There are many stories told of the great gods of Olympus, but none is as well known as the story of Persephone. Her tale is one of woe and new beginnings but have you ever stopped to wonder how her mother suffered? Demeter is the goddess of the harvest, earth, of agriculture, and of fertility. Although she loved her child and was thankful for her company, how she came to be in this world was not a happy memory.

Zeus ruler of the gods was known for his sexual prowess, sleeping with any gods or mortals he sought out. Hera, his wife and sister, was a jealous type of goddess often punishing Zeus' betrayals by denying him her body in bed. Craving relief, Zeus sought out his two other sisters Demeter and Hestia for assistance. Lucky for Hestia when he looked upon her he felt guilty at the thought of ruining such a young and fair virgin. Zeus then decided he would call upon Demeter. She was not an easy conquest, as his charms did not fool her and she avoided him fervently.

Seeing this Zeus then thought of a way he would trick his sister into sleeping with him. On one of her trips down to earth to collect her seasonal offerings he disguised himself as an apple. Demeter was so taken by such a lovely looking fruit she picked it up. She then admired its bright color of red and took in its sweet fragrance. When she could no longer stand to simply admire it she pressed her plump lips to it and took a bite. At least she would have if Zeus hadn't returned to his form and taken hold of his bewildered sister.

"What trickery is this?" she yelled seeing her brother take her hand where once there stood an apple.

"No trickery dear sister I only mean to love you as any man would love a beautiful women", he said pulling Demeter to him so she would not be able to flee. Zeus then leaned down and placed a passionate kiss upon his sisters' lips.

Demeter would not fall prey so easily to her brothers' whim. She swiftly took up her hand and slapped him hard across the face. "How dare you kiss me! I am not some foolish maiden that will bend to your will. Leave me be bother and release me at once!" She yelled up at the powerful and now angered Zeus.

Enraged by Demeter's rejection Zeus continued his assault upon the weaker goddess. He drew up his massive hand and balled it into a fist bringing it down with full force upon his sister's fragile frame. "You will be mine for I desire relief and your body is ripe! You will receive me even if it must be by force." He yelled to her as he threw her to the ground and began to tear at the soft fabric of her dress.

Demeter cried out as she felt the blow of Zeus' fist strike her down. She would have hit the ground were it not for his grasp upon her hand. "Please I beg you leave me be! Stop this now! Zeus please!" she whimpered but it was all for nothing as her words fell to def ears.

Once he had torn her dress to pieces and disrobed himself, Zeus straddled Demeter and pinned her down with a single hand. She struggled and thrashed against him fruitlessly begging all the while for him to stop. "Stop! Think of Hera…you'll break her heart", she pleaded. "You're hurting me! … Don't!"

He smiled and grew ever more excited by her cries. He had planed to be gentle but seeing as his dear sister wouldn't allow it he would take her as roughly as he pleased. So it went on for hours, he took her body in every manner possible without mercy. Though she knew it was useless she fought him all the while making his rage all the more fearsome.

All the while high on mount Olympus Hera stood watch over the gruesome scene. She too had once suffered beneath Zeus and reluctantly became his bride to erase her shame. Although she shared in Demeter's pain she couldn't help but feel jealousy over Zeus' desire for their sister. She grew angry towards her innocent sister, placing the blame on her. She couldn't bear to watch any further but still she couldn't forgive either for the situation. Demeter had been foolish and weak in Hera's eyes. To her Zeus couldn't be to blame for she deprived him of her lust.

When it was finally over Zeus stood and looked down at his now broken sister. "Worry not Demeter I am very pleased with your performance and as so I have left you a gift. You shall bare me a child," he said with a hearty smile.

Demeter turned away from Zeus and said nothing. She couldn't think and at the mention of a child she could only weep. She clung to her tattered dress and disappeared into the wind. Once on Olympus she gathered herself and decided to leave Olympus. She no longer desired to live near her brother not after his actions against her. At that moment Hera stood before her angered. She pulled her by the hair without so much as a warning and pulled her to the ground.

"How dare you seduce my husband you ungrateful whore!" she said still not loosening her grip on Demeter. "I never want to see you in our home again! Do you hear me? I banish you from ever returning to Olympus! If you or your bastard child ever set foot upon this mountain I will end you both" she said releasing her sister's hair.

Demeter held back tears as she stood and faced Hera. "If you truly know what has happened then you know I did not ask to bare this shame! I fought him all I could but you know just as I that what our brother wants he gets. But I will be happy to leave. The further away I get from this horrid family the safer my child will be!" she said as she disappeared once more to find a safe place in the world.