Mythology : Persephone, Queen of the Underworld

Persephone

Persephone is the daughter of Demeter and Zeus (who tricked Demeter by taking on the guise of a bull). Persephone's Abduction One day when Persephone was still a maiden, Hades abducted her to the underworld. Demeter, hearing the cries of her daughter, sought but could not find her anywhere. Finally, on the advice of Hecate, she consulted Helios -- a sun god who saw all things. He told her that with Zeus's permission, Hades had taken Persephone in order to make her his wife. Demeter approached Zeus and appealed for Persephone's return, but to no avail. In despair Demeter left Olympus and in the guise of an old woman wandered the earth. Eventually she retired to her temple at Eleusis and prepared to take revenge on the gods and humankind, by preventing any crop to grow for a year. In this way, Zeus had to listen to her demands. He sent Iris and the Moirae to plead with her, but Demeter would not concede. Finally Zeus was forced to gave in, and sent Hermes to the kingdom of Hades where he obtained Hade's promise that Persephone would be returned. This Hades agreed to, but before she left he gave her a pomegranate to eat. This was the symbol of their marriage and it bound her to him. Persephone returned to her mother, who upon discovering that Persephone had eaten in the underworld, knew that she would have to return to Hades. She once again threatened to prevent crops from growing in this were the case. Rhea (Cybele) suggested a compromise -- that Persephone would spend two thirds of the year with her mother, and the remaining portion with her husband in the underworld. This Demeter agreed to and fertility was restored. Function and Meaning Like her mother, Persephone is a nature goddess, but her provence is not the surface of the earth but the interior. Hence she is a goddess of the unconscious, of intuition and mystery. Her symbol is the bat and the pomegranate. Prayer to Persephone: Persephone, queen of the underworld, and daughter of Demeter, give leave for me to speak. I too have been to the land of the dead and now I live. Ensure that my perceptions are not limited merely to what I hear, see, touch and taste; but extend into other realms. Make my intuition accurate and true as I deal with life and all it's permutations. Help my spirit find it's path in life as I fulfill my destiny.