Persephone

In answer to Ferret's question regarding the pronunciation of my name, and also because I often have to field related questions, here's the run down:

Persephone is the daughter of Demeter and Zeus. Persephone was abducted by Hades but rescued by her mother. Because she (Persephone) had eaten a pomegranate during her time in the underworld, Hades claimed he had a hold on her as his wife and refused to give her up entirely. Demeter and Hades eventually decided to let Persephone spend six months of the year on earth and six months in the underworld.

Demeter (ceres in greek) is the goddess of the harvest and of fertility. Supposedly the reason for the seasons is that while Persephone is in the underworld, Demeter gets bumbed and it gets cold and crappy. When it gets warm, it's because Persephone is with her mother, which makes her mother happy.

Persephone's Roman counterpart is named Prosperina. Persephone is the greek version (Hence her dad is Zeus and not Jupiter).

Persephone is pronounced: per-sef'-a-nee
So now you know.

And just so you can be a REAL mythological genius:
http://www.mythweb.com/

 

You left out Apollo. How could you do such a thing? I vote for Apollo even though he's not on the poll.

 

I like some of the minor gods/goddess, like Pan, Eros (goddess of dawn), and the Muses. The muses are definitly very cool. Of the 12 Olympian gods, I really like them all, although I think my favorites are Apollo, Diana/Artemis, and Mercury/Hermes.

"Tell me, Muse, the story of that resourceful man who was driven to wander far and wide after he had sacked the holy citadel of Troy."
-Homer, The Odyssey

Whee! I just thought that was cool, so I wanted to post it.

 

I haven't read any Greek mythology in a while; it must be time to go reread the Odyssey and the Iliad.
On second thought, I'll do that after I take the SATs so I don't stay up all night reading.

 

Ah yes, The Myth of Persephone (another one of the many, many parts of Greek culture that the Romans abducted wholesale), although I think you'll find her Roman counterpart was Proserpina.

I'm more than mildly wrathful that you've not included ME on your little list, Missy.

 

Octillicus-- Read the post, Jackass...

And your wrath scares me not in the least. :smash:

Demos- I guess Apollo never really struck a chord with me (ha ha ha..), but your objection/vote is duly noted

Snow- I also like many of the lower "gods" but I was trying to include ACTUAL gods who lived on Mt. Olympus in an effort to narrow my choices so the poll didn't have 85 options. Pan is not technically a god, but I agree he's pretty darn cool... "What Fools these mortals be"... And of course anyone who's ever done anything the least bit creative has to dig the muses!

There are lots of additional characters in Mythology whom I find intriguing.. Medea, of course, Circe, and the Amazonians... (I was disappointed by the wussiness of the amazon-like women in Arcanum). I've also always thought the story of Arachne was interesting.

Eros is the Greek equivalent of Cupid (whom I'm sure everyone has heard of) He's sometimes supposed to be the son of Aphrodite, and other places he was born the same time as the Titans. The myth of Eros and Psyche is one of the only ones that actually has a happy ending in some tellings... I have a photo of the two of them on the wall in my bedroom... So yeah, I like Eros too.

Hey, read Eric Flint's Pyramid Scheme for a good Fantasy/Sci-Fi/Mythology tie-in. It's pretty darn funny.

 

And your wrath scares me not in the least. :smash:

 

Persephone, I'm sorry, I think I screwed up her name. I remembered (too late to not make a butt out of myself) that Cupid's Roman name is Eros. I know that there is a goddess of Dawn... but what is her name? ... Eos? I think that's it. Sorry for the mix up there.

 

I don't recall hearing of a goddess of the dawn. I do recall many a description of "Dawn's rose red locks rising above the earth" but I don't remember hearing the name of a god or goddess of dawn.

 

Yep. Eos. Goddess of the dawn. Had an affair with Ares (but honestly, who didn't) and was cursed by Aphrodite to fall in love only with mortals.

Never really found much to like about Apollo. Seems like a lazy golden boy to me. I've got a cat named Apollo, he's pretty much a lazy golden boy too but at least he's soft, fluffy, and purrrrrs in my ear.

Now his sister on the other hand, Artemis, now there's a deity! Huntress of the gods, lover of Ares (see, the boy got around), patroness of mothers during childbirth, object of worship at one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.... WOW!!! My German Shepherd Dog is named Artemis. It suits her.

And speaking of Ares, I've a rabbit by that name. Big, strong, tough Alpha Bunny. I always thought Ares would make a great name for a bun. Would have voted for him if you had included him with Mars. So I voted Athena since that was the name of my first cat, a calico who babysat me when I was an infant.

I didn't know that Persephone was also goddess of agriculture and whatnot along with her mother. Huh.

 

I always preferred Quirinus and Dionysus. I forget who Quirinus was exactly, but Dionysus was the god of Food and Wine. Like you said, he knows how to party!

 

I think Quirinus is the same person as Romulus. Virgil said something about that, if I remember correctly.

 

i think there is a painting called 'kerghan and persephone' in arcanum.

 

I always loved Persephone's tale...and her name is lacking from that list...but I would count her, her mother and Dionysis among my favorites...but then again, I am something of a hopeless romantic...and I love a good home-made drink..

Somewhat ironically, I refer to the woman in my life as my Persephone.. Due to a warm Beltaine day, and more of that hopeless romantic. She also sent me an..interesting adult fairy tale about Persephone and why the winters seem to keep getting longer..

Greek mythology sparked my interest in mythology, and I've forgotten more than I remember at this point. Now I'm something of a student of Celtic mythology. The Gaelic language fascinates me. I'd love to learn more of it, but it's no easy language.

Ok, that's my disointed and rather pointless post for the evening.

 

Octillicus--
Mock my typos all you please, it will not shake my faith in my far superior command of well... everything.

No matter how stentorian your arguments, you will never be more than an epigone of my wit.... Jackass
(I hope you know I"m just having fun with you... not the REALLY fun fun, just the medium fun fun).

Eos... Not ringing a bell. Doesn't mean she's not real, of course, I admit when I don't know everything. Unless it was Octillicus who corrected me.

I didn't include Persephone because once again I wasn't sure of her "goddess" status. Obviously she's the daughter of Zeus and Demeter, (both gods), so you'd ASSUME she's a goddess, but in the world of Greek Mythology nothing is assured. In the immortal words of Prometheus...
Oww. Fire Hot.

Oh, and Octi, I'm sorry you got outbid on your sex toy. Perhaps there will be another one auctioned off soon

 

But they only made thirty Vibrating Vixens before the company went bust...

*sniff*

 

I like Thor.

 

Me too, i love the norse mythologies. Not too strange me beeing norwegian but still. Thor tha man whit tha hammer he could kick the ass of any other known god. Muhahah he does actually has his followers , the religion has huge food orgies and eating of mushroms and screaming against the sky. Sounds like a fun religion to me.

I HATE, i say again HATE marvel for what they have done to thor they took the coolest and most fun god ever and turned him into a blond sissy who dress upp as someone who visit "unusual" clubs to participate in "unusual" activities.

 

I thankee Persephone for thy enlightenment.

 

Ferrett -- You're very welcome, my furry little friend


Qili- yeah, I like the Norse Mythologies too. I wanna go to Valhalla when I die! Hey, have you read American Gods (Gaiman)?