In this article I will try to discuss the Greek myths and how they are significant to Death in Venice and how these myths are used as metaphors within the novella. Myths and legends serve as a form of moral regulation within society (Morford et al. 2013). They represent an extreme situation followed by what is considered the “wrong choice,” followed by extreme consequences for the character's choice. Within Mann's Death in Venice there are several examples of Greek mythology used as metaphors that foreshadow various aspects of the book, such as Aschenbach's impending death. The novella also makes comparisons between important Greek gods and myths, the Greek ideal with characters and situations in the novella. The first myth we encounter is the allusion to Charon the ferryman. In Greek mythology Charon was the son of the gods, Nox who was the goddess of the night and Erebus who was one of the gods of the underworld (Morford et al. 2013). Charon was responsible for carrying the spirits of the dead across the river sticks to the Elysian Fields, or the underworld (Morford et al. 2013). Greek tradition called for two coins to be placed over the eyes of the deceased, so that he could pay the toll across the river or “pay the ferryman” (Morford et al. 2013). In Death in Venice, Mann does not outright say that the Gondolier was Charon, but drops some hints, for example on page 36, Aschenbach describes the gondola as: "...so distinctly black, as black as only coffins can be - it evokes hidden criminal adventures in the rippling night and, even more, death itself: the coffin, the dark funeral, the final, silent journey.” (Mann 2004 pp. 36) This description fits well with the myth of Charon as he was responsible for the “final journey”. ...... middle of the card ......and environment, as with Eos and Poseidon, or to foreshadow events such as the death of Aschenbach, with Charon or Narcissus The myths create an extreme situation followed by extreme repercussions for one's choices in these situations, which aim to educate or inform the reader about "what can happen" and what it is. the behavior deemed appropriate to avoid these horrible outcomes. In the case of Narcissus, do not love yourself too much or you will end up killing yourself, if you love someone truly and completely, as Semele did for Zeus, you will be rewarded in the end. In conclusion, the myths present in this tale they guide the reader through all of Aschenbach's deepest thoughts and feelings and ultimately lead us to his final end. They demonstrate in various ways the range of emotions a person can experience and the integration of ancient beliefs into modern works.