skeletós

In ancient Greek mythology, **skeletós** (σκελετός) refers to a monstrous or skeletal figure often associated with death, decay, and the afterlife. The term is derived from the Greek word *skeletos*, meaning "hollow" or "skeletal," and it frequently appears in the works of poets and playwrights like Homer, Hesiod, and the tragedians of Athens. Skeletós is sometimes depicted as a malevolent spirit or a harbinger of doom, embodying the consequences of mortality and the inevitability of the underworld.

One of the most famous depictions comes from the *Iliad* of Homer, where the ghostly figure of **Hector** is described as a skeletal remnant of his former self, wandering the streets of Troy in grief. Similarly, in Hesiod’s *Works and Days*, skeletós figures are linked to the destructive forces of time and nature, such as the *Erinyes* (Furies), who punish wrongdoers with torment and vengeance. In Greek tragedy, skeletós elements often symbolize the irreversible nature of fate, particularly in plays like Aeschylus’ *Oresteia*, where the concept of justice and the afterlife is explored through skeletal or ghostly appearances.

Culturally, skeletós also appears in later Greek literature and folklore, sometimes as a metaphor for the lingering presence of the dead or the fragility of human existence. The imagery of skeletons in Greek art and literature reflects broader themes of mortality, the cycle of life and death, and the supernatural forces that govern human destiny. While not always explicitly monstrous, skeletós figures serve as poignant reminders of the human condition and the enduring influence of the divine in death.