Finally, as a compromise, it was decided that Persephone would be released but that she would have to return to Hades for one-third of the year (or in other accounts one-half). In other versions of the myth, Persephone could have been released if she had not eaten anything in the underworld during her captivity, but at the last moment, Hades gave her a pomegranate seed. Before giving her up though, the wily Hades put a pomegranate kernel in the girl's mouth, knowing its divine taste would compel her to return to him. As the drought claimed ever more victims, Zeus finally sent Hermes to persuade Hades to release his ill-gotten bride.

Once the temple was completed, Demeter withdrew from the world and lived inside it at the same time, she created a great drought to convince the other gods to release Persephone from Hades. Persephone could have been released from Hades if she had not eaten anything in the Underworld during her captivity, but at the last moment, Hades gave her a pomegranate seed. This was the beginning of the celebrated sanctuary of Eleusis. In response, Demeter revealed her true identity and demanded a temple be built in her honour. However, when Metaneira saw this, she raised an alarm. To reward the family for their kindness, Demeter set about making Demophon immortal by placing him on a fire every night. It was here, disguised as an old woman, that the goddess cared for Demophon (or Triptolemos, who would later give the gift of grain to humanity and teach farming), the only son of Metaneira, the wife of Keleos, king of Eleusis. Meanwhile, Demeter searched the earth for her lost divine daughter and though Helios (or Hermes) told her of her daughter's fate, she, nevertheless, continued her wanderings until she finally arrived at Eleusis. In some accounts, Zeus had given his consent to the abduction, the location of the crime being traditionally placed in either Sicily (famed for its fertility) or Asia. The god then carried her off in his chariot to live with him in the dark Underworld. In the Roman world the goddess was known as Proserpina.Īccording to mythology, Hades, god of the Underworld, fell in love with beautiful Persephone when he saw her picking flowers one day in a meadow. In various other myths, Persephone is the mother of Dionysos (with Zeus, who is also her father) - although Semele is the more usual candidate - and squabbles with Aphrodite for the attentions of devilishly handsome Adonis, the two settling to share the famous lover in split shifts. In this guise, she was seen as a protectress in the after-life, although Hesiod repeatedly describes her as 'dread Persephone' in his Theogony. In Greek mythology, the goddess, as wife of Hades, is the Queen of the Underworld and takes her other name, Persephone. In this guise she is most often referred to as Kore, signifying both 'daughter' and 'maiden'. In many ancient cults the goddess, along with her mother Demeter, is associated with vegetation and grain.

An important element of the Eleusinian Mysteries and the Thesmophoria festival, the goddess was worshipped throughout the Greek world and frequently appeared in all forms of Greek art. Persephone (aka Kore) was the Greek goddess of agriculture and vegetation, especially grain, and the wife of Hades, with whom she rules the Underworld.

Persephone hades