introduction to Persephone, Hades, underworld

Hades is the lord of the
dead and ruler of the
nether world, which is
referred to as the domain
of Hades or, by
transference, as Hades
alone. He owns all the
wealth in the ground and
the people referred to him
as the Rich One. They were
frightened to say his real
name for fear that it
would attract his
attention. Black sheep
were offered to him, and
the sacrifice was
performed with the face
averted. Mortals who enter
his world had no hope of
returning, and so Hades
was characterized as
pitiless and inexorable.
Hades had abducted
Persephone and made her
his wife.

Persephone was the daughter of two Olympian gods, Zeus and
Demeter. She was destined to be the Queen of the Underworld.
Her parents were powerful and well known Gods, but Persephone
remains somewhat elusive and shadowy, like the realm over
which she co-rules. This may be due to the fact that she is
overshadowed by her mother.

marriage of Persephone

Her mother Demeter searched for her lost daughter, Persephone
and became sad when strayed from the path. Demeter had a
reactions of loss.

As a young goddess, Persephone loved flowers and her friends.
She is transformed into the wife of the stern and imperious
Hades. This is accomplished through one significant incident:
once in the Underworld, Hades offers Persephone the seeds of
the pomegranate, which she accepts. The act of ingesting
pomegranate seeds symbolizes the consummation of their
relationship, which is a beautiful poetic touch. Hereafter,
Persephone, who was previously known as Kore ("the maiden")
is regarded as the spouse of Hades, and she inhabits the
Underworld with him for part of the year.

Persephone


She was the goddess of springtime and, after her abduction by 
Hades, she became the queen of the underworld for six months of 
each year. The mint and pomegranate is sacred to her. Persephone 
raised Aphrodite's child Adonis. She was also known as Kore, "the
Maiden". She symbolized the sprouting seeds of springtime.

Persephone (Kore)