Persephone

Grc: Περσεφόνη - Lat: Proserpina

"Odysseus of the many devices, you must complete a journey to the house of Hades and dread Persephone, to seek soothsaying of the spirit of Theban Teiresias, the blind seer, whose mind abides steadfast. To him, even in death, Persephone has granted reason, that he alone should have understanding while the others flit about as shadows."

— Homer, Odyssey X:488

Half-Time Queen of the Underworld Realm of the Dead, Half-Time Maiden of Vegetative Growth
Daughter of Zeus and Demeter, who splits her time between assisting her mother from spring through harvest and ruling the rest through the winter at the side of her husband, Haides.

Local Variants

• Despoina (Mistress of the House) in Arcadia.
• Hagne (Pure One) in Messenia.
• Melindia or Melinoia (Honey) in Hermione.
• Melivia
• Melitodes
• Aristi Cthonia (The Best Chthonic Daimon)
• Praxidike
• Kore (The Maiden)
• Kore Soteira (The Savior Maiden) in Megalopolis.
• Neotera (The Younger) in Eleusis.
• Kore Memagmeni (The Mixed Daughter of Bread).

Divine Domains

The model for maidenhood in transition, the cause of the changing seasons, symbolic of death and resurrection.
Having her fate decided by six pomegranate seeds taken from the Underworld, Persephone maintains a seventh seed that controls the cycle of destruction and rebuilding for entire civilizations.

Divine Symbols & Sigils

Pomegranate Seeds

Holidays

A three-day feast, the Thesmophoria, was celebrated throughout Boeotia in the spring month of Demetrios (Pyanepsion), hosted by the various cults of Demeter and Persephone.
Another Thesmophoria specific to Thebai was celebrated in the summer month of Bukatios in the Grove of Kabeirian Demeter and the Maid near the Town of Pontiai. The grounds were dedicated to wine daimones, the Kabeiri. The inhabitants of Naupactus once attempted similar rituals, and met with divine vengeance for doing the wrong thing in the wrong place. The Kabeiri were named Kabir and Pais.

Mental characteristics

Personal history

In an age before the seasons, Persephone was betrothed by her father, Zeus, to her Uncle Haides without her prior knowledge or the consultation of her mother, Demeter. After her sudden abduction into the underworld, the ensuing dispute between Haides and Demeter was resolved by having Persephone split her time, six months ruling the Underworld, and six months inspiring growth in the fields. Winter and Summer seasons were the result.

Social

Mannerisms

Demands respect from mortals, but can seem immature to the point of silliness.

Divine Classification

Agricultural and Underworld Nymph

Honorary & Occupational Titles

Queen of the Underworld [Grc: Κόρη (Kore) - En: The Maiden]

Hair

Perfect ringlets of dark brown hair under a silver diadem of stems and leaves.