Hello! Do you think that Hades loved Persephone in the myths? Or even in Greek mythology? I have always been fascinated with Greek mythology but I never really read it. I took a class in university but it wasn’t really specific and so I was wondering

Hi!

A very good question.

I think if we look at the Homeric Hymns…we can’t really tell if love is involved in Hades’ decision. We are kind of told that Persephone is given to Hades by Zeus to appease the god but for what reason, we aren’t told. Here is an excerpt where Helios tells Demeter who took her daughter, why, and…that she should be okay with it.

Later, after Demeter has plunged the world into a drought, Zeus sends Hermes to collect Persephone from the Underworld, we see Hades telling Persephone to go but not to think I’ll of him.

After this, he secretly gives her pomegranate seeds to ensure she HAS to return which tells me he doesn’t trust that she will return to him on her own. I think you can interpret the last sentence in two ways—maybe he wants companionship and maybe it is a bribe. Either way, the verbiage used describes Persephone’s excitement and relief at returning to the Upperworld and reuniting with her mother. Even after she is abducted, she holds out hope that her mother will find her. 

The myth of Pluto and Proserpina is the Roman myth–and I think this one gets muddled with the Greek version. In this myth, Cupid shoots Pluto (Hades) with an arrow (upon Venus’s orders) and he falls in love with Proserpina (Persephone). This myth is detailed in Ovid’s Metamorphosis. It is also in Metamorphosis where you can interpret some phrases as Proserpina eating the pomegranate seeds “willingly” but she sort of does this in a manner where she isn’t really thinking. She is walking and absently begins to eat them so it isn’t out of love for Pluto or a wish to stay. 

In the end, I think myth is clear that Persephone is unwilling. I think it’s important to acknowledge the roots of the myths and recognize that myths were used to understand the world in the context of ancient times. 

I think we all, in modern times, wish differently–of course we hope for love over unwilling abduction–and so we adapt the myths. I’m all for turning stories that hurt women into empowering tales. 

Last, only the first three chapters of my books are on Wattpad but you can find them on Amazon!

Thank you for your question!