This my version of this traditional myth, brought to you in honour of Lammas
Demeter was the Goddess of the harvest, who presided over grains and the fertility of the Earth. Demeter had a beautiful daughter called Persephone who she loved and treasured deeply. One beautiful summer’s day, Persephone was playing in the fields with her friends while her mother watched. Suddenly the ground opened up and Persephone was drawn down into the Underworld by Hades.
Demeter was the Goddess of the harvest, who presided over grains and the fertility of the Earth. Demeter had a beautiful daughter called Persephone who she loved and treasured deeply. One beautiful summer’s day, Persephone was playing in the fields with her friends while her mother watched. Suddenly the ground opened up and Persephone was drawn down into the Underworld by Hades.
Hades had been watching Persephone for a very long time, he
had fallen in love with her and wished her to be his wife. Persephone did not like the darkness of the
Underworld and spurned Hades affections, refusing to eat or drink, hoping he
would return her to her mother Demeter.
When Demeter realised what had become of her daughter she
became distraught and the fertility of the Earth began to wane. Realising that the Earth was dying and that
the people and animals of the world would die also, Zeus knew he would have to
intervene. He sent his messenger Hermes
to talk with Hades.
In the meantime, Persephone had started to realise that the
Underworld was not the dark and fearsome place she believed it to be and that
she could help the souls who arrived there.
She also realised that Hades was not as bad as he first seemed. As Hermes arrived in the Underworld, he saw
Hades offer Persephone a pomegranate, and before he could intervene she ate six
seeds from it.
Hermes stepped forward and entreated Hades to return
Persephone to her mother. Hades declared
that because Persephone had eaten in the Underworld she would have to remain
with him. But he realised he could not allow the Earth to die, so he agreed
Persephone would stay with him in the Underworld for six months of the year,
one month for each pomegranate seed, and for the other six months she might
live with her mother in the world.
And so this is how it has ever been, Persephone descends to
the Underworld at the end of the summer, taking her light and her mother’s joy
with her, leaving the upper world in the darkness of winter. Then in the spring she returns to Demeter and
the world is bright, fertile and full of laughter once again.
Image – Persephone and the Pomegranate by Kris
Waldherr
(c) Awen Clement July 2015
