Aidonian's blog

In actuality, her story is no different from the abduction of Amphitrite by Poseidon and Hera by Zeus. The difference is that the aftermath of her abduction was far different than with the others.

While it was widely regarded that Demeter was her mother, Apollodoros does mention that some thought that she was the daughter of Zeus & Styx. Concerning her offpsring, Zeus is said to be the father of Zargeos and Melinoe and the Erinyes by Haides. This is mentioned mostly by the Orphici in their Orphic hymns. Like all the Gods, Persephone is multi-faceted. She gives, takes away and can exact revenge. The titles of Erinyes is just like with Hekate to show that as Queen of the Underworld, She also had sway over all its residents, including the Erinyes, daimones, spirits, theres’. Through Her, the world is introduced to the seasons. To be honest, I haven’t really prayed that much to as to Hekate or Aidoneos or Zeus for that matter. This month, january, I will pay more attention to her, to in a sense, get to know her better. I’m curious as how it will turn out?

the story goed as follow. Before she was married, Persephone also went by the name of Kore. She is the daughter of Demeter and Zeus. One day, Haides as Kore and fell involve with her. He went to her father and asked for her hand. Zeus couldn’t refuse his brother and agreed to the match. Haides abducted her leaving only the nymphs, Helios and Hekate as witness to the event. Demeter searched for her daughter and came up empty. Until Helios approached her and told her what happened. Demeter was angry and sad and denied the growth  of plants. This resulted in a long winter. The Gods asked Zeus to intervene but he could not persuade Demeter to change the weather. So Zeus sent Hermès to His brother to persuade him to let her go. Haides agreed only if she did not eat anything while she was there. Because she ate 6 pomegranate seeds, she was forced to stay half a year in the Underworld and half of the year with her mother.

in time she loved her husband and sometimes acted just like Hera would if she caught her husband looking lustfully after other women and took her revenge on those women.

Most of the myths are based on social norms and these tend to reflect how society viewed certain events. In this case, we see how marriage came about and how people perceived how the seasons came to be. Marriage was arranged between the groom and the father of the bride. This was the norm until the 20th century and in some parts of the world, this is still the case. Interestingly enough, in Homeros we don’t see any mention of this story. It was with Hesiodos that we see the story. Its possible that the story existed during Homeros’ time, but that he didn’t need to add it.

The Goddess appears in other myths ass well. Like with Peirithoos and Theseus who went to the Underworld to try to abduct Persephone but ended up trapped until they were set free by Herakles. She also shows up in the story of Orpheus and Eurydike when Orpheus tried to persuade both Aidoneos and Persephone to release his bride. They did, but told him to not look back. He did, and she was pulled back to the Underworld as a result.

If you want to read more, go to the Persephone page on The Theoi Project for more interesting information.

Persephone. Like many other Gods did have a cult in antiquity, even today she has worshippers. While today the emphasis may lie in a trinity (Wicca) where she is part of a holy trinity of Persephone- Demeter & Hekate. While others see her not as part of a trinity but as a unique and individual deity, not as an aspect of a trinity where she represents youth.

In ancient times, the Goddess was part of the Eleusinian mysteries but also the Orphic cults. The Orphic cults believed that the God Dionysos was born from here as Zagreos, after Zeus’ real form killed his mortal mother. Zeus saved the child and planted it in his daughter Persephone.

Like Hermes and Iris, she is one of the few Gods that can cross the bounderies between the afterlife and Olympos. Its widely believed that death causes miasma in both mortals and demigods and Gods alike and one must purify themselves after touching a deceased person. Like all Gods, even She had multiple names and titles that reflected her cults.

Offerings to Persephone:

• Pomegranate, and pomegranate flavored/derived things (ex. Pomegranate Wine)
• Asphodel
• Lilies/Poppies/Roses
• Spring Flowers/Wildflowers
• Wreath of Flowers
• Mints (Lemon Balm, Spearmint, Peppermint) [Mint should be torn, smashed, boiled, or otherwise destroyed]
• Bat shaped items/imagery
• Ram shaped items/imagery
• Wheat/Barley/Grains
• Parsley
• Black/White Poplar
• Weeping Willow
• Cypress
• Incense (particularly sweet or floral scents)
• Honey/Honey Wine
• Infused Waters (herb or fruit infused)

The most known names are Kore and Proserpina (the Roman name of Persephone). Her titles were Azesa, Brimo, Karpophoroi, Deoina, Despoina, Eleusina, Epaine, Melitodes, Praxidike and Soteira. Others included Herkyna, Protogene, Leptynis, Megala Thea (also used for Demeter),

While Haides is viewed as a stern figure who is unbent and and unmoved by pleas, people prayed sometimes to Persephone, his wife so she could persuade him in a good way.

AZE′SIA (Azêsia), a surname of Demeter and Persephone, which is derived either from azainein tous karpous, to dry fruits, or from zêtein, to seek. (Zenob. iv. 20; Suid. s. v.; Hesych. s. v.; Spanheim, ad Callim. p. 740.)

BRIMO (Brimô), the angry or the terrifying, occurs as a surname of several divinities, such as Hecate or Persephone (Apollon. Rhod. iii. 861, 1211; Tzetz. ad Lycoph. 1171), Demeter (Arnob. v. p. 170), and Cybele. (Theodoret. Ther. i. 699.) The Scholiast on Apollonius (l. c.) gives a second derivation of Brimo from Bromos, so that it would refer to the crackling of the fire, as Hecate was conceived bearing a torch.

CARPO′PHORI (Karpophoroi), the fruitbearers, a surname of Demeter and Cora, under which they were worshipped at Tegea. (Paus. viii. 53. § 3.) Demeter Carpophoros appears to have been worshipped in Paros also. (Ross, Reisen auf den Griech. Inseln, i. p. 49.)

CORE (Korê), the maiden, a name by which Persephone is often called.

DEIO′NE (Dêïônê), that is, the daughter of Deo or Demeter, is used as a name for Persephone. (Callimach. Fragm. 48.)

DESPOENA (Despoina), the ruling goddess or the mistress, occurs as a surname of several divinities, such as Aphrodite (Theocrit. xv. 100), Demeter (Aristoph. Thesm. 286), and Persephone. (Paus. viii. 37. § 6.)

ELEUSI′NA or ELEUSINIA (Eleusinia), a surname of Demeter and Persephone, derived from Eleusis in Attica, the principal seat of their worship. (Virg. Georg. i. 163; Phornut. N. D. 27; Steph. Byz. s. v. Eleusis.)

EPAINE (Epainê), that is, the fearful, a surname of Persephone. (Hom. Il. ix. 457.) Plutarch (de Aud poet. p. 23, a.) derives the name from ainos, which suggests, that it might also be understood in a euphemistic sense as the praised goddess.

MELITO′DES (Melitôdês), i.e. sweet as honey, occurs as a Euphemistic surname of Persephone. (Theocrit. xv. 94; Porphyr. Antr. Nymph. p. 261.)

PRAXI′DICE (Praxidikê), i.e. the goddess who carries out the objects of justice, or watches that justice is done to men . . . With the Orphic poets Praxidice seems to be a surname of Persephone. (Orph. Argon. 31, Hymn. 28. 5; comp. Miiller, Orchom. p. 122, 2d edit.)

SOTEIRA (Sôteira), i. e. “the saving goddess’ (Lat. Sospita), occurs as a surname of several female divinities in Greece, e. g. 1. of Artemis . . . 2. of Persephone in Laconia (iii. 13. § 2), in Arcadia (viii. 31. § 1) ; 3. of Athena (Schol. ad Plat. p. 90. ed. Ruhnken ; Aristot. Rhet. iii. 18); and 4. of Eunomia (Pind. Ol. ix. 25.)

The Theoi Project lists more epithets than the ones already mentioned.

CULT TITLES & EPITHETS

The first of Demeter’s cult titles referred to her various divine functions: as goddess of agriculture and the fruits of the earth, the great mother, the bringer of laws, patron goddess of Greece:–

Source:

Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology