Rhadamanthus

Half-Olympian son of Zeus by Europa; brother of Minos and Sarpedon. Renowned for absolute justice; codified Cretan law (per Plato's Minos). Translated alive to the Elysian Fields per Odyssey 4 — the only mortal-born figure to skip Hades for the Isles of the Blessed without dying. Became one of the three judges of the dead alongside Minos and Aeacus.

Parentage

• paternal: Zeus
• maternal: Europa

Domains

• lawgiving and justice
• underworld judge

Powers

• Judge the souls of the dead

Epithets

• Ῥαδάμανθυς δίκαιος greek · Rhadámanthys díkaios'Rhadamanthys the just' — judge of the dead in Elysium; byword for justicePlato, Gorgias 523e-524a (primary); Homer, Odyssey 4.564 (primary)
• Ῥαδάμανθυς ξανθός greek · Rhadámanthys xanthós'Fair-haired Rhadamanthys' — dweller of Elysium in the Homeric phraseHomer, Odyssey 4.564 (primary)

Relations

• sibling: MinosHom. Il. 14.321-322 (primary)
• sibling: Sarpedon (Cretan)Apollod. 3.1.1-2 (primary)

Sources

• existence: Homer Iliad 14.321-322, Odyssey 4.561-569, 7.323; Hesiod fr. 141; Pindar Olympian 2.75-77; Plato Gorgias 523e-524a, Minos 318e, Laws 624a-625a; Apollodorus 2.4.11, 3.1.1-2 (primary)