Persephone

Demeter and Persephone

One day Persephone was picking wildflowers with her mother, Demeter. As Persephone picked flowers she spied a beautiful, white narcissus. Persephone strayed away from her mother to pick then narcissus. As she put them in her basket, the Earth began to tremble. Then, the ground split and out of the hole sprang Hades, god of the underworld. He snatched Persephone and she screamed for her mother. But her mother was too far away to save her. Persephone and Hades rode back into the ground. Demeter searched and searched. She searched for her kidnapped daughter in every land. She searched for 9 days. On the 10th day, Hekatos, the goddess of the moon came to Demeter. "I also heard your daughter's screams, but I didn't see her. Let us fly to Helios, the sun God, and ask him what happened." Demeter and Hekatos flew to Helios. Weeping, Demeter asked Helios if he had seen what happened as he was shining down on the woods. "I pity you, Demeter," said Helios,"for I to know what it is to lose a child. But I know the truth. Hades wanted Persephone for his wife, so he asked his brother, Zeus, to give him permission to kidnap her. Zeus gave his consent, and now your daughter reigns over the land of the dead with Hades. Demeter screamed in rage and thrust her fist towards Mount Olympus cursing Zeus for aiding in the kidnap of his own daughter. She grieved for many days and nothing grew. It was terrible year for the people, there was no food and people and animals began to starve. Zeus the gods to offer gifts and plead with her to make the Earth fertile again. "I never will," she said,"not until my daughter is returned safe to me." Zeus had no other choice but to bid his son, Hermes, the messenger God to return Persephone to her mother. Hermes said to Hades,"Your brother Zeus has ordered Persephone to her mother. Otherwise, Demeter will destroy the Earth." "OK, she will go. But first we must be alone." Hades asked Persephone if she wanted to go, and Persephone said yes. " Here eat this pomegranate seed," Hades said to her," It is the fruit of the underworld." Persephone ate the seed and was returned to Earth. She told her mother everything that had happened. Demeter was sad when Persephone told her of the pomegranate. "Now you must return to the underworld for half a year, every year." So winter and fall is when Persephone has to go to the underworld and her mother grieves, and spring and summer are when she is back on Earth.

Summary of Myths

• Demeter and Persephone

Roman Name

Persephone's Roman name is Proserpina.

Meaning of the myth

Persephone

This myth explains the seasons.

Goddess of spring, flowers, and the Underworld

Bibliography

• Images from Google
• Myths from the Literature book
• Names from Mrs. Ziegenfuss and Mr. Aho