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Before She Became Queen
Aug. 4th, 2013 01:21 amPersephone is naturally curious due to being raised in a glen for most her childhood, hidden away from humanity and gods alike by Demeter's decree. Most of what she knows before being taken to the Underworld comes from ferreting little bits and pieces of information from the creatures of the glen and taking piece by piece of what information Demeter begrudgingly gives. Persephone spent most her days thinking and wondering and pondering and supposing about the world outside her little glen, and wondering if one day her mother will ever let her leave the glen to see that world. But of course, her mother discourages the very idea, trying to convince Persephone that beyond the glen is a world not worth living. Imagine Rapunzel kept in her tower, her mother, the witch, telling her she can never leave. It's only when Hades takes her from the glen does she get to experience sights and wonders she's only dreamt of before her exposure. She actually gets to meet other people, speak with the people of which her mother spoke with such infamy (albeit, they're dead) and learn that there's been a lot her mother hasn't told her.
But rather than be incensed by her mother's ploys, Persephone feels bad for her mother. From what Persephone understands, she is the one thing in the entire world which Demeter refuses to share with anyone. Everything else -- all is shared. And at first, Demeter had little choice in the matter, but came to begrudgingly accept it.
Please understand that there are many versions of the story of Persephone. You have the ancient text, which my lovely historian friend translated for me with vocab and detail and even links! And then you have the more modern version for the modern palate. However, the versions I refuse to accept are the ones which deal in Hades raping, molesting, or any form of assaulting of Persephone. I'm not sorry. But in leu of so many versions causing disagreement among many modern readers, I've taken the shining aspects of each version and combined them into a satisfying story which I hope you'll love.
The story of Persephone (as I interpret it) goes like this: Demeter and Zeus have a daughter named Persephone, and Demeter so adores Persephone and wants the best for Persephone to a controlling point that she says she'll never allow Persephone to fall in love or marry as Persephone is so perfect that should remain chaste and virginal for all time (Zeus claims that Demeter is smothering the child, to which Demeter threatens seasonal harm). And for the most part, Persephone never meets anyone outside her mother, the animals and the forestry of the perfect glen where she lives.
But she finds it very lonely after some time and wishes she could meet another person, though she never voices this desire around Demeter, as the harvest goddess refuses to even consider the idea of having to share her perfect little Persephone with anyone. Persephone, unable to understand the emotions she feels (Demeter never taught Persephone any emotion that could potentially lead to Persephone leaving her one day) as being trapped, Persephone pretends to be content, supposing she shouldn't need anything more than her mother who loves her so dearly.
She should be happy just knowing her mother. She has her mother's love, so what more does she need, right? At least, that is how Demeter influences Persephone's thinking.
Around this time, Zeus notices his daughter's forlorn, and while Zeus is a womanizing pig, he feels concern for his daughter's well being, and so he and Cupid scheme to find Persephone a husband, notching an arrow on Cupid's Bow of Love. But just as they let it fly, Demeter appears and throws the arrow off course so that instead of hitting Persephone, it falls into the ground. The arrow passes through the ground and pierces the heart of Hades, God of the Underworld, who had espied Persephone through his all-seeing pool that allows him to gaze upon the mortal world.
Hades falls instantly in love with Persephone, and before the arrow can settle a day, he readies his chariot and rises from the Underworld to take Persephone from her woodland glen. Persephone kicks and shouts when Hades abducts her and pulls her into his chariot, but the woodland creatures are unable to stop Demeter's daughter from disappearing into the Underworld.
In the Underworld, Hades attempts to make Persephone's new accommodations comfortable, but Persephone angrily refuses the luxuries, stating that she wants to return to Demeter, her mother, as she knew her mother would soon find out Persephone had disappeared and would start to worry. But Hades denies this request, and tells Persephone that he loves her.
Persephone laughs and states that Hades can't love her, because it was Cupid's arrow that made Hades infatuated. She adds that she wants no part in that kind of unfaithful, false love. She also says that the only pure love is only for daughters and mothers. Hades is a tad amused and asks who told Persephone such a thing about love, and Persephone replies that it was her mother.
Hades says something that shocks Persephone, as she had never heard such a thing before: Demeter is wrong. Hades tells Persephone that all beings can feel love, and the various kinds of love without getting too into depth with each kind. Persephone is curious and asks Hades if he expects Persephone to love him back. Hades states that he's willing to wait, but that, yes, he would like that. Persephone asks Hades if he will let her go if things do not go as Hades plans.
He tells Persephone that he wants to be with Persephone and even make her his Underworld Queen, but that he understands how Persephone feels frightened and confused. He tells her that she can do anything she wants in the Underworld, except leave, and Persephone, who has never been outside her woodland glen, is curious, and tells Hades that she'll at least stay in the Underworld "for a little while" in order to get to know Hades better and explore the world outside her sacred glen.
Persephone's adventures in the Underworld are eventful, as she quickly befriends Cerberus, Hades' dog, and Thanatos, Hades' assistant. She takes rides in the gondolas on the River Styx, and create her own living garden in the realm of the Undead where life blooms and Persephone feels close to her mother who effortlessly searches for her stolen daughter. Persephone basically has the time of her life learning new and exciting things.
Every so often, Hades would ask Persephone again to be his queen, but Persephone would awkwardly turn him down and say that she still does not love him. But that's not to say she doesn't like him, because she comes to see Hades as a good friend, and does enjoy sitting in on his Judgement calls (when a soul who is undecided is judged for their life's worth) and speaking with those of Hades' court and actually making friends neither woodland or animal for once.
"A little while" turns to days, then months, then a year, as Persephone falls in love with Hades, elongating her stay in the Underworld to the point where she marries him, becoming the Underworld's Queen, just as Hades originally wanted.
But rather than be incensed by her mother's ploys, Persephone feels bad for her mother. From what Persephone understands, she is the one thing in the entire world which Demeter refuses to share with anyone. Everything else -- all is shared. And at first, Demeter had little choice in the matter, but came to begrudgingly accept it.
Please understand that there are many versions of the story of Persephone. You have the ancient text, which my lovely historian friend translated for me with vocab and detail and even links! And then you have the more modern version for the modern palate. However, the versions I refuse to accept are the ones which deal in Hades raping, molesting, or any form of assaulting of Persephone. I'm not sorry. But in leu of so many versions causing disagreement among many modern readers, I've taken the shining aspects of each version and combined them into a satisfying story which I hope you'll love.
The story of Persephone (as I interpret it) goes like this: Demeter and Zeus have a daughter named Persephone, and Demeter so adores Persephone and wants the best for Persephone to a controlling point that she says she'll never allow Persephone to fall in love or marry as Persephone is so perfect that should remain chaste and virginal for all time (Zeus claims that Demeter is smothering the child, to which Demeter threatens seasonal harm). And for the most part, Persephone never meets anyone outside her mother, the animals and the forestry of the perfect glen where she lives.
But she finds it very lonely after some time and wishes she could meet another person, though she never voices this desire around Demeter, as the harvest goddess refuses to even consider the idea of having to share her perfect little Persephone with anyone. Persephone, unable to understand the emotions she feels (Demeter never taught Persephone any emotion that could potentially lead to Persephone leaving her one day) as being trapped, Persephone pretends to be content, supposing she shouldn't need anything more than her mother who loves her so dearly.
She should be happy just knowing her mother. She has her mother's love, so what more does she need, right? At least, that is how Demeter influences Persephone's thinking.
Around this time, Zeus notices his daughter's forlorn, and while Zeus is a womanizing pig, he feels concern for his daughter's well being, and so he and Cupid scheme to find Persephone a husband, notching an arrow on Cupid's Bow of Love. But just as they let it fly, Demeter appears and throws the arrow off course so that instead of hitting Persephone, it falls into the ground. The arrow passes through the ground and pierces the heart of Hades, God of the Underworld, who had espied Persephone through his all-seeing pool that allows him to gaze upon the mortal world.
Hades falls instantly in love with Persephone, and before the arrow can settle a day, he readies his chariot and rises from the Underworld to take Persephone from her woodland glen. Persephone kicks and shouts when Hades abducts her and pulls her into his chariot, but the woodland creatures are unable to stop Demeter's daughter from disappearing into the Underworld.
In the Underworld, Hades attempts to make Persephone's new accommodations comfortable, but Persephone angrily refuses the luxuries, stating that she wants to return to Demeter, her mother, as she knew her mother would soon find out Persephone had disappeared and would start to worry. But Hades denies this request, and tells Persephone that he loves her.
Persephone laughs and states that Hades can't love her, because it was Cupid's arrow that made Hades infatuated. She adds that she wants no part in that kind of unfaithful, false love. She also says that the only pure love is only for daughters and mothers. Hades is a tad amused and asks who told Persephone such a thing about love, and Persephone replies that it was her mother.
Hades says something that shocks Persephone, as she had never heard such a thing before: Demeter is wrong. Hades tells Persephone that all beings can feel love, and the various kinds of love without getting too into depth with each kind. Persephone is curious and asks Hades if he expects Persephone to love him back. Hades states that he's willing to wait, but that, yes, he would like that. Persephone asks Hades if he will let her go if things do not go as Hades plans.
He tells Persephone that he wants to be with Persephone and even make her his Underworld Queen, but that he understands how Persephone feels frightened and confused. He tells her that she can do anything she wants in the Underworld, except leave, and Persephone, who has never been outside her woodland glen, is curious, and tells Hades that she'll at least stay in the Underworld "for a little while" in order to get to know Hades better and explore the world outside her sacred glen.
Persephone's adventures in the Underworld are eventful, as she quickly befriends Cerberus, Hades' dog, and Thanatos, Hades' assistant. She takes rides in the gondolas on the River Styx, and create her own living garden in the realm of the Undead where life blooms and Persephone feels close to her mother who effortlessly searches for her stolen daughter. Persephone basically has the time of her life learning new and exciting things.
Every so often, Hades would ask Persephone again to be his queen, but Persephone would awkwardly turn him down and say that she still does not love him. But that's not to say she doesn't like him, because she comes to see Hades as a good friend, and does enjoy sitting in on his Judgement calls (when a soul who is undecided is judged for their life's worth) and speaking with those of Hades' court and actually making friends neither woodland or animal for once.
"A little while" turns to days, then months, then a year, as Persephone falls in love with Hades, elongating her stay in the Underworld to the point where she marries him, becoming the Underworld's Queen, just as Hades originally wanted.
I'm reading the myths as closely as possible and even getting feedback from my mythos major buds (isn't that cool? you can actually major in mythology!!) but sometimes something may fall through the cracks, and that might be making you uncomfortable. Please tell me about it here.
