| Ceres and Proserpine | 
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| Ceres and Proserpine |
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Title: Greek name: Relations: English words: |
The Earth goddess Demeter Mother of Proserpine Breakfast cereal |
Title: Greek name: Relations: |
Goddess of the Underworld Persephone
Daughter of Ceres |
Ceres was the Earth goddess and goddess of corn. Her daughter was Proserpine.
Pluto fell in love with Proserpine, and carried her off to the Underworld. Ceres searched everywhere, but couldn't find her. Eventually Ceres refused to let the plants grow any more, and everyone begun to die of hunger. So Pluto admitted he had Proserpine, but said she could only go back home if she had eaten none of the food of the Dead. Proserpine had eaten almost nothing, as she was so sad at being kept underground, but she had eaten six seeds from a pomergranate. So she could go home for six months every year, but had to return to her husband for the rest of the time. Ceres stopped everything growing when this happened. This is Winter.