Persephone

(Revision as of 06:37, 11 Feb 2005)

In Greek mythology, Persephone was the maiden daughter of Demeter, sister of Zeus and goddess of agriculture and fertility. While gathering flowers, Persephone was abducted by Hades, ruler of the underworld and brother of Zeus. Hades desired to make Persephone his wife and queen, but Demeter demanded her return. Angry at Zeus's vacillation, Demeter caused all crops to die, threatening mankind with starvation. Zeus relented and attempted to persuade Hades to return Persephone to her mother.

However, while in the underworld Persephone had made the mistake of eating six pomegranate seeds; this formed a magical link between her and the underworld of Hades. As a result, a compromise was reached in which Persephone spent six months of the year above ground, living with Demeter, and six months (one for each pomegranate seed) in the underworld, raining as queen beside Hades. This cycle is taken to account for the alternation of seasons between the life and growth of spring and summer and the death and decay of fall and winter.

It probable that the Eleusinian Mysteries consisted in part of a reenactment of this myth cycle.