Persephone and the Pomegranate

I am Persephone.

I am the daughter of Demeter, the goddess of agriculture and the harvest. My mother and I are very close. We live a simple, idyllic life. We plant seeds in the fields and reap the fruits of our labor during the seasonal harvest period. In ancient times, my mother and I were worshipped among farmers and agrarian societies all along the Mediterranean basin. My mother even had many cults devoted to her. Mortals feared that if they did not appease my mother, she would not grant them a bountiful crop and, during that harvest, the people would starve. My mother Demeter can be emotional sometimes, so it is best not to anger her.

As it came to be one fateful day as I was gathering flowers in the fields, Hades—the ruler of Tartarus—appeared out of a fissure in the ground and abducted me. I was raped—violently taken kicking-and-screaming down to his infernal domain. I was to become his trophy bride and inherit the title of "Queen of the Underworld." But I vehemently protested and refused. My mother Demeter searched far and wide, across all land covering every stretch of earth, to find me. It was the all-seeing sun god Helios who revealed the abduction to my mother. Her anger turned to rage and she caused the fields to dry up and all the plants and vegetables became inedible. Mortals, like you, began to starve. Their pleas were heard even as high up as Mount Olympus. People began to stop worshipping the gods and Zeus had to act quickly. He negotiated with Hades, who released me, but with one condition—I was not to eat anything as I made my way out of his lair and back to my mother. Should I eat anything, the deal would be broken and I would have to marry him.

My hunger was too great. I had carried with me a lone pomegranate. I tore it open and ate only six seeds, yet my fate was sealed the moment the pomegranate juice ran down my throat. I had become the wife of Hades, but an arrangement was made that I could spend six months out of the year with Demeter and the other six months with my husband Hades. Six seeds for six months.

During the time I am with my mother, the earth experiences Spring and Summer, the months when planting seeds and nurturing crops is best. During the time I am with my sulky husband, the earth experiences a transition similar to death—trees lose their leaves in the Autumn and the ground becomes too solid for planting seeds due to the Winter cold. All this seasonal transition is due to the pomegranate that I ate.

But pomegranates are good for mortals. Here is a list of some benefits of eating pomegranates:

1.      Pomegranates are a rich, natural source of key vitamins A, C, and E as well as folic acid.

2.      Pomegranates contain high levels of antioxidants and nutrients that keep LDL ("bad cholesterol") from forming in the blood, which reduces the risk of heart disease.

3.      Pomegranate juice contains iron, which can supply the bloodstream and help fight symptoms of anemia, such as fatigue, dizziness, weakness, and even loss of hearing.

4.      Pomegranate juice and extracts can lower blood pressure naturally—helping to prevent heart attacks and strokes.

5.      Pomegranates contain certain nutrients that boost the immune system and help fight certain types of cancer, like colon cancer, breast cancer, and even prostate cancer.

Unfortunately, one result of eating pomegranates is not so beneficial—becoming the captive bride of a damnable husband who rules over the dead. Eat those pomegranate seeds with caution, dear mortal!