Persephone

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Persephone:

Persephone was the daughter of Demeter and Zeus. Hades fell in love with Persephone, and captured her. He then forced her down to the underworld, where he ruled. When Persephone suddenly vanished Demeter was horrified, and roamed the earth looking for her daughter. When [|Helios] revealed what had happened Demeter became furious and refused to let anything bloom. Knowing the people could not go much longer without harvest, Zeus took action. He sent Hermes to go and retrieve Persephone from the underworld. Right before she left Hades forced her to eat Pomegranate seeds, little did Persephone know that once you eat a food from the underworld you must return. So for 1/3 of every year she must return and be an unwilling bride to Hades. This is why she is known as the Queen of the Underworld. The other parts of the year she spends with her mother. Thus came forth the seasons. When Persephone is in the underworld Demeter lets nothing bloom, creating winter. When Persephone comes back things begin to bloom creating spring. Summer and Fall are just counter effects of the cycle, summer is when she has been with her mother for a while and everything is back alive, and fall is right after she has left her mothers side. Persephone is also known as Kore.

**Connection to //The Lightning Thief://** Persephone is just mentioned. While Percy is in the underworld and Hades is yelling at him he wishes Persephone were there to calm Hades mood, but it was summer so he knew she would be above with Demeter (Riordan 310).

Persephone with Hades.

Sources:

Riordan, Rick. //The Lightning Thief//. New York: Hyperion Books, 2006.

Rouse, WHD. //Gods, Heroes, and Men of Ancient Greece//. New York: New American Library, 2001.

Image: No artist given. "Hades and Persephone". Mid 4th Century BCE. Myth*ing Links.  *editing issues