PERSEPHONE

Greek Goddess
of Innocence and
Receptivity
and Queen of the
Underworld

Persephone, a Greek goddess known in her

childhood by the name Kore (or Cora, meaning
young maiden), was the only child of the union of
Demeter (goddess of the bountiful harvest) and Zeus, the mighty king of the
Olympians. The Greek goddess Persephone was born when Demeter was
Zeus' consort, long before his marriage to the goddess Hera.
By all accounts Persephone had an idyllic childhood, raised by her nurturing
mother and played with her father's other daughters, the Greek goddesses
Athena and Aphrodite. Always a cheerful and compliant child, the little
goddess Persephone was a parent's dream.

According to Greek mythology Persephone's life was soon to change. As

signs of womanly beauty began to shine along side her childlike innocence,
the adolescent goddess Persephone unwittingly attracted the attention of
the Greek god Hades, brother of Zeus and ruler of the Underworld. One can
hardly blame Hades because the Underworld, in Greek mythology, was the
realm of the sleeping and the dead. It probably needed some "brightening
up", and the young goddess Persephone's radiance would assuredly liven up
the place.
The god Hades, however, did not bother to woo the young Persephone,
traditional goddess protocol notwithstanding. After asking for (and
receiving) her father's approval for Persephone's hand in marriage, Hades
simply abducted her one bright sunny day. When she stooped to pluck a
narcissus from a field of wildflowers near her home, the meadow was
suddenly rent open, and Hades simply reached up from the Underworld and

snatched Persephone away, taking her to his Underworld kingdom and

making her his queen.
Although the young goddess Persephone grew to love Hades, she remained
lonely for her mother and the life she'd known on earth.

Her mother, the goddess Demeter, had heard Persephone's screams when
Hades grabbed her. She began an intensive search for Persephone. After
learning how Zeus had betrayed their daughter, and consumed by grief and
sorrow, Demeter demonstrated her outrage by withholding her blessing
from the earth until Persephone was returned to her. Droughts ensued, and
the earth lay barren. Mankind was facing a major famine. Zeus finally
relented and sent the god Hermes to bring the young goddess Persephone
back to her mother.
Part of Persephone missed her mother horribly, but another part had grown
rather fond of the god Hades. And Persephone was rather enjoying her role
as Queen, even if it was in the Underworld. While preparing to return to the
earth with Hermes, Persephone accepted a pomegranate offered to her by
Hades. She knew full well that anyone who had eaten while in the
Underworld would not be allowed to return, even a goddess -- Persephone
went ahead and ate six or seven of the seeds.
The goddess Persephone was soon reunited joyfully with her mother. Her
choice prevented her from ever being fully restored to Demeter, but did
open up the possibility of a compromise. Hermes was able to negotiate an
agreement on her behalf between Hades, a god who was usually rather
cold-natured and self-centered, and Demeter.
Persephone would be allowed to stay with Hades in the Underworld for four
months each year during the winter months (some versions say it was
autumn and winter) and then she would return to the earth and her mother
the remaining months.
Each year as Persephone left to join her husband in the Underworld, Greek
mythology tells us that the goddess Demeter would begin to grieve,
bringing on the cold, barren winters. But a few months later Persephone,
the goddess associated with awakening, would return to bring spring and its
verdant growth in her wake . . . thus were the seasons established.

Not that the goddess Persephone sloughed off any of her responsibilities as
the Queen of the Underworld . Apparently Persephone didn't spend all her
time "going home to momma". Having made the decision to consume the
seeds of the pomegranate while in the Underworld, Persephone managed to
somehow always be there when others came visiting, ready to receive them
into the Underworld and to serve as their hostess and guide.
The goddess Persephone, Queen of the Underworld, was willing to help
Psyche pass Aphrodite's tests so that Psyche could be reunited with her
beloved husband. Psyche had been assigned to go to the Underworld and
return with some of Persephone's famous youth serum/beauty ointment
(actually it was a sleeping potion, but hey, we all know what a bad night's
sleep can do to our appearance!) While Psyche was in the Underworld, she
found Persephone to be both a gracious and generous hostess.
The Greek goddess Persephone also helped Heracles (Hercules), loaning him
Cerberus, the ferocious three-headed dog that guarded the entrance of the
Underworld, so that he could complete the Twelve Labors he'd been
assigned to make retribution for the death of his wife. The goddess
Persephone was also at home in the Underworld when Odysseus (Ulysses)
arrived. She rewarded him with a legendary tour of the souls of women of
great renown.

The Greek goddess Persephone represents both the youthful, innocent, and
joyous maiden aspect of a woman as well as the more womanly self who,
innocence lost and family attachments loosened, can begin to consciously
decide for herself.
In Greek mythology Persephone, goddess of the soul, is the possessor of its
dark and frightening wisdom. But the goddess Persephone is also the
harbinger of spring . . . and a reminder of all the growth and hope that it
brings.
I asked him for it.
For the blood, for the rust,
for the sin.
I didnt want the pearls other girls talked about,
or the fine marble of palaces,
or even the roses in the mouth of servants.

I wanted pomegranates
I wanted darkness,
I wanted him.
So I grabbed my king and ran away
to a land of death,
where I reigned and people whispered
that Id been dragged.
Ill tell you Ive changed. Ill tell you,
the red on my lips isnt wine.
I hope youve heard of horns,
but that isnt half of it. Out of an entire kingdom
he kneels only to me,
calls me Queen, calls me Mercy.
Know the bed is warm and our hearts are cold,
know never have I been better
than when I am here.
Do not send flowers,
well throw them in the river.
Flowers are for the dead, least thats what
the mortals say.
Ill come back when he bores me,
- Persephone