Download The story of Perserpina and Pluto - Planet

• Most of what exists in Roman
Mythology exists in Greek Mythology.
Some of the major Roman gods are
Apollo, Ceres, Diana, Pluto, Juno,
Jupiter, Mars, Mercury, Minerva, and
Neptune.
• The ancient Romans used mythology as a
combination of religion and stories and fables.
These stories weren't necessarily regarded as
fact, but more as stories with messages to live
by. Many Roman myths are just Greek myths
changed over time.
• Proserpina was walking
through a field of
wildflowers, when she
stooped down to grab a
narcissus flower. Pluto
had been watching
Proserpina for some time
because he had been
admiring her growing
beauty, and he wanted to
make her his queen
because he was lonely in
the underworld.
• So as Proserpina was walking through the flower field Pluto
swooped up from the Underworld abducted her. Proserpina’s
mother, the goddess Ceres, heard her screams and began
searching for her.
•Ceres felt Zeus had betrayed their
daughter, so she showed her outrage
by withholding her blessing from the
earth until Proserpina was returned to
her. Droughts started to take place and
the earth was barren. Mankind was
facing a major famine.
• Jupiter finally had enough and sent Mercury, the messenger god to
bring Proserpina back to her mother. Proserpina was offered a
pomegranate by Pluto, and by eating in the underworld it meant she
wouldn’t be allowed to leave. She knew this, but she grew fond of
Hades and didn’t want to leave entirely so she ate 7 seeds of the fruit.
• Hermes managed to come to
an agreement between
Hades and Proserpina. The
agreement was that
Proserpina was to stay with
Pluto for four months out of
each year (winter) and
would return to the earth
and her mother the
remaining months.
Proserpina was soon happily
reunited with her mother.
• Every year Proserpina’s mother Ceres would grieve for the
temporary loss of her daughter, which brought cold and dry
winters. But once Proserpina was returned, Ceres was filled
with joy and happiness so flowers started to bloom and the sun
shone, marking spring. That’s how the changing seasons were
created.
What season did Proserpina have to stay in Hades?
Answer:
Winter
What flower did Proserpina pick up in the field?
Answer: Narcissus flower
What type of fruit did Hades offer Proserpina?
Answer: Pomegranate