Spring Explained By Ancient Gods And Myths

In Greek mythology, Demeter is a powerful earth goddess who makes plants grow and flowers bloom. Unfortunately, her beautiful daughter Persephone caught the attention of the terrifying Hades, the god of death. In modern retellings, Hades and Persephone are often depicted as an unlikely romance. Traditionally, they came together through a kidnapping.

When Persephone vanished, her distraught mother searched everywhere for her. The sun god Helios saw how devastated Demeter was and told her the truth: A massive chasm had opened up in the ground and Hades had carried Persephone down to the underworld. Demeter wasn't able to rescue Persephone herself, but she could go on strike.

Demeter refused to make the plants grow. A terrible drought spread across the entire world. There was no food, and it seemed like every living thing would starve. Finally, the desperate gods interceded on Demeter's behalf, ordering Hades to release Persephone. Hades had to obey, but he had one last trick to play. While Persephone had been in the underworld, she had eaten pomegranate seeds, which symbolize both marriage and triumph in battle. For four months of the year, one for each seed she ate, Persephone would have to live in the underworld as Hades' queen. This was the ancient Greek explanation for the changing seasons: While Persephone is in the land of the dead, Demeter mourns and nothing grows, and the world experiences winter. In the spring, Persephone returns to her mother, and plants can grow again.

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