Wasting her strength on the yearning for her deep-bosomed daughter, Demeter paid no heed to the earth. The lands turned bare for she ceased to tend it - fruit withered on the vine, plenteous fields grew fallow, and the pleasant winds ceased to blow. The lands grew cold and barren. The goddess accused the whole wide world as ungrateful, not deserving of her gift of grains.
She knew not how to reach her girl Persephone, who had been abducted by the goddess of the dead. She put on a black cloak of mourning and sealed herself up in a cave for a long time.
While Zeus was napping in his chamber, a great wind began to blow with a sound like waves crashing ferociously on a rocky shore. He found his sleep being disturbed by wailing of lamentation. He arose and peered down upon the earth. What he saw was that of a grievous sight of the world. N
The stone sill was cold beneath her hands as Hades stood by the window looking out, but she didn't notice the coldness nor the dampness in the air. Stretching off into the distance lay black hills, valleys, and mountains of the Underworld. Hades watched all the dark shades of the dead flicker beyond the palace's ground. She saw her servants soaring over the Erebus fields, herding the dead to their trials by Minos. Soon she would have to decree their punishment or grant their rewards. At the moment, her mind seemed to have a knack of wandering off to a certain maiden. Persephone, who locked herself in her chamber all day, had refused every gift from Hades' proffering hands. She would not eat and remained steadfast in her persistence. Her adverse demeanor caused Hades great sadness and distraught.
Persephone's efforts to stave off Hades's advances while she was in her present condition had thus far proven fruitless. She could see that her lot was not going to be an easy one. She had no one to whom she could turn to for advice and sympathy.Then one of her handmaidens arrived with a message from the dark goddess."Hades has sent for you, my lady," the nymph said to her with a bow. "She said you have stayed in your chamber far too long. At the court, she has no government business to attend to and wishes to divert your mind to some leisure time."Persephone was mystified by the formal invitation but she could not refuse it. Ever since she had entered the Underworld, she had been living in constant confusion and surprise.Later wh
After Zeus learned of Demeter from the great god Pan, he sent forth his favorite son Hermes to invite the mourning goddess back to Olympus. There where the winged-god had been informed, Hermes found Demeter in her ragged cloak and shrunken form. He immediately spoke to her. "O Demeter, Father Zeus wishes you to come and join the tribes of the eternal gods," Hermes said. "Come, therefore, and let not the message I carried from him pass unobeyed." "Did he remember what he has done to my poor child now?" Demeter's voice was cold and cynical. "Father's wisdom is everlasting; I believe he understands your desperate wish, my lady."
As time passed, the goddess of spring still longed for the view of the lush green earth and the blue of the sky, but she had also grown accustomed to the world beneath and no longer found Hades' palace oppressing nor the barren fields dreary.There were so many things to amuse her here. Persephone liked to wander around the Elysian Fields and dance with the happy souls. She was still fascinated by the lives of the deceased; how Sisyphus rolled his stone uphill endlessly; and the ever-hungry Tantalus in his own torment.Yet, she enjoyed the garden that Hades gave her the most. Her flowers grew so beautiful even in the shadowy gloom. The black grapes were all plump and ripe with their rich juices. Persephone would crush them into black deadly wine out of boredom. No mortals should ever drink it for it would poison them - except the gods.
As soon as Hades saw her beloved maiden walking into the dimly lit hall, her crimson lips parted and dark eyes widened at the sight of her tattered dress and disheveled hair. The goddess descended from her throne and rushed to meet Persephone."Persephone," she said in a voice with deep concern, "Are you alright?"As the maiden stood, shivering mutely, Hades conjured up a comforting fleecy cloak and quickly wrapped it around the goddess. Persephone looked at Hades's distraught face as her eyes swept the length of her dirty form."I met Minthe by the River Cocytus," she began in a sad exhausted voice. "She tried to overpower me...it happened so fast...and I did not mean to...""Worry not, my love," Hades interrupted, her tone soft and
When Hermes and Persephone reached the entrance of the Underworld, they had come to a shadowy place of the dead and passed through black gates that hold back the souls.The first thing that greeted the kidnapped goddess was the harsh bright light, which filtered through some crooked branches of the trees. Ever since she was spirited off to a sunless world, the earth was in a severe barren state.Persephone expected to reemerge to the fields where eternal springtime reigned but all she found was snow and ice covering the hardened ground, like a white blanket over the poor globe.The young maiden stared blindly in confusion. The forest that surrounded her was no longer the lively version she once remembered. The trees were stripped of their green leaves and draped in glittering frost wit
After Zeus declared his judgment, Persephone was content to let matters be as time passed by. Even though the confusion and sadness continued to exercise her mind, she tried to settle down to her old life with her mother for the remaining time on earth. She was sad that she had to part way with Demeter and confused that she found the thought of being back in the Underworld more tempting to her heart.There was only one mountain-laurel remaining in full bloom as the end of the season drew close. In the water of the clear spring, Persephone's slender figure was the reflection of a beautiful young woman - no longer a child maiden. While she was resting under the shade of an olive tree, she watched her wood nymphs played in the fields. The goddess found herself more and more disinclined to join her friends like she used to.Before, it would
In the final resting place for departed souls where bodiless ghosts flitted across the dark Fields of Asphodel, joy flowed over the gray land and the valleys. The Underworld held high festivals, and the ghosts amused themselves at the nuptial feast. A joyous banquet and singular songs broke the gloomy silence since the wailing and moaning were hushed for once.No longer was Sisyphus's stone rolling downhill, nor the water and fruit withdrawn from Tantalus' lips. Charon crowned his uncombed locks with sedge, and he sang as he worked his weightless oars over the great Styx. By the Gate of Hell, the three-headed beast, Cerberus, indulged himself with some nice juicy bones. Even the vicious Furies with all their snaky hair made ready their wine-bowls and drank themselves forgetful of crimes and dread wrath.After the celebration was over, t
In the final resting place for departed souls where bodiless ghosts flitted across the dark Fields of Asphodel, joy flowed over the gray land and the valleys. The Underworld held high festivals, and the ghosts amused themselves at the nuptial feast. A joyous banquet and singular songs broke the gloomy silence since the wailing and moaning were hushed for once.No longer was Sisyphus's stone rolling downhill, nor the water and fruit withdrawn from Tantalus' lips. Charon crowned his uncombed locks with sedge, and he sang as he worked his weightless oars over the great Styx. By the Gate of Hell, the three-headed beast, Cerberus, indulged himself with some nice juicy bones. Even the vicious Furies with all their snaky hair made ready their wine-bowls and drank themselves forgetful of crimes and dread wrath.After the celebration was over, t
After Zeus declared his judgment, Persephone was content to let matters be as time passed by. Even though the confusion and sadness continued to exercise her mind, she tried to settle down to her old life with her mother for the remaining time on earth. She was sad that she had to part way with Demeter and confused that she found the thought of being back in the Underworld more tempting to her heart.There was only one mountain-laurel remaining in full bloom as the end of the season drew close. In the water of the clear spring, Persephone's slender figure was the reflection of a beautiful young woman - no longer a child maiden. While she was resting under the shade of an olive tree, she watched her wood nymphs played in the fields. The goddess found herself more and more disinclined to join her friends like she used to.Before, it would
When Hermes and Persephone reached the entrance of the Underworld, they had come to a shadowy place of the dead and passed through black gates that hold back the souls.The first thing that greeted the kidnapped goddess was the harsh bright light, which filtered through some crooked branches of the trees. Ever since she was spirited off to a sunless world, the earth was in a severe barren state.Persephone expected to reemerge to the fields where eternal springtime reigned but all she found was snow and ice covering the hardened ground, like a white blanket over the poor globe.The young maiden stared blindly in confusion. The forest that surrounded her was no longer the lively version she once remembered. The trees were stripped of their green leaves and draped in glittering frost wit
As soon as Hades saw her beloved maiden walking into the dimly lit hall, her crimson lips parted and dark eyes widened at the sight of her tattered dress and disheveled hair. The goddess descended from her throne and rushed to meet Persephone."Persephone," she said in a voice with deep concern, "Are you alright?"As the maiden stood, shivering mutely, Hades conjured up a comforting fleecy cloak and quickly wrapped it around the goddess. Persephone looked at Hades's distraught face as her eyes swept the length of her dirty form."I met Minthe by the River Cocytus," she began in a sad exhausted voice. "She tried to overpower me...it happened so fast...and I did not mean to...""Worry not, my love," Hades interrupted, her tone soft and
As time passed, the goddess of spring still longed for the view of the lush green earth and the blue of the sky, but she had also grown accustomed to the world beneath and no longer found Hades' palace oppressing nor the barren fields dreary.There were so many things to amuse her here. Persephone liked to wander around the Elysian Fields and dance with the happy souls. She was still fascinated by the lives of the deceased; how Sisyphus rolled his stone uphill endlessly; and the ever-hungry Tantalus in his own torment.Yet, she enjoyed the garden that Hades gave her the most. Her flowers grew so beautiful even in the shadowy gloom. The black grapes were all plump and ripe with their rich juices. Persephone would crush them into black deadly wine out of boredom. No mortals should ever drink it for it would poison them - except the gods.
After Zeus learned of Demeter from the great god Pan, he sent forth his favorite son Hermes to invite the mourning goddess back to Olympus. There where the winged-god had been informed, Hermes found Demeter in her ragged cloak and shrunken form. He immediately spoke to her. "O Demeter, Father Zeus wishes you to come and join the tribes of the eternal gods," Hermes said. "Come, therefore, and let not the message I carried from him pass unobeyed." "Did he remember what he has done to my poor child now?" Demeter's voice was cold and cynical. "Father's wisdom is everlasting; I believe he understands your desperate wish, my lady."
Persephone's efforts to stave off Hades's advances while she was in her present condition had thus far proven fruitless. She could see that her lot was not going to be an easy one. She had no one to whom she could turn to for advice and sympathy.Then one of her handmaidens arrived with a message from the dark goddess."Hades has sent for you, my lady," the nymph said to her with a bow. "She said you have stayed in your chamber far too long. At the court, she has no government business to attend to and wishes to divert your mind to some leisure time."Persephone was mystified by the formal invitation but she could not refuse it. Ever since she had entered the Underworld, she had been living in constant confusion and surprise.Later wh
The stone sill was cold beneath her hands as Hades stood by the window looking out, but she didn't notice the coldness nor the dampness in the air. Stretching off into the distance lay black hills, valleys, and mountains of the Underworld. Hades watched all the dark shades of the dead flicker beyond the palace's ground. She saw her servants soaring over the Erebus fields, herding the dead to their trials by Minos. Soon she would have to decree their punishment or grant their rewards. At the moment, her mind seemed to have a knack of wandering off to a certain maiden. Persephone, who locked herself in her chamber all day, had refused every gift from Hades' proffering hands. She would not eat and remained steadfast in her persistence. Her adverse demeanor caused Hades great sadness and distraught.
Wasting her strength on the yearning for her deep-bosomed daughter, Demeter paid no heed to the earth. The lands turned bare for she ceased to tend it - fruit withered on the vine, plenteous fields grew fallow, and the pleasant winds ceased to blow. The lands grew cold and barren. The goddess accused the whole wide world as ungrateful, not deserving of her gift of grains. She knew not how to reach her girl Persephone, who had been abducted by the goddess of the dead. She put on a black cloak of mourning and sealed herself up in a cave for a long time. While Zeus was napping in his chamber, a great wind began to blow with a sound like waves crashing ferociously on a rocky shore. He found his sleep being disturbed by wailing of lamentation. He arose and peered down upon the earth. What he saw was that of a grievous sight of the world. N