Persephone

The Story of Persephone and the Changing Seasons

Long ago, in the myths of Ancient Greece, the people wondered why the world changes with the seasons, why the earth blooms with flowers and harvest in one part of the year, but turns bare and cold in another. To explain this mystery, they told the story of Persephone, daughter of Demeter, the goddess of the harvest.

Persephone was a joyful young goddess, loved by all who saw her. She spent her days wandering fields of flowers, bringing beauty wherever she went. Her mother, Demeter, cared for her deeply and watched over the crops of the earth, ensuring that humans always had food.

One day, while Persephone gathered blossoms, the ground beneath her feet split open. From the chasm rose Hades, god of the underworld. He seized Persephone and carried her into his dark kingdom below. The earth closed behind them, and silence fell upon the meadow.

When Demeter discovered her daughter missing, she searched the world in grief. She wandered with a torch, calling Persephone’s name, but no answer came. As her sorrow deepened, Demeter withdrew her gifts. The fields withered, the trees dropped their leaves, and famine spread across the earth.

At last, Zeus, king of the gods, took pity on the suffering of humankind. He commanded Hades to release Persephone. But Hades had played a trick: before she left, he gave Persephone seeds of the pomegranate to eat.

In the laws of the underworld, whoever eats its fruit is bound to return. Persephone had eaten six seeds.

A compromise was struck. Persephone would spend part of the year with her mother, Demeter, on the earth’s surface. During these months, Demeter rejoiced, and the world grew green and fertile. But for the other part, Persephone would return to Hades in the underworld. Then Demeter grieved, withdrawing her blessings, and winter fell upon the land.

Thus the Greeks explained the turning of the seasons:

• Spring and Summer – Persephone rises, the earth blooms.
• Autumn and Winter – Persephone descends, the world rests.

This story helped ancient people make sense of the cycles of growth, death, and renewal in nature. It is not only a tale of loss and return, but also of balance: light and dark, joy and sorrow, growth and stillness.

For many, Persephone’s journey is a reminder that endings are never final, every winter holds the promise of spring.