The Myth of Persephone

The myth of Persephone is my favorite Greek myth. If you read Abandon by Meg Cabot or The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter, you may have some idea about this myth.

Persephone is the daughter of Zeus and Demeter, the goddess of harvest. She was out picking flowers one day when she was abducted by Hades, the god of the underworld. Hades, of course wanted to make Persephone his queen of the underworld.

Nobody knew where Persephone taken to. Demeter abandoned her duties and started to search everywhere for her. Droughts began and earth ceased to be fertile. When she found out what happen to Persephone from Helios, the god of the sun, she was enraged. She went straight to Zeus and demanded the return of their daughter from Hades.

Hades reluctantly agree to return Persephone, but before she left he gave her a pomegranate to eat. There are multiple variations for this part of the myth, depending on where the myth is being told. Different climates have different season lengths and the myth was change to fit. Some say she swallowed four seeds. Others say six seeds. Each seed she ate represents a month she'll have to stay in the underworld.

Demeter was overjoyed when Persephone return.Her return from the underworld marks the beginning of spring. Because Persephone ate a food of the dead, she must return to the underworld at the end of harvest and winter begins.