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The myth of Hades and Persephone - Iseult Gillespie

TED-Ed・4 minutes read

Demeter, goddess of agriculture, faced a famine when her daughter Persephone was abducted by Hades, resulting in the cycle of seasons where Persephone spends part of the year on Earth and part in the underworld.

Insights

  • The ancient Greeks revered Demeter, goddess of agriculture, and her daughter Persephone, whose abduction by Hades led to the creation of the seasonal cycle.
  • The myth of Demeter, Persephone, and Hades explains the changing seasons through a compromise where Persephone divides her time between Earth and the underworld, symbolizing the transition from winter to spring and back again.

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Recent questions

  • Who is the goddess of agriculture?

    Demeter

  • What caused the famine on Earth in Greek mythology?

    Abduction of Persephone

  • How did the cycle of seasons originate in Greek mythology?

    Persephone's time with Demeter and Hades

  • What is the significance of Persephone in Greek mythology?

    Symbol of seasons

  • How did the ancient Greeks honor Demeter before sowing seeds?

    Rituals and offerings

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Summary

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Greek myth: Demeter, Persephone, and the seasons.

  • Before sowing their seeds, the ancient Greeks honored Demeter, the goddess of agriculture, who tended to Earth's fields with her daughter Persephone.
  • Persephone was abducted by Hades, god of the underworld, leading to Demeter's desperate search and neglect of her duties, causing a famine on Earth.
  • A compromise was reached where Persephone would spend two-thirds of the year on Earth with Demeter, bringing spring, and the remaining time in the underworld with Hades, symbolizing the cycle of seasons.
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