ting Persephone see her mother. He speeds down to the Underworld and tells Hades of the situation. Hades lets Persephone go, [B]ut he on his part secretly gave her sweet pomegranate seed to eat, taking care for himself that she might not remain continually with grave, dark-robed Demeter. Hermes brings Persephone back up by chariot, straight away to Demeter. They embrace, and Demeter asks her daughter if she ate anything while in the Underworld. Persephone tells her, that against her will, she was given a pomegranate seed. Because of this, for one-third of the year Persephone must stay in the Underworld, but the other two-thirds with all the other immortals. This myth was used to explain the seasons, for when Persephone is in the Underworld, Demeter refuses to let the crops grow, and the soil is barren (winter). This is the most concrete example of what kind of a goddess Demeter was. Aphrodite had little or no contact with her children. . .[Demeter] presented an image of a selfless and devoted mother (Blundell 1998). Demeter, also, had secret rites performed for her. These were known as the Eleusian Mysteries, and were held in the town of the same name. The ceremonies were held twice every five years, in September and in March. Initiation was open to all; they were sworn to secrecy. Initiates were purified in the sea, then proceeded from Athens to Eleusis. This all took place over a period of nine days, after which the initiates went back to their very ordinary lives....
