The book by Jouanna dives into the perceptions of ancient Greeks regarding death, the afterlife, and the soul, spanning several centuries of history and literature.

The evolution of ideas related to death, as reflected in works of literature, history, philosophy, and rhetoric, reveals not only the contours of rituals and customs throughout the ages but also the web of values and meanings that are born, develop, and perish around this supreme event: issues of social class and origin, social imaginary, power relations, perceptions of justice, and philosophical and metaphysical assumptions arise as we traverse the texts from Homer to Plutarch and Latin thinkers.

In this exploration, numerous excerpts from archaic, classical, Hellenistic, and Latin literature are presented, which – in addition to the scholar's faithful commentary that accompanies them – reveal the ideas that frame the narratives and representations of the underworld in each historical period.

A professor for over forty years, Danielle Jouanna has dedicated her teaching and research work to ancient Greek history and language. Her textbooks for learning ancient Greek are among the most popular in France, as they combine methodological rigor with a passion for ancient Greece.

She has translated Homer, Sophocles, and Euripides into French. Other works include: Le monde comme le voyaient les Grecs (Les Belles Lettres, 2018); Rire avec les Anciens. L’humour des Grecs et des Romains (Les Belles Lettres, 2016); L’Europe est née en Grèce (L’Harmattan, 2009); Aspasie de Milet, égérie de Périclès (Fayard, 2005; Diane Potier-Boès Prize of the French Academy. Greek edition: Ασπασία η Μιλήσια, Ενάλιος, 2012).