Hades and Persephone — The Cycle of the Seasons Persephone, daughter of Demeter, goddess of agriculture, was gathering flowers when Hades, ruler of the Underworld, emerged from the earth and carried her away to be his queen. Demeter’s grief was overwhelming; she wandered the world in mourning, neglecting the land and causing crops to wither. Humanity faced famine as the natural order collapsed under her sorrow. Zeus eventually intervened, but because Persephone had eaten pomegranate seeds in the Underworld, she could not fully return to the world of the living. A compromise was reached: Persephone would spend part of the year with Hades and part with Demeter. When Persephone returns, Demeter rejoices and the earth blooms; when she descends again, Demeter grieves and winter falls. The myth explains the changing seasons and reflects themes of loss, renewal, and balance between life and death.