my father Zeus orders me now to take away

from Erebus the royal Persephone, back

to the world, so that Demeter, when she sees

with her own eyes her daughter returning

may relent, and give up her implacable grudge

against the gods – for what she now intends

is terrible, to wipe from the face of the earth

the whole defenceless species of mortal men

by keeping crops under the ground, and then starving

heaven of its offerings. In her rage, Demeter

will have nothing to do with the gods, and she sits

closed in her own temple, apart, holding sway

there over the rocky citadel of Eleusis.’

Hades listened, with just the hint of a smile

on his face, but did not disobey the express

order of Zeus the king, and he spoke at once:

‘Go, Persephone, go back now to your mother,

go in good spirits, and full of happiness,

but don’t feel too much anger or resentment.

You know, I won’t be the worst of all the gods

to have for a husband, brother to your father Zeus;

and here you could be the mistress of everything

that lives and moves, have the finest of honours

among the gods, while for all those failing to pay

their dues by keeping you happy with sacrifice,

proper respect and generous gifts, there will be

nothing in store but punishment forever.’

Persephone jumped straight up, full of excitement,

when she heard what he said; but Hades, looking

around him, and then back over his shoulder,

gave her the tiny, sweet seed of a pomegranate

for something to eat, so that she would not stay

up there forever with the goddess Demeter.

Then Hades got ready his gold-covered chariot,

hitching up his own horses, and in stepped

Persephone, with the strong god Hermes beside her,

who took the reins and the whip in his hands

as both of the horses shot forward obediently

out and away, making good speed on their journey,

untroubled by the sea, or by flowing rivers,

or grassy glens, or freezing mountain tops:

they sliced thin air beneath them as they flew.

When they came to a stop, it was in front of the temple

where Demeter kept vigil; and, at the sight of them,

she ran forward wildly like someone possessed.

At the sight of her mother, Persephone leapt out

and into her arms, and hugged her, and she wept,

and the two of them, speechless, clung hard

to each other, until suddenly Demeter

sensed something wrong, and broke the embrace,

‘My darling,’ she said, ‘I hope that down there

you didn’t eat anything when he took you away?

Tell me, and tell me now: for, if you didn’t,

you can stay with me forever, and with the gods,

and Zeus, your father; but, if you did eat

anything at all, then you’ll have to go back

underground for the third part of every year,