Aidonian's blog

The Theoi Project list a obscure myth where Persephone as Cura/Proserpina created mankind. Jove/Jupiter(Zeus) gave it life. There was a dispute over who would name the newly created being and They took it to Saturnus (Kronos) and he decided that during life, man belonged to Tellus(Gaia), but the life and fate (text was missing here it seems) was giving to Jove/Jupiter (Zeus). As Zeus Moiragetes, Zeus controlled the Moirai, the Goddesses of Fate/Destiny. And when man died, he goes to Proserpina/Persephone.

“Pseudo-Hyginus, Fabulae 220 (trans. Grant) (Roman mythographer C2nd A.D.) :
“When Cura (Core) [Persephone] was crossing a certain river, she saw some clayey mud. She took it up thoughtfully and began to fashion a man. While she was pondering on what she had done, Jove [Zeus] came up; Cura asked him to give the image life, and Jove readily grant this. When Cura wanted to give it her name, Jove forbade, and said that his name should be given it. But while they were disputing about the name, Tellus [Gaia] (Earth) arose and said that it should have her name, since she had given her own body. They took Saturnus [Kronos (Cronus)] for judge; he seems to have decided for them : Jove, since you gave him life [text missing, presumably he was given control of the fate of men] let her [Persephone] receive his body [after death]; since Cura fashioned him; let her [Gaia] posses him as long as he lives, but since there is controversy about his name, let him be called homo, since he seems to be made from humus.”

Perhaps this myth was part of a mystery cult similar to Eleusinian mysteries, hence it would explain why it was so obscure. Or it was well known, but because we only have this second century AD mythographer to tell us this story, that it seemed obscure.

Either way, its not the first time that Persephone is connected to the creation of mankind. The Orphics also aknowledged that mankind is born from sin when Zeus destroyed the Titans after They killed and ate his son Zagreos. From the ashes of the Titans, mankind was born. Zagreos was born again as Dionysos.

There is an alternative to that story mentioned on The Theoi Project

Pseudo-Hyginus, Fabulae 167 :
“Liber [the Orphic Dionysos], son of Jove [Zeus] and Proserpine [Persephone], was dismembered by the Titanes, and Jove [Zeus] gave his heart, torn to bits, to Semele in a drink. When she was made pregnant by this, Juno [Hera], changing herself to look like Semele’s nurse, Beroe, said to her : ‘Daughter, ask Jove [Zeus] to come to you as he comes to Juno [Hera], so you may know what pleasure it is to sleep with a god.’ At her suggestion Semele made this request of Jove [Zeus], and was smitten by a thunderbolt. He took Liber [Dionysos] from her womb, and gave him to Nysus to be cared for. For this reason he is called Dionysus, and also ‘the one with two mothers.’”

So it seems that Persephoneis connected to the creation of mankind either directly as mentioned in that obscure myth or through the Orphics when her son Zagreos with Zeus, was killed and dismembered by the Titans.

Apollodoros even lists Persephone as the daughter of Zeus and not Demeter but Nyx. So the linneage differs sometimes. Which is not oncommon where things could differ from city-state to city-state and from cult to cult. Either way, this obscure myth differs much from the well known one where Promtheos created our race, Pallas Athena gave us life and it was Prometheos who stole fire from the heavens to give it us so we could warm outselves and it was also Prometheos who was responsible what portion of the sacrifices would go to the Gods. Either way, both Gods were benefactors of mankind in one way or another.