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Summary
Hades kidnaps Persephone (Demeterâs daughter) while she is picking flowers on Earth and takes her down to the Underworld. Demeter realises that Persephone is gone and starts to look for her, but only Hecate and Helios (a goddess associated with the Underworld and crossroads and one of the Titans, and the sun god who travels across the sky each day in a chariot) help her and tell her what happened. She realises that Zeus is involved in giving her daughter away in marriage without her permission, so she leaves Mount Olympus. Demeter refuses to perform her usual duties so the harvest dies. Demeter goes to a city called Eleusis and stays with the king. Zeus relents once the humans are dying of starvation so there is a risk that no one will be alive to sacrifice to him or the other gods so he sends Hermes down to Hades to tell him to let Persephone go. Hades tricks Persephone into eating a pomegranate seed so that she must spend 1/3 of her time in a year in the Underworld.
What does this myth explain and how?
The story accounts for the seasons as one part of the year is spent in winter when no crops can grow due to Demeterâs grief for her lost daughter.
Persephone
Goddess of spring, the daughter of Demeter and Zeus, queen of the Underworld and married to Hades. She spends 1/3 of her time in the Underworld.
What is Persephone doing at the start of the hymn?
Picking flowers with the daughters of Oceanus
Who makes a specific flower grow to trap Persephone?
Zeus
What is this flower called?
Daffodil, narcissus
How does Hades kidnap Persephone?
He leaps out of the ground and seizes her
How does Persephone react?
She screams and wails
What is Zeus doing while Persephone gets kidnapped?
Receiving sacrifices in a temple
Who else heard or saw Persephoneâs cries?
Hecate and Helios
How long does Demeter search for Persephone?
9 days
Which god comes to help Demeter?
Hecate
Who do Hecate and Demeter go to find out what happened?
Helios
What does Helios tell Demeter has happened?
Hades has taken Persephone as his wife with permission from Zeus
Why does Helios say Demeter shouldnât be angry?
Hades has high status and power among the gods so he is a good husband for Persephone
How does Demeter react when she finds out what happened to Persephone?
She is furious and abandons Olympus in her grief
Where does Demeter go when she leaves Olympus?
She lives among the humans at Eleusis in disguise
What does Demeter decide to do in order to get Persephone back?
She prevents crops from growing (by hiding the seeds in the ground) and starves all the humans
Why do the gods care about the humans starving?
They wonât get any sacrifices or worship if all the humans are dead
Who does Zeus send to talk to Demeter first?
Iris
Who does Zeus later send to talk to Demeter?
All the other gods in turn
How did the gods try to persuade Demeter to return?
They âoffered plentiful gifts of great beautyâ and âany honours she might wantâ
Does Demeter listen to any of the gods?
No
How long does human starvation through the loss of crops and harvest go on for?
One year
Who does Zeus send to talk to Hades?
Hermes
What does Hermes tell Hades to do?
Send Persephone home to Demeter
What does Hades say to Persephone about their marriage?
He is not a âshameful husbandâ as he is a brother of Zeus; she will ârule all that lives and movesâ, and receive âthe greatest honours amongst the immortalsâ; those who donât âappeaseâ her âpower with sacrificesâ will be punished
What does Hades secretly do to Persephone?
Feeds her a pomegranate seed
What does Demeter ask Persephone when they are reunited?
Did you eat anything in the Underworld?
What does Persephone have to do as a result of eating in the Underworld?
Spend a third of the year there
How long does Persephone get to spend with Demeter each year?
Two thirds of the year
What does the story of Persephone explain for the Greeks?
The seasons
Which god does Zeus finally send to Demeter at the end?
Rhea
What does Demeter return at the end of the story?
The harvest to the humans
Epithets used to describe Demeter
Beautiful haired, dark veiled
Epithets used to describe Persephone
Deep bosomed, skilful, delicate ankled
Epithets used to describe Helios
Watchmen of the gods and men, Son of Hyperion
Epithets used to describe Hecate
Of the bright headband
Epithets used to describe Iris
Golden winged
Epithets used to describe Hermes
Slayer of Argus
Why is the Homeric Hymn to Demeter significant?
Because it provides an insight into the Greek thoughts of the relationship between gods and men
Why were myths surrounding the Underworld popular on funeral monuments?
They gave the deceased hope that they could enter the Underworld and gain favour from the King and Queen
What was the relationship between Zeus and Persephone?
He was her father
Why might Zeus have given Persephone to Hades?
To improve the relationship between the Underworld and Olympus
How do we know that Demeter was really upset?
She didnât wash or take ambrosia
Note 
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