| Death | |
|---|---|
 | |
|
Other Names |
Thanatos, Moros |
|
First Appearance |
Book of Revelation |
|
Created by |
John of Patmos |
Origin[]
"When the Lamb broke the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, "Come." I looked, and behold, an ashen horse; and he who sat on it had the name Death; and Hades was following with him. Authority was given to them over a fourth of the Earth, to kill with sword and with famine and with pestilence and by the wild beasts of the Earth." - Revelation 6:7–8 (New American Standard Bible)
The fourth and final of the Four Horseman of the Apocalypse is named Death. Known as Thanatos, of all the riders, he is the only one to whom the text itself explicitly gives a name. Unlike the other three, he is not described as carrying a weapon or other object, instead, he is followed by Hades (the resting place of the dead). However, illustrations commonly depict him carrying a scythe, sword, or another implement, he is typically no different than typical portrayals of Death, and is the only horseman who doesn’t appear to be a human.
The color of Death's horse is written as khlōros in the original Koine Greek, which can mean either green/greenish-yellow or pale/pallid. The color is often translated as "pale", though "ashen", "pale green", and "yellowish green" are other possible interpretations (the Greek word is the root of "chlorophyll" and "chlorine"). Based on the uses of the word in ancient Greek medical literature, several scholars suggest that the color reflects the sickly pallor of a corpse. In some modern artistic depictions, the horse is distinctly green.
The verse beginning with "they were given power over a fourth of the Earth" is generally taken as referring to Death and Hades, although some commentators see it as applying to all four horsemen.
According to the interpretatio graeca, he is Moros, god of doom.
Public Domain Appearances[]
Public Domain Novels[]
- The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (1916)
Public Domain Comic Appearances[]
- Uncle Sam Quarterly #5
- Wonderworld Comics #3, 8, 14
- Ibis the Invincible #2
Public Domain Film Appearances[]
- The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (1921 film)