Persephone

Daughter of Zeus and Demeter, abducted by Hades, queen of the underworld.

Parentage

• parent: Zeus
• parent: Demeter

Domains

• underworld queenship
• vegetation cycle

Powers

• Reigns as dread queen alongside Hades
• Returns yearly from below, driving the seasons

Epithets

• Κόρη greek · Kore · cultThe Maiden; the standard cult-name of the pre-abduction daughter of DemeterHymn. Hom. Cer. (passim); Paus. 1.38.6; 8.31.1 (primary)
• ἐπαινή greek · epaine · HomericThe dread/awful one; the Homeric epithet of Persephone the queen of the deadHom. Il. 9.457; Od. 10.491 (ἐπαινὴ Περσεφόνεια) (primary)
• Δέσποινα greek · Despoina · cultThe Mistress; the Arcadian mystery-name of the daughter of DemeterPaus. 8.37.1-10 (the cult at Lycosura) (primary)
• ἁγνή greek · hagnḗ · literaryThe holy/pure one (formulaic “holy Persephone”)Homer, Odyssey 11.386; Homeric Hymn to Demeter (2) 337 (primary)

Relations

• counterpart of: ProserpinaLatin mythographic counterpart of the Greek record; identities and accounts remain distinct.Hyginus, Fabulae, Preface; Hesiod, Theogony 453–458, 912–939 (primary)
• counterpart of: PersephoneTradition-specific counterpart; this link does not transfer parentage.Orphic Hymns, 28 (Taylor numbering) (primary)

Sources

• existence: Hesiod, Theogony 912-914 (primary)