Greek mythology is like one gigantic romcom with gods breaking up, cheating, and transforming mortals into animals and plants to show how much they care for us in a psychotic sort of way. Yet, there are a few relationships that are true and genuine. One of those relationships consists of the gods Hades and Persephone, rulers of the Underworld whose love is like the seasons itself, ever eternal and a cycle of love.

To start this story we have to go back to when Hades and his brothers, Zeus and Poseidon, came together to decide which factions of the world they would rule over. They did this by way of a draw with three stones.

1 – A diamond, representing the sky

2- A sapphire, representing the ocean.

3 – A ruby, representing the underworld.

After they all drew, Zeus received the sky, Poseidon the oceans, and Hades the underworld. The brothers came to inhabit their domains and made them to their liking. What the media is hilariously wrong – Hades was not evil and did not want to dethrone Zeus so he could rule Olympus. Hades was at peace with his domain for he took it upon himself to manage the souls of the dead and to keep them in order to prevent chaos. He is a just and fair ruler, only dishing out cruel punishments to those that had done evil deeds in their lives. Over some time, Hades felt lonely managing the dead and stressed due to the large quantities of souls that were pouring into the underworld. One day, Hades saw Persephone, the goddess of spring and the daughter to Zeus and Demeter, the goddess of agriculture. He was overcome with the beauty of Persephone and soon after, he asked Zeus for Persephone’s hand in Marriage not Demeter due to Persephone being a victim of abuse as for that was how she was born.Zeus agreed and schemed a plan to give his daughter to his brother.

I know what you’re thinking,this is a psychopathic way to win a girl’s heart,but keep in mind that this was in ancient Greece and this method way the go to for getting a wife.See if a man wanted to marry a women all he needed to do was go to that women’s father and ask him for her hand in marriage and if the father agreed that’s it that women was instantly the wife to that man and the women had no opinion in it.Yes it’s a messed up system that abuses and cheats women out of their free will,but history is filled of ancient laws discriminating women so this isn’t really something new for that period in time.

So one day when Persephone picked a flower from a field and ground opened below her and Hades and his chariot erupted out of the chasm and kidnapped her bringing her to his underworld kingdom.Persephone was stricken with despair and fear for what the underworld will do for her.

9.9 times out of time when a god encounters a woman that relationship ends up in that god abusing that woman for their own pleasure,the same for mortal women with women in Ancient Greece.Yet,Hades did something with Persephone.Instead of forcing himself on her or abusing her he was respectful of her and considered her his queen and equal in his kingdom and offered dozens of gifts to win her affection.

Angry with him Persephone refused his offerings of gifts to foods of the underworld.Still Hades tried to win over her affection with respect and treating her like his queen.But over time Persephone saw a soul that genuinely loved her and wanted to share his power with her.She began to fall with the god of the dead appreciate all that he offers to her his treasures,power and authority.Back on the surface the world was a barren wasteland due to Demeter ignoring her duties in the efforts of frantically searching for her daughter,the world reflecting her tragedy as a mother.Zeus worried about the world ordered Hermes to guide Demeter through the underworld to retrieve her daughter.

Knowing that her mother would come for her Hades offered Persephone a way for them to stay together pomegranate seeds. He told her that for every seed she ate she would be bound one month in the underworld.Knowing that her mother would never approve of he new husband she decided to eat these seeds.When she eat her sixth seed her mother arrived and ordered her to stop. Furious with Hades for abducting her daughter she was ready to attack him.Yet Persephone intercepted her mother and told her about how he has been true and just to her and offered her to be his queen and how she has bound herself here for six months.

Demeter began to cry horribly,Knowing Persephone couldn’t see her mother like this he made a preposition to her.That Persephone would stay in the underworld for six months due to that being the amount of pomegranate seeds he ate,and the other six months she will spend with Demeter.Demeter reluctantly agreed with this offer and left leaving the king and queen to their realm.

This is how the cycle of spring and winter is born.For when Persephone is with her mother spring takes place as for Demeter is with her daughter happiness blossoms along with the vegetation and plant life in spring.As for winter when she is in the underworld with his husband Demeter’s mood reflects the world’s plant life cold and dead with sadness.