Demeter of Knidos
Ancient Greek Mythology, Religion, Art
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The central myth surrounding Demeter is the loss of Persephone to the god Hades who fell in love with her and abducted her into his realm of the underworld. Demeter wandered the earth searching for Persephone and, at one point, simply allowed the vegetation to die which led to widespread famine.
Zeus had to intervene but Persephone had eaten pomegranate seeds (a common fertility symbol) in the underworld, which meant that she was required to stay. A deal was struck and Hades could keep her for a third of the year. During this time Demeter mourns again and, according to Greek myths, this is why the vegetation dies off during the winter.
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