Hades and Persephone
Narrator 1: Under the Earth, Lord Hades sat upon his throne,
Narrator 3: Helm of Darkness perched upon his pale brow as he sat alone,
Narrator 2: And though he commanded all souls in fair Elysium, listless Asphodel, and the tortuous Fields of Punishment; The Lord of Death turned his sight up to the plains of mortal Sicily to gaze upon beautiful Persephone.
Hades: So beautiful is she, so graceful, so innocent, is she. Oh Fair Persephone, how mine own heart wishes thou would become my wife and queen. Oh, how I wish thou might come to this land of the dead and bring the light of The Upper World to this dread-filled dominion.
Narrator 4: The lord sighed in weary resignation.
Hades: But, alas, that wish may not come true, for though I did request thy hand from mine own brother-king, Zeus, and though the lord be willing to accept the feather-bed, thy mother, Lady Demeter, hath denied all such requests.
Narrator 1: A respectful cough interrupted the Death God's melancholic thoughts.
Thanatos: I beg of thee, mine own lord, Hades, wherefore doth thou sigh and brood on the throne of this most grandiose kingdom?
Hades: I know mine own love for fair Persephone shall never be returned, and so, I sigh and brood upon this throne, knowing I shall gaze only upon that lady from afar. Never shall the lovely Persephone grace these cold and empty halls with her loving light.
Thanatos: My Lord, wear not such a frown. Thou hast such a fine kingdom in this land under the earth!
Hades: Mine own most loyal liegeman, Thanatos, even Zeus, adulterer he may be hath a wife in Hera, who rules beside him in the grand golden gallery of the most wondrous Mount Olympus. I have no one to rule The Underworld beside me. Anon, leave me to mine own thoughts.
Narrator 3: Thanatos bowed to the god and swept out of the chamber.
Narrator 2: The Lord Hades gazed up to the plains of Sicily and straightened as a plot is birthed in his immortal mind. Before Hades can turn plan to action, he must request something of Lord Zeus.
Narrator 4: In the world above, Persephone danced and played.
Narrator 1: Unaware that Hades was lurking, waiting for his opportune moment to act.
Narrator 3: That moment was delayed when the Nymphs, who accompanied the young goddess, called out in warning.
Nymph 3: Mistress Persephone, run not so far! We cannot follow thee if thou do so!
Nymph 2: Mistress Persephone, stray not from our sight! We wish not to witness the wrath of thy lady-mother Demeter, if thou was to come to harm under our watch!
Nymph 4: Mistress Persephone, do not tarry long in the flower fields! Who knoweth what god might enchant thee, if thou dance 'mongst the narcissus flowers!
Persephone: Worry not,dear water nymphs. None shall harm me this glorious day! Who would dare make to harm me, what with mine own lady-mother Demeter not but three and fifty paces hence?
Narrator 2: And so Persephone ran far from the sight of Nymph and lady-mother, certian that no god nor monster would dare to harm her, for fear of the wrathful gaze of Demeter.
Narrator 4: However, at the moment when the young goddess' bare feet hit the edges of the flower field.
Narrator 1: A dark shadow fell across the sun.
Narrator 3: The earth broke.
Narrator 2: And through the broken ground burst forth a chariot pulled by four terrible night mares.
Narrator 4: Dear Persephone screamed, oh how she screamed, when Great Lord Hades pulled her into his chariot,
Persephone: Unhand me hence, horrible villain, or thou shall face the wrath of my mother, Demeter! She shall spurn thine eyes like balls before her; unhair thy head, thou shalt be whipp'd with wire, and stewed in brine, smarting in lingering pickle!
Narrator 1: The lady's threats fell upon deaf ears. The chariot did bear both its passengers downward into the depths of the god's forsaken realm.
Narrator 3: Stone and turf tumbled together, sealing the chasm from whence Lord Hades had risen, leaving naught but a thin scar of deadened flowers and grass as a sign that it did exist.
Narrator 2: A golden wreath of wheat, which had been twisted into the locks of fair Persephone's hair, laid in stark contrast to the black ground.
Narrator 4: An hour passed. When the three nymphs who did accompany Persephone, did see that the mistress was nowhere to be found, they called out in urgency to Lady Demeter.
Nymph 3: Lady Demeter, oh Lady Demeter! Thy daughter hast been consumed by the great earth mother, Gaia!
Nymph 1: Lady Demeter, oh Lady Demeter! Thine only child hast been taken by four terrible night mares!
Demeter: What!?
Narrator 1: Demeter turned to the final nymph and demanded:
Demeter: Tell me, do thy companions speak a golden truth or do they coat their tongues with silver lies?
Nymph 2: I beg of thee, my lady Demeter. Believe me when I say, they speak only golden truth. Neither I nor any of mine would dare twist our tongues to spread a dreadful lie to one such as thee.
Narrator 3: The goddess' eyes hardened.
Demeter: Pray I do not find that thou hast lied to me.
Nymph 2: If I may be so bold as to say, thou need not investigate.
Demeter: Oh? And why is that?
Nymph 2: Because if thou look upon yonder narcissus field, thou shalt find all the evidence of our truth.
Narrator 2: Distrust carved into every line of the goddess' body, Demeter turned and glided towards the narcissus flowers.
Narrator 4: To her knees the lady Demeter did fall at the sight which did await her upon the field.
Narrator 1: With trembling hands, she grasped the wreath which had that very morning been perched on her daughter's head.
Demeter: Doth mine eyes deceive me? Sweet daughter's crowning wreath without sweet daughter herself? Ne'er would she part with it willingly! The Nymph speaks truth. Mine own daughter! Taken!
Narrator 3: Clutching the token with rage and godly wrath, Demeter did speak.
Demeter: I shall find the one who hath taken her and they will beg me to release them into my brother's realm of darkness! I swear on the river Styx!
Narrator 2: Thunder boomed, sealing her vow on the ancient river. Hence did Demeter depart to Mount Olympus, home of all the gods. Save one.
Narrator 4: Up on Mount Olympus, Demeter raged at her Brother-Lord.
Zeus: Hades asked me for Persephone's hand -
Demeter: HADES! Thou gave Hades the right to my daughters hand?! But, but he is not but a disease that must be cut away!
Zeus: Sister, please-
Demeter: He is a flesh monger, a fool, and a coward!
Zeus: Demeter-
Demeter: to steal my daughter from me, while-
Zeus: DEMETER!
Demeter: WHAT?!
Zeus: Hades took Persephone without forewarning any of us. However, so long as she does not partake of a meal, we can retrieve her..
Demeter: Thou wouldst have my daughter break the rules of hospitality!
Zeus: Sister, I ask of thee: would thou rather Persephone be taken as rude? Or never be able to have her walk on the earth beside her dearest mother?
Narrator 1: The goddess fell quiet, but her choice was clear.
Narrator 3: The king of the gods nodded.
Zeus: I shall send Hermes to the Underworld. He will negotiate with Hades for the return of Persephone.
Demeter: Very well. I shall wait.
Narrator 2: As the king turned to leave the room,
Narrator 4: Lady Demeter spoke.
Demeter: Know this, brother, until my daughter is returned to me, I shall not bring the harvest to humanity. Trees shall not bear fruit, sprouts shall not break through the soil, herbs shall wither and die.
Narrator 1: Her piece said, the goddess turned and left Olympus.
Narrator 3: Zeus sighed.
Zeus: I pray to the Fates that Hades is willing to make a deal. If not, I fear for the mortals below.
Narrator 2: The king of the gods sighed once more, then sent for Hermes.
Narrator 4: For while the goddess had ranted and raged at Lord Zeus.
Narrator 2: Her daughter did much the same to her captor and his guards.
Persephone: Let me go,thou paunchy, ill-breeding flap-dragon! I'll have thou punished dearly for this! Thou leathern-jerkin, crystal-button, knot-pated, puke-stocking, pouch-villain! Thou art unfit for any place but hell!
Dead Captain: My lord, if I may speak freely?
Narrator 1: Lord Hades looked at the specter captain of the guard with weary eyes.
Hades: If thou must.
Dead Captain: Aye, my question is this...doth the little harpy not know where currently she resides?
Narrator 3: The captain's deadpan question brought silence to the hall.
Dead Captain: Right. Stupid question. Apologies, milord.
Narrator 2: Upon Olympus, Zeus waited for his son and messenger to arrive.
Hermes: My lord, thou summoned me?
Zeus: Ah, Hermes, yes. I require you to fly a message to Hades.
Hermes: Of course my lord.
Zeus: Tell Hades he must release Persephone from his care and return her to that of Demeter.
Hermes: Milord, before I depart I must inquire: are we certain that Persephone has not taken a meal of the dead?
Zeus: No, but if she has, then we must prepare for the worst. Now go.
Narrator 4: Hermes bowed to his Lord-Father and flew off to bargain with The Lord of the Underworld.
Narrator 1: Within the Underworld, Hades set his plans into motion.
Hades: My dear Persephone, wouldst thou care to partake in a meal with me?
Narrator 3: While the young goddess was rather hungry, she would not take a meal with the man who kidnapped her,
Narrator 2: For if she did, she would be bound by the rule of hospitality.
Narrator 4: She would have to follow the laws of the Underworld.
Persephone: No, I shall not break bread, nor shall I take a meal with the likes of you.
Hades: Very well.
Narrator 1: The lord sighed, and returned to the management of the dead.
Narrator 3: Hours passed.
Narrator 2: Again, Hades asked.
Hades: My dear Persephone, wouldst thou care to take a meal with me?
Narrator 4: Again, he was denied.
Persephone: I shall not and stop calling me 'dear' I am not a dear anything to thou.
Hades: Very well.
Narrator 1: The trend continued: question, rejection, 'very well', question, rejection, 'very well'. Again and again, the Dead Lord requested her to take meal with him. Again and again the lady rejected.
Narrator 3: Until…
Hades: My lady, would thou take-
Persephone: ARRGG! If I take a meal with thee, wilt thou stop asking!
Hades: Of course.
Narrator 2: Hades smiled. He led an exceedingly frustrated Persephone to the dining hall.
Narrator 4: Upon arrival, Persephone's jaw dropped. The hall was filled with a feast that surpassed even those hosted by Lord Dionysus.
Narrator 4: Persephone barely restrained herself from shoveling food in a most un-lady-like manner from every dish onto a silver plate.
Narrator 1: Instead, she plucked one pomegranate fruit from a platter and peeled it.
Narrator 3: Not five and ten minutes into the meal, Hermes swooped into the dining hall.
Hermes: Lord Hades, I come bearing a message from Lord Zeus!
Narrator 2: The lord of the dead cursed up a tempest internally.
Narrator 4: Not giving any sign of the raging storm inside, Lord Hades inclined his head.
Hades: What message does my brother send?
Hermes: Lord Zeus requests thee return Persephone to the mortal realm. If thou does not, then Lady Demeter shall not allow any harvest to come to the earth. Humanity will starve.
Persephone: Ha! I told thee! I told thee! I told thee thou would regret taking me from my mother!
Hades: That will not be possible.
Hermes: May I ask why?
Narrator 1: Hades smirked and nodded to the red stain of pomegranate juice on Persephone's hands.
Hades: Because dear Persephone has taken a meal in the Underworld. Thou know the Law, Hermes. If the food of my table is eaten, then whoever has eaten must remain in my care.
Narrator 3: Horror was clear across the face of Persephone.
Persephone: What?
Narrator 2: The young goddess said hopelessly.
Narrator 4: Hades stood and stared challengingly down his nose at the messenger of the gods.
Hades: Tell Lord Zeus of what I have said. When, or rather if, he finds a way to circumvent the Law, come back.
Narrator 1: With all haste, Hermes flew to the throne room atop Mount Olympus.
Hermes: My lord Father Zeus! I come bearing news!
Zeus: Speak it then!
Hermes: Unfortunately, Persephone has taken a meal with Lord Hades.
Zeus: Blast! Now she can never return.
Hermes: My lord, if I may offer my expertise in… circumventing laws?
Narrator 3: Zeus nodded.
Hermes: Before I tell you, my Lord might to be so kind as to call all those involved to this room?
Zeus: Of course.
Narrator 2: And so the lord did. In an instant, Lord Hades, Lady Demeter and Lady Persephone joined them in the throne room.
Demeter: Persephone!
Persephone: Mother!
Narrator 4: The two goddesses embraced. The touching moment was interrupted by Hades' snapping.
Hades: What do you want, brother?
Narrator 1: The king of the gods ignored the disrespectful treatment of his older brother, in favor of questioning to Hermes.
Zeus: How do you propose to fix this problem?
Narrator 3: Hermes turned to face Lord Hades and asked.
Hermes: My lord, how many seeds did Lady Persephone eat out of how many the fruit originally housed?
Hades: Why do you want to know that?
Hermes: Because that will be how many months the lady shall remain there out of the year.
Demeter: My child! In the underworld! I think not!
Hades: It does not matter what you think. Persephone ate the fruit of the underworld, she is bound.
Narrator 2: Demeter turned red with outrage.
Demeter: Why you-
Zeus: Brother, enough! Sister, please be silent. Persephone, answer the question.
Persephone: Four, I ate four of twelve seeds!
Narrator 4: Hermes nodded.
Hermes: Then she shall remain in the Underworld for four months out of the twelve month year. Will that be satisfactory to you, my lord?
Narrator 1: Hades mulled the offer over. It would give him a chance to win over Persephone's favor and save him from all the paperwork required to grant the new souls transition to the underworld if Demeter followed through with her threat of a temper tantrum.
Hades: Very well. I shall acquiesce to your request.
Narrator 3: Even though she was released from the cold grip of the Underworld, Persephone lamented the price of her freedom to her mother in private.
Persephone: Oh, Mother, I wish never to return to that dark place.
Narrator 2: She sobbed.
Narrator 4: Demeter comforted her daughter.
Demeter: I do not wish you to, but you have tasted the fruit of the dead, and you must go back again beneath the secret places of the earth, there to dwell a third part of the seasons every year. Yet for the two parts you shall be with me and the other deathless gods.
Narrator 1: And so, to this day, every year Persephone will leave her mother's side to great Lord Hades on his throne. But be wary, oh, mortals, for when fair Lady Persephone begins her journey, Winter is Coming.