The Myth of:     Athena     Demeter     Persephone

Persephone

Persephone was the beloved daughter of Demeter, the goddess known for her nurturing and motherhood. Her father was Zeus, the mighty ruler of all Gods and Goddess. Demeter loved and nurtured Persephone and sheltered her from the outside world. Persephone grew up delighting in each day, playing in the fields, running and chasing butterflies with other maidens. Demeter and Persephone spent much time together. They told stories, went on picnics and enjoyed the flowers and the birds. Life was simple and joyous, free of care. Persephone basked in the lighthearted and playful life that Demeter created for her.

One day, as Persephone was playing in the fields with her friends, she spotted a beautiful narcissus. As she bent down to pick it, the earth split apart and a huge chariot pulled by two enormous black horses sprang from the earth's depths. Riding in the chariot was the mighty God of the Underworld, Hades. He abducted her and took her to the Underworld.

Persephone descended into a long period of grieving. She was in utter despair and dearly missed her mother. She missed the daylight and the lovely flowers. She sat alone in the darkness, grieving her loss, fearful of what lay ahead. Her life of childhood freedom was over.

One day, Hermes, the messenger God, appeared and told Persephone that Zeus had sent him to bring her home. Her mother, Demeter, had brought famine to the world in order to force Zeus to intervene. Hades gave Persephone some pomegranate seeds as she was leaving the underworld and tricked her into eating them. While swallowing the seeds she realized his offer tied her to the underworld. She was to live the life of duality... light and dark, and thrive. Demeter greeted Persephone with tears of joy, but as they sat together they both knew life would never be the same between them. Persephone was no longer a maiden. She had become a woman initiated into the deeper mysteries of life. Each autumn she returned to Hades to spend the dark winter months in the underworld, returning in spring where she lived until the trees began to give up their leaves to the encroaching winter. Eventually, through releasing and letting go, Persephone learned to thrive in both worlds and became the Goddess of the Underworld.


See the Persephone Doll