The Story of The Story of ProserpinaProserpina

What’s in a Name?What’s in a Name?

Roman Name: ProserpinaRoman Name: Proserpina Greek Name: PersephoneGreek Name: Persephone

From From proserpere proserpere meaning “to emerge”meaning “to emerge” Proserpina is a type of pomegranate Proserpina is a type of pomegranate Moth: Moth: Carcinopyga ProserpinaCarcinopyga Proserpina

Father: JoveFather: Jove Mother: Ceres (the goddess of good Mother: Ceres (the goddess of good

harvest)harvest)

How it began…How it began… TYPHOEUSTYPHOEUS was a monstrous, serpentine giant was a monstrous, serpentine giant

that battled Jove for possession of the heavens.that battled Jove for possession of the heavens. He fell from the sky and on his body was piled He fell from the sky and on his body was piled

the island of Sicily. He struggled causing the island of Sicily. He struggled causing earthquakes, and spewed ashes and flame.earthquakes, and spewed ashes and flame.

PLUTO, god of the underworld came to make PLUTO, god of the underworld came to make sure that the ground would not open up and sure that the ground would not open up and shed light on the underworld after all the shed light on the underworld after all the pounding from Typhoeus. pounding from Typhoeus.

Venus sees Pluto and tells her Venus sees Pluto and tells her son Cupid to shoot him with an son Cupid to shoot him with an arrow so that she (love) can be arrow so that she (love) can be the ruler of all the universe. the ruler of all the universe. ““You rule the others, even great Jove, You rule the others, even great Jove,

you rule the great sea-gods…Why you rule the great sea-gods…Why should Hell alone hold out against us?”should Hell alone hold out against us?”

She tells Cupid to join She tells Cupid to join Proserpina and Pluto who is Proserpina and Pluto who is Jove’s brother, and thus, Jove’s brother, and thus, Proserpina’s uncle.Proserpina’s uncle.

Cupid shoots the arrow and Cupid shoots the arrow and pierces Pluto’s heart.pierces Pluto’s heart.

A De-flowering occurs…A De-flowering occurs… Virginal Proserpina was picking flowers with her Virginal Proserpina was picking flowers with her

friends by the pool, Pergus. Her basket was full friends by the pool, Pergus. Her basket was full because she was eager to not let her friends beat because she was eager to not let her friends beat her.her.

Pluto saw her and rushed toward her and raped Pluto saw her and rushed toward her and raped her.her. The flowers fell from the basket and Prosperina was The flowers fell from the basket and Prosperina was

just as concerned with losing the flowers as she was just as concerned with losing the flowers as she was with being raped.with being raped.

Prosperina gets de-flowered?

The Rape of Prosperina by Luca Giordano

Vincenzo de'Rossi's "The Rape of

Proserpina"

Pluto took Prosperina and began his Pluto took Prosperina and began his journey back to the underworld.journey back to the underworld. Through the deep lakesThrough the deep lakes Through the boiling Palician poolsThrough the boiling Palician pools Beyond the city of the Corinthian menBeyond the city of the Corinthian men

There was a bay between the waters There was a bay between the waters of Arethusa and Cyane.of Arethusa and Cyane. Cyane, the most famous of all Sicilian nymphs, rose from Cyane, the most famous of all Sicilian nymphs, rose from

the water and tried to stop Pluto, but Pluto opened the the water and tried to stop Pluto, but Pluto opened the pool to its deepest depths and plunged down to Hell.pool to its deepest depths and plunged down to Hell.

““No further shall you go! Proserpina should have been No further shall you go! Proserpina should have been asked, not taken.”asked, not taken.”

Cyane mourned for both Prosperina and Cyane mourned for both Prosperina and the new crater formed by Pluto. She the new crater formed by Pluto. She mourned until she turned into water.mourned until she turned into water.

Ceres Looks for Her Ceres Looks for Her DaughterDaughter

Ceres looked everywhere for her daughter.Ceres looked everywhere for her daughter. She stopped at a cottage where she was given water with barley She stopped at a cottage where she was given water with barley

by an old woman. A country boy mocked her while she drank. by an old woman. A country boy mocked her while she drank. Ceres became angry and threw the drink on the boy. “And his Ceres became angry and threw the drink on the boy. “And his face was spotted, the, and his arms were legs, and he grew a tail face was spotted, the, and his arms were legs, and he grew a tail and shrank, a harmless creature, like a lizard, only smaller. The and shrank, a harmless creature, like a lizard, only smaller. The old woman…tried to touch him, but he was gone through a chink old woman…tried to touch him, but he was gone through a chink in the rocks. His names suits his performance, in the rocks. His names suits his performance, Stellio, Stellio, The Spot-The Spot-marked; Some people call him NEWT.marked; Some people call him NEWT.

Ceres continued to search and came back to Ceres continued to search and came back to Sicily where she went to the pool of Cyane Sicily where she went to the pool of Cyane but Cyane could not speak. She could only but Cyane could not speak. She could only offer evidence—Proserpina’s girdle.offer evidence—Proserpina’s girdle.

Ceres began to realize the fate of Proserpina and Ceres began to realize the fate of Proserpina and blamed Sicily because that is where she found blamed Sicily because that is where she found evidence of her loss. She cursed the land, making evidence of her loss. She cursed the land, making everything dry and barren. everything dry and barren.

Ceres refused to go back to Mount Olympus and started walking on the Earth, making Ceres refused to go back to Mount Olympus and started walking on the Earth, making a desert at every step. a desert at every step.

Arethusa rose from the Elean pool to beg for Ceres’ Arethusa rose from the Elean pool to beg for Ceres’ mercy.mercy. ““O mother of the girl sought over the whole wide world, O mother of O mother of the girl sought over the whole wide world, O mother of

fruit and harvest, cease the endless labor. Do not be angry at the loyal fruit and harvest, cease the endless labor. Do not be angry at the loyal earth. It has kept the faith, it is innocent, it opened unwillingly to that earth. It has kept the faith, it is innocent, it opened unwillingly to that ravishment.”ravishment.”

Arethusa told Ceres that she saw Proserpina in the Arethusa told Ceres that she saw Proserpina in the underworld and that she was the queen.underworld and that she was the queen. Arethusa was a nymph that took no pleasure in her beauty. After Arethusa was a nymph that took no pleasure in her beauty. After

hunting one day, she bathes in a pool. She hears the murmuring of hunting one day, she bathes in a pool. She hears the murmuring of Alpheus who calls: “Where are you going in such a hurry Arethusa?” Alpheus who calls: “Where are you going in such a hurry Arethusa?” She tried to run away and begged Diana to help her. Diana cast a cloud She tried to run away and begged Diana to help her. Diana cast a cloud of mist around her. Alpheus would not leave and Arethusa, being of mist around her. Alpheus would not leave and Arethusa, being nervous began to sweat, leaving pools wherever she stood. She was nervous began to sweat, leaving pools wherever she stood. She was changed into a pool and Alpheus became a river again to join her. Diana changed into a pool and Alpheus became a river again to join her. Diana broke the earth and let Arethusa sink to the depths to find a new home. broke the earth and let Arethusa sink to the depths to find a new home. On her journey, she sees Proserpina.On her journey, she sees Proserpina.

Ceres begs Jove to bring Proserpina back.Ceres begs Jove to bring Proserpina back. Jove said that Pluto did it out of love but he Jove said that Pluto did it out of love but he

will bring Proserpina back on one condition.will bring Proserpina back on one condition. SHE MUST, IN THE WORLD BELOW, HAVE SHE MUST, IN THE WORLD BELOW, HAVE

EATEN NOTHING, TASTED NO FOOD—SO EATEN NOTHING, TASTED NO FOOD—SO HAVE THE FATES ENACTED.HAVE THE FATES ENACTED.

BUT, Prosperina ate seven (six) seeds from the BUT, Prosperina ate seven (six) seeds from the pomegranate and Ascalaphus tattled so that pomegranate and Ascalaphus tattled so that Proserpina could not return.Proserpina could not return. Proserpina, in her anger, turned him into a screech Proserpina, in her anger, turned him into a screech

owl.owl.

A Story for the Birds?A Story for the Birds?

Speaking of birds, the girls who Speaking of birds, the girls who were with Proserpina when Pluto were with Proserpina when Pluto kidnapped her were turned into kidnapped her were turned into beautiful golden birds with human beautiful golden birds with human voices. They chose to be birds so voices. They chose to be birds so they could search the sea for their they could search the sea for their dear friend.dear friend.

A Deal…A Deal…

Jove allows for Proserpina to come back Jove allows for Proserpina to come back to the upper-world for part of the year.to the upper-world for part of the year. Ceres is happy with the deal. Ceres is happy with the deal.

This is the reason for Springtime: when This is the reason for Springtime: when Proserpina comes back to her mother, Ceres Proserpina comes back to her mother, Ceres decorates the Earth with welcoming flowers, decorates the Earth with welcoming flowers, but when in autumn she has to go back to but when in autumn she has to go back to Hades, nature loses any color.Hades, nature loses any color.

Others say…Others say… Pluto obeyed, but before letting her go, he made her eat six Pluto obeyed, but before letting her go, he made her eat six

pomegranate seeds (a symbol of fidelity in marriage) so she would pomegranate seeds (a symbol of fidelity in marriage) so she would have to live six months of each year with him, and stay the rest with have to live six months of each year with him, and stay the rest with her mother. her mother.

In another version of the story, some people believe that upon her In another version of the story, some people believe that upon her abduction, Proserpina ate only four pomegranate seeds, and she did abduction, Proserpina ate only four pomegranate seeds, and she did so of her own accord. When Jove ordered her return, Pluto struck a so of her own accord. When Jove ordered her return, Pluto struck a deal with Jove, saying that since she had stolen his pomegranate deal with Jove, saying that since she had stolen his pomegranate seeds, she must stay with him four months of the year in return. seeds, she must stay with him four months of the year in return.

The Abduction of Proserpina by Rembrandt.

Ruling the Underworld

Thomas Hart Benton—Missouri Artist