Definition of persephone Persephone

Per•seph•o•ne

We found 3 definitions of persephone from 3 different sources.

What does persephone mean?

Noun
persephone - (Greek mythology) daughter of Zeus and Demeter; made queen of the underworld by Pluto in ancient mythology; identified with Roman Proserpina
		Despoina, Kore, Cora

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Persephone was a Greek goddess of grain and spring. Also sometimes referred to as Caliope. A daughter of Zeus and Demeter. She was kidnapped by Hades and he makes her eat a pomegranate which is the fruit of the underworld. According to some myths, if one were to eat the fruit of the Underworld, they would be forced to stay there. This myth explains why the seasons change. Supposedly, Demeter was so sad over the disappearance of her daughter that she ignored her duties to the world, during this time all plants died. When Demeter went to the Underworld to rescue her Persephone, Hades forced Persephone to eat the pomegranate. After she ate this fruit it was supposed to keep her in the underworld with Hades so she would be forced to marry him. In some versions she only ate 6 seeds from the pomegranate, so Hades only made her stay 6 months of the year. It is during the 6 months that Persephone is with Hades that Demeter weeps, causing all plant life to die (symbolizing Fall and Winter), and during the six months that she is with Demeter life is sustained (Spring and Summer).