Ursprung und Charakter der homerischen Jenseitsvorstellungen

This work investigates the earliest Greek references to the afterlife. What is the world of the dead like? Can it be reached only by the dead, or is it possible for a living person to visit it? Are there emotions in the afterlife? Are earthly sins punishable there? Are there alternatives to death? Can it be avoided, and if so, who possesses this kind of privilege? This study addresses these questions, while also investigating the origin of early Greek concepts of the afterlife, looking at influences mainly from Mesopotamia, but also Egypt, Asia Minor, and even Germania.