Hades & Persephone
Overview of the story of Hades and Persephone
This story is about Persephone, daughter of Demeter who is taken captive by Hades, God of the Underworld. After finding her daughter, Demeter realizes that she must give her up again for four months out of the year because Persephone ate the pomegranate seeds that were given to her by Hades.
The Blog of Hades and Persephone
The following story portrays the perspectives of both Hades and Persephone.
~Hades~
At one point, there is an opening. I go up into the world of daylight, and I find myself consumed with love. Why do I feel this way? I then see her, my beloved. Her name is found to be Persephone, and she is even more beautiful than everything above the Earth. She is daylight, and I have fallen for her. Her hair, so luscious and glowing, could be just as bright as the sun if not brighter. And her face, oh how sweet it is. She is so delicate, and her features are so soft, but she is the one I love. I must have her . . . to the Underworld I shall bring her.
~Persephone~
Being in the Underworld, I am now more dead than alive. I sit by the hearth in Hades' home yet my skin is still as cold as the touch of Boreas. I still hold to the ever thinning thread of hope that my mother will free me and I will feel life once more. Until then, I must stay in the company of my dear host Hades. He has even forced me against my will to make me his queen. My hate for him grows with every hour as he stares at me whenever he has the spare time. He just stares at me with black eyes that seem to be so endless they might lead to the pits of Tartarus itself. Whether I am sitting by the hearth or walking about the grounds around his palace (which I am not allowed to leave) he does not speak but just looks. In my boredom and loathing at having only the grim bleakness of the Underworld to look at, I have taken the initiative to start a small garden. Hades did not like this idea but did not try to stop me, probably thinking nothing could grow in his forsaken realm. Being a daughter of Demeter and a Goddess myself my garden was a partial success. Not having any sunlight or fresh air my plants still grew, just not to their full potential. The most abundant flower in my garden is the narcissus, but they are just a shadow of their earthly counterparts. I hope I see fully grown narcissus again and feel a warm spring breeze on my face. These are the things that can only be found on earth so until my mother gets me out of this hellish nightmare I must endure and make the best with what I have.
~Hades~
I wake up and I feel dazed from the after effects of Cupid’s arrow. (Somehow, Cupid was able to launch an arrow at me when I came out of the crack to the upper world.) Even so, I go to my beautiful wife. When I see her sleeping, I feel wrong for disturbing her peaceful slumber. I watch her slight breathing for a minute or two, and then go off in search of some place to think. I know that I did not really love Persephone until the arrow hit me, but I still have strong feelings of love towards her even as the effects are wearing off. While I may be more rational in my decisions today, I still cannot stop thinking about her glorious presence. It seems so empty in the Underworld without her. I need her presence, especially now that I have experienced this emotion. I cannot deal with her leaving, so I have to make her stay.
Unfortunately, I have just found out that Zeus has demanded Persephone’s return to her mother. Apparently, on Demeter’s search for her daughter, she ran into Hecate, Goddess of witchcraft. Hecate told Demeter to go to Helios, for he would know of Persephone’s whereabouts. With this knowledge, Demeter went to Zeus, and Zeus sent Hermes to inform me of his decision.
While I know that I have to let Persephone go, I do not know if I can handle the loss. I do not want her to go, but what can I do to make her stay? I do not want to force her, but I do want her to remain in my Underworld. I know . . . I will offer her pomegranate seeds. If she decides to eat a seed or two, she will remain. But I cannot make her eat the seeds. She has to decide for herself, but I am hoping that she will eat at least one seed. Once I find Persephone, I explain to her that eating a pomegranate seed would mean that she stays in the Underworld, but she should already know this fact. She has refrained from eating during her stay in the Underworld, but maybe she will accept the seeds if I tell her the complete truth. Thankfully, she eats some seeds. She has chosen to be with me, and I am over joyed.
~Persephone~
Hades took me on the chariot and through the same crack that he kidnapped me from. Dropping me in the a field of narcissus he said a sad goodbye. But the field was not how I had left it. It was barren and cold although the sun was shining brightly and there was not a cloud in the sky. It was summer, so why was it so cold? Then I heard a very distant weeping, a sound that could barely be heard. I ran towards the sound knowing who it was coming from. Then I saw her, my mother, Demeter. In my absence the God of harvest, succumbed to grief, and had neglected her duties. She turned around, saw me and her heart was glad. Her tears of grief turned to tears of elation. Once she saw me the earth turned green again, birds sang, and small critters came out of their holes and scampered among the tall grasses and trees. Everything was right again. Everything was as it should be. My mother and I talked all day. I told her about the horrors of the Underworld and how glad I am to be free of the evil Hades. I told her that I did not eat anything but some pomegranate seeds before I left. I could see the worry in her eyes when I told her this. She is afraid that she will not be able to keep me with her. Zeus sent Rhea to speak to my mother. She told her that I would have to go to Underworld for four months of the year. Although my mother was sad, she could not refuse. At the beginning of each winter when the days get shorter the goddess of harvest watched her daughter die. When the spring begins, the warm air is met by the coming of her daughter after a four month stay in the depths of Hell. The Underworld is not as horrible as it used to be. Yes, it is bleak and oppressive, but I have gotten used to Hades' cold and dark abyss. At times I almost enjoy his company.
This story is about Persephone, daughter of Demeter who is taken captive by Hades, God of the Underworld. After finding her daughter, Demeter realizes that she must give her up again for four months out of the year because Persephone ate the pomegranate seeds that were given to her by Hades.
The Blog of Hades and Persephone
The following story portrays the perspectives of both Hades and Persephone.
~Hades~
At one point, there is an opening. I go up into the world of daylight, and I find myself consumed with love. Why do I feel this way? I then see her, my beloved. Her name is found to be Persephone, and she is even more beautiful than everything above the Earth. She is daylight, and I have fallen for her. Her hair, so luscious and glowing, could be just as bright as the sun if not brighter. And her face, oh how sweet it is. She is so delicate, and her features are so soft, but she is the one I love. I must have her . . . to the Underworld I shall bring her.
~Persephone~
Being in the Underworld, I am now more dead than alive. I sit by the hearth in Hades' home yet my skin is still as cold as the touch of Boreas. I still hold to the ever thinning thread of hope that my mother will free me and I will feel life once more. Until then, I must stay in the company of my dear host Hades. He has even forced me against my will to make me his queen. My hate for him grows with every hour as he stares at me whenever he has the spare time. He just stares at me with black eyes that seem to be so endless they might lead to the pits of Tartarus itself. Whether I am sitting by the hearth or walking about the grounds around his palace (which I am not allowed to leave) he does not speak but just looks. In my boredom and loathing at having only the grim bleakness of the Underworld to look at, I have taken the initiative to start a small garden. Hades did not like this idea but did not try to stop me, probably thinking nothing could grow in his forsaken realm. Being a daughter of Demeter and a Goddess myself my garden was a partial success. Not having any sunlight or fresh air my plants still grew, just not to their full potential. The most abundant flower in my garden is the narcissus, but they are just a shadow of their earthly counterparts. I hope I see fully grown narcissus again and feel a warm spring breeze on my face. These are the things that can only be found on earth so until my mother gets me out of this hellish nightmare I must endure and make the best with what I have.
~Hades~
I wake up and I feel dazed from the after effects of Cupid’s arrow. (Somehow, Cupid was able to launch an arrow at me when I came out of the crack to the upper world.) Even so, I go to my beautiful wife. When I see her sleeping, I feel wrong for disturbing her peaceful slumber. I watch her slight breathing for a minute or two, and then go off in search of some place to think. I know that I did not really love Persephone until the arrow hit me, but I still have strong feelings of love towards her even as the effects are wearing off. While I may be more rational in my decisions today, I still cannot stop thinking about her glorious presence. It seems so empty in the Underworld without her. I need her presence, especially now that I have experienced this emotion. I cannot deal with her leaving, so I have to make her stay.
Unfortunately, I have just found out that Zeus has demanded Persephone’s return to her mother. Apparently, on Demeter’s search for her daughter, she ran into Hecate, Goddess of witchcraft. Hecate told Demeter to go to Helios, for he would know of Persephone’s whereabouts. With this knowledge, Demeter went to Zeus, and Zeus sent Hermes to inform me of his decision.
While I know that I have to let Persephone go, I do not know if I can handle the loss. I do not want her to go, but what can I do to make her stay? I do not want to force her, but I do want her to remain in my Underworld. I know . . . I will offer her pomegranate seeds. If she decides to eat a seed or two, she will remain. But I cannot make her eat the seeds. She has to decide for herself, but I am hoping that she will eat at least one seed. Once I find Persephone, I explain to her that eating a pomegranate seed would mean that she stays in the Underworld, but she should already know this fact. She has refrained from eating during her stay in the Underworld, but maybe she will accept the seeds if I tell her the complete truth. Thankfully, she eats some seeds. She has chosen to be with me, and I am over joyed.
~Persephone~
Hades took me on the chariot and through the same crack that he kidnapped me from. Dropping me in the a field of narcissus he said a sad goodbye. But the field was not how I had left it. It was barren and cold although the sun was shining brightly and there was not a cloud in the sky. It was summer, so why was it so cold? Then I heard a very distant weeping, a sound that could barely be heard. I ran towards the sound knowing who it was coming from. Then I saw her, my mother, Demeter. In my absence the God of harvest, succumbed to grief, and had neglected her duties. She turned around, saw me and her heart was glad. Her tears of grief turned to tears of elation. Once she saw me the earth turned green again, birds sang, and small critters came out of their holes and scampered among the tall grasses and trees. Everything was right again. Everything was as it should be. My mother and I talked all day. I told her about the horrors of the Underworld and how glad I am to be free of the evil Hades. I told her that I did not eat anything but some pomegranate seeds before I left. I could see the worry in her eyes when I told her this. She is afraid that she will not be able to keep me with her. Zeus sent Rhea to speak to my mother. She told her that I would have to go to Underworld for four months of the year. Although my mother was sad, she could not refuse. At the beginning of each winter when the days get shorter the goddess of harvest watched her daughter die. When the spring begins, the warm air is met by the coming of her daughter after a four month stay in the depths of Hell. The Underworld is not as horrible as it used to be. Yes, it is bleak and oppressive, but I have gotten used to Hades' cold and dark abyss. At times I almost enjoy his company.
