The Story of Pesephone...

This is a story that has been very encouraging to me. I do not believe in Greek mythology, but the story is beautiful in a way I will explain after the story as been told. *Author's note: This is paraphrased. I put this in my own words and had fun with it.


A long time ago in ancient Greece,there was a beautiful young goddess called Persephone. Persephone loved pretty things like flowers and butterflies and sunshine. She was sweet and kind and loved by many, her mother Demeter (the goddess of harvest) included.

Now Hades (the god of the undead) was very in love with her and wanted her hand in marriage, but this girl wanted nothing to do with him. See, Hades was very upset by this because home boy is used to getting what he wants. After all, he is a scary man. So since she wouldn't give herself to him, he decided that the only way for him to obtain this beautiful woman is through force.

One day Persephone was out all alone, minding her own business and picking flowers, enjoying the beauty of the world. She was so happy and so swept up in the gloriousness of it all, she didn't even notice Hades sneaking up on her. He snatched her up and took her down to where he lived in the underworld. There, he took advantage of her, and he forced her to be with him, and he raped her.

When Demeter noticed that Persephone hadn't come home that night, she began to panic. She went out the to the field and found a pile of flowers that her daughter had been picking scattered on the ground. Next to that was a footprint that was much to big to be her beautiful daughters. So, Demeter headed to Zeus, the big man in charge.

"Zeus, do you know what has happened to my daughter? Has someone taken her? Please tell me!"

"Er..." Zeus said uneasily. "Ummm...." He twiddled his thumbs. Zeus knew that Hades had taken her, but he really didn't want to get involved in this situation. Also, he didn't really want to break the news to Demeter.

"Tell me where she is right now!"

"Okay, okay! Hades has taken her to the underworld to be his bride..."

"His bride?! My poor baby doesn't want to marry that nasty old man. Do something right now."

"Iight, you be trippin' woman. Me, the king of gods, taking orders from the goddess of harvest? Yeah, that's cute."

In anger, Demeter rushed out of that junk, and stormed the place her daughter had been abducted. She saw the flowers that just reminded her of her Persephone. She decided that she didn't want to see anything pretty until her daughter had returned, so she let all of the harvest die. She let everything get very cold, and turn to nothing.

Zeus was getting upset because a) none of his gods could eat well and were complaining and b) since things were dying, he was receiving no sacrifices. So he called Demeter back to him and made her a deal.

"Alright, I am not getting my sacrifices, so I am upset. If I get back your daughter, will you bring everything back?"

"Yes, of course I will!"

"Okay, I will go this Tuesday."


"False! You will go NOW!"

Zeus hopped off his thrown and headed down to the underworld.

"Look Hades, you need to give this chick back because I am a beast and I say so, mkay?"

"Fine... let me go get her."

Hades went and found Persephone and told her that she was going to be able to return home to her mother.

"But, first, before you go, I want you to eat this pomegranate. It is the best in the land, my gift to you."

"I am way too excited to eat!"

"But, please, if anything eat a few seeds. They are fantasmastical!"

"Umm... alright." She ate a few seeds, and they headed up to Zeus.

"Alright, Persephone. Are you ready to go?"

"I can't." she answered, sounding scared.

"You didn't eat anything did you?!"

"Yes, I had some pomegranate seeds." Hades began to laugh maniacally, because he knew he was a tricky bastard.

"How many did she eat?"

"Only 6..."

"Okay, well that means for every seed she ate, she will have to stay here for a month... For now I am takign her."


So, that might seem like a depressing story, but what I love about it is that she was a survivor of rape. I am coming to the terms that at this point in my life, I am a rape victim. I am ready to move from a rape victim to a rape survivor.


I found the picture below on postsecret.com and I was extremely inspired by it. So, this is what I am working on right now. I want to no longer be a victim, but a survivor.








Peace, Love, and Chimichangas,
Candace Maria :]