Week 13 Story: Not a Typical Goddess

 Read a new version of this story in my Portfolio! Here is the link. Persephone's Fate

There was a goddess named Persephone, daughter of Zeus and Demeter, that lived in a castle on a kingdom that was known for it fertility and crop yield. Persephone was not a typical goddess. While beautiful and often sought after by men, she worked hard to keep her land beautiful. All of the vegetation and grains on the earth were gifts from her mother, Demeter, the goddess of harvest. Demeter and Persephone prided themselves on the fertility of the land, so Persephone looked after the land while her mother resided on Mount Olympus. 

Persephone was a very happy girl, full of youth and charisma. Her parents saw her as the perfect daughter, as did all of her friends and neighbors. Persephone, however, had somewhat of a dark side. As she grew older, she remained compassionate, but she became more disobedient. She had gotten to the age where she needed to find a god to become her husband, and Demeter reminded Persephone of this almost every day. Demeter planned a huge crop yield for the season in preparation for Persephone’s eighteenth birthday party. This party was where Persephone would find a husband.
Persephone found herself working a lot more in the fields around her castle in order to uphold the immense crop yield and to get away from her mother. Persephone quickly grew tired of working and listening to her mother, so she ran away. After a few days, Persephone looked around and saw that she was deep in the forest. She grew thirsty and found a deep pool of water. The pool was called Pergus, and its water was so clear that Persephone could see the fish below as well as her reflection. As she drank from the pool, she saw in the reflection a man approach from behind the ivy.
She turned around slowly, as to appear brave and confident. When Persephone saw his face, she immediately recognized him to be her father’s brother, Hades, god of the underworld. They walked around the forest for a while and talked. Persephone suspected that Hades was quite fond of her, and since she did not want to go back to her mother, Persephone agreed to become Hades’ wife, as she found him dashingly handsome and very easy to talk to.

Demeter looked for Persephone everywhere, fearing that she was kidnapped. Persephone’s neighbors admitted she ran away on her own, but Demeter did not believe them. In anger, she wreaked havoc on the beautiful kingdom, making the soil infertile so that food would be unable to grow. She searched every kingdom for her daughter. She grew tired and thirsty on her quest, so Demeter drank from Pergus, where a nymph told her where she could find her lost daughter. Believing that Persephone had been kidnapped and raped by Hades, Demeter became so angry that she created a massive storm. Demeter went back to Mount Olympus to seek help from Zeus. 

Zeus went to the edge of the underworld and called for his brother, Hades. Zeus was ready to take back Persephone, but Hades told him that they were in love and Persephone is unable to leave the underworld. Zeus found himself sympathizing for his brother, for Hades had finally found love, and it seemed that Persephone was happy. When Zeus told Demeter of the happy couple’s fortune, Demeter yelled at Zeus and made him go back for her. In order to please both Demeter and Hades, Zeus decided to allow Persephone to switch between worlds, but only for a few months at a time.
This pleased everyone, but Persephone found herself missing her husband during the months she lived on Mount Olympus with Demeter. When she missed her husband, Persephone would go to the garden on Mount Olympus and tend to the grains and vegetables while also sending messages to Hades through nymphs. Hades and Persephone spoke through the nymphs everyday, and although Persephone missed her husband while she was away from him, she was glad that her mother was happy.

Statue of Persephone

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Author’s Note:
My story is based off of the Unit Ovid II, Part A (translated in English by Tony Kline). In this story, Cupid strikes Hades (Dis) with an arrow that makes him fall in love with Persephone, the daughter of Demeter (Ceres) and Zeus (Jupiter).
In the original story, Hades abducts Persephone near the pond, Pergus. Hades rapes her and then takes her to the underworld to be his wife. Demeter searches everywhere for her daughter, and when she hears that Persephone’s ribbon is near the pond, Demeter immediately knows that her daughter had been raped. Demeter makes the land infertile and produces a massive storm. Zeus allows Persephone to come back, but she is no longer allowed to eat. When Persephone returns, she is found eating in a hidden garden by a nymph, who tells on her. Persephone has to return to the underworld. To ease Demeter’s pain, Zeus allows Persephone to live in the underworld and on Mount Olympus for only a few months at a time.
I liked the idea that Persephone could fall in love Hades, so I made sure to add that component. When Persephone returned to Mount Olympus, she did not miss Hades and would not tend to the garden and send messages through nymphs. I hope you all enjoy!