Persephone

Hades

As Persephone was picking flowers, the earth opened and Hades carried her off into his realm.

💡 Did you know? Zeus had secretly consented to the abduction, to the grief of the unsuspecting Demeter.

queen of the underworld

At the side of Hades, Persephone rules the dead: but in summer she returns to the light.

💡 Did you know? Few mortals dared say her name aloud: she was reverently called only „the maiden“ (Kore).

the pomegranate

Because she ate pomegranate seeds in the underworld, Persephone had to spend part of each year with Hades.

💡 Did you know? By ancient belief, eating food in the realm of the dead bound one to it irrevocably.

the seasons

Every return of Persephone to her mother brings the spring to bloom: her descent brings winter.

💡 Did you know? Her double role made her an emblem of death and rebirth: central to the Eleusinian Mysteries.

Proserpina

For the Romans, Persephone corresponds to Proserpina.

💡 Did you know? Her abduction inspired great works of art, such as Bernini's breathtaking marble group in Rome.

Kore

As a young girl at Demeter's side, Persephone was simply called „Kore“: the maiden.

💡 Did you know? Only as queen of the underworld did she bear the feared name Persephone.

Demeter's

The abduction plunged the harvest mother into grief.

💡 Did you know? Their joint cult shaped Eleusis.

Persephone's

They were given bird form to search for her.

💡 Did you know? Thus the myth links underworld and sea.

Adonis

Zeus split the year: a third each, one third free.

💡 Did you know? Adonis chose Aphrodite for his free third.

Minthe

Hades' beloved ended as a fragrant herb.

💡 Did you know? Mint still bears her name today.

Despoina

“The Mistress”: the true name was avoided.

💡 Did you know? Name taboos surrounded the whole ruling pair of the deep.

a third of the year

So says the Homeric Hymn to Demeter; in Ovid it is half the year.

💡 Did you know? The rest of the year belonged to mother and light.