus had probably guessed this, hence the face-to-face meeting. He might have thought a written message could be misinterpreted.

"I hear you’ve been keeping a low profile lately. Is it to appease Hera?"

"Heracles is growing well, so yes."

"You have a point. I’ll speak to Dike for you."

"Oh, you’re willing to do that? Much appreciated."

"But you should also keep the gods from indulging in reckless behavior. If they find her presence unsettling, then it’s on you to prevent the need for her intervention."

Zeus nodded reluctantly. It was no easy task to manage and oversee the gods one by one…

"If the higher gods lead by example, the gods' temperaments might gradually change."

"You’re lauded as the god of mercy and fairness among mortals. Truly, those qualities are evident."

"For me, it’s just an extra burden… There’s also the matter of the Gigantes in the future, which is partly why I took it on."

"Indeed, in your current state, you’re likely stronger than Poseidon."

Zeus was correct. With the praise and adoration from mortals, I was indeed stronger than Poseidon. I might lose in his domain, the sea, but on equal terms, I held a slight advantage.

Though, it’s not an overwhelming difference. It’s merely the added aspects of the Underworld's domain.

"At any rate, I’ll have a word with Dike."

"Her sisters feel slighted. They may be my daughters, but they have a strong bond."

Now, it was time to return to the Underworld.

 

At the time of my visit to Olympus, in the Underworld…

Dike, the goddess of justice, seemed to be waiting for someone. Today, Persephone was to properly introduce Dike to her duties in the Underworld.

"Dike, sister!"

"Ah, the daughter of the goddess Demeter, who is favored by Lord Hades?"

"Please, just call me Persephone. There’s no need for formality!"

"Very well, Persephone."

"Since you’re now part of the Underworld, you need an introduction to the place, don’t you?"

Today was the day Persephone, the goddess of spring and seeds, had arranged to meet her.

Soon, an energetic goddess waved and ran toward her. She was quite late for their appointed time.

"I’m sorry to keep you waiting."

"It wasn’t that long…"

"Oh, I just made a quick stop in the mortal realm to bless the seeds. Sorry about that."

Dike was aware that many gods, including Persephone, were busy with their duties. Though Lord Hades had refrained from burdening her with tasks to allow her to establish justice…

She had already experienced quite a workload in the Underworld. And, on her first day here, she’d learned that the massive pile of work was merely a fraction.

"Well, go ahead and show me what you wanted to."

"Alright, sister! Follow me this way. This is our office…"

Following Persephone, Dike soon encountered a mountain of paperwork. Within the office, which rivaled the size of the Olympian gods' personal palaces, she saw many bustling around, carrying scrolls.

Messengers and lesser deities rushed in to report, relaying instructions back and forth from their superiors. In one corner, higher deities were buried in paperwork, heads down and hands tirelessly moving.

"We have another disturbance at the Phlegethon River!"

"Looks like souls are refusing to cross the river of fire again. The goddess who used to oversee that area…"

"Hey! The nectar count in storage room 112 doesn’t match up! What’s going on?"

"I’ll make sure the guards conduct a proper inventory check."

"Do I really have to deal with this? Get a proper investigation done!"

"It seems a soul has reincarnated into the wrong body. It was supposed to be in a male body, but instead, it's in a female one…"

"Who on earth messed that up?"

"What?! How could they botch something like reincarnation?"

"Who’s responsible for this? The one with red horns?"

"Did you receive Lady Lethe’s blessing? That guy’s supposed to be torturing sinners!"

The Underworld was a noisy, even chaotic, place. Witnessing this hubbub, Dike felt overwhelmed by the state of affairs in this feared realm of mortals. At this moment, someone addressed Persephone beside her.

"Lady Persephone?! What brings you here? Shouldn’t you be over there?"

"Ah, I’m showing Dike around today!"

"...Lucky you."

Persephone beamed as she pointed at another goddess who had noticed them and nodded slightly. The shadows under her eyes invoked sympathy and sorrow.

"I’ll introduce them to you one by one. You should at least know their faces."

"Alright."

"First, this is Medusa. You know of her, right? She was…”

"Goddess of justice, it’s an honor."

"...You can call me Dike."

"Then, I’ll return to my duties. I’m behind schedule."

As Medusa, once a mortal turned into a goddess by Hades, resumed her work, Persephone explained how Hades had granted her leniency in her workload but that Medusa often volunteered on busy days.

"...Over there is the goddess of mint, Menthe."

"Ah… Hello, Goddess of Justice!"

"Indeed, I’ve heard much about the nymph who crafted Hades' symbol."

The goddess of mint, emitting a refreshing scent, hurried about with a teary expression. Before Persephone and Medusa’s arrival, she had been the youngest goddess here.

Persephone then pointed to two other goddesses amid mountains of scrolls, their conversation audible even from a distance. They appeared to be of a higher rank than Persephone.

"Styx… I think I wrote this wrong?"

"Oh no! I’m sorry, Lethe! It’s been so busy today, I keep making mistakes…"

"Haa…"

Dike cautiously introduced herself to them, guessing they were the goddesses of the Styx River and of Forgetfulness, Lethe, from their conversation.

"I am Dike, goddess of justice. I’ve recently started working here in the Underworld."

"I received a report. The daughter of Themis, if I’m not mistaken? As the goddess of justice…"

"Should we assign you to the courthouse? The famed scales…"

"That might work, but as the goddess of justice, she’ll need to oversee the mortal world too…"

Dike pondered.

Is there no justice in the Underworld?

This was, after all, the realm the gods dreaded to enter. The true state of the Underworld.