To the Greeks, the underworld journey was an ideal vehicle for the hero to display his exceptional qualities, often involving the rescue of a soul trapped there. A central convention of Greek mythological narratives is katabasis, the hero's journey to the underworld or land of the dead.

What is the point of katabasis?

Katabasis is the epic convention of the hero's trip into the underworld. In Greek mythology, for example, Orpheus enters the underworld in order to bring Eurydice back to the world of the living.

How do you use katabasis?

The term " katabasis " referred to a trip from the interior to the coast. "Katabasis " is the epic convention of the hero's trip into the underworld. The " katabasis " of Orpheus in book 10 is the last major inclusion of the theme by Ovid in the " Metamorphoses ".