The Myth of Persephone is an enduring rite of passage story involving the cycle of seasons. This dramatic story interweaves love, pain, and death toward awakening and eventual cosmic rebirth. Persephone is the Greek version and Proserpina is the Roman version. While the core narrative of the mythology behind them remains similar, there are some subtle differences between the two goddesses that become more apparent when we delve deeper into the astrology behind the asteroids.
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Goddess Persephone and Proserpina
The Queen of the Underworld has two asteroids. The first was the Roman Prosephone (asteroid 26) discovered in 1853, followed by the Greek Persephone (asteroid 399) discovered in 1895. Because these names were already taken, Eris could not be named Persephone when she was discovered in 2005, even though that name was the most popular.
In ancient Greece, Persephone was an integral figure in the Eleusinian Mysteries, a religious cult in which initiates developed a connection with the spiritual realm. The resulting ability to foresee the future is considered a powerful and desirable trait. The Greeks revered Demeter as the goddess of agriculture and fertility, while her daughter Persephone was associated with the changing seasons and the cycle of life, death and rebirth.
The Roman adaptation, while remaining cyclical, introduced elements of fertility and abundance associated with Proserpina’s return. The Romans, who were pragmatic and focused on earthly matters, emphasized the goddess’s role in ensuring that crops prospered and the land was fertile.
Now, let’s explore the Greek and Roman versions of the Persephone myth to find out the differences. Persephone, also known as Kore in modern English, was the daughter of Zeus and Demeter and considered the goddess of plants. In Greek art, she was often depicted holding a sheaf of grain, similar to the constellation Virgo. This symbolism could easily be part of Ceres’ attributes.
Greek mythology
In Greek mythology, Persephone was kidnapped by Hades while picking flowers, and a large crack opened in the ground, pulling her into the underworld. Demeter held the earth as ransom, mourned her kidnapped daughter, and caused a severe drought. Zeus relented and allowed Persephone to spend half the year with her mother.
In an interesting twist to the story, Demeter later gave birth to another child (by another god) named Plutus – the Roman version of Pluto. Ploutos, meaning wealth, represents the wealth of corn stored in the ground. Plutus is fused with Hades, symbolizing the dead, dung, and manure containing the seeds of Kore. Kore merged with Persephone, Queen of the Underworld, and ascended to Earth as a new plant to reunite with her mother Demeter.
This complex family dynamic involves mutual reproduction and interchange, emphasizing the cyclical nature of life and the interconnectedness of everything. It depicts the rite of transition from innocence/virginity to womanhood/wisdom and presents alternate versions of the March goddesses: Persephone as maiden, Ceres as mother, and Eris as matriarch/witch.
generalize
The asteroid Persephone represents the innocent girl before losing her virginity, while the asteroid Proserpina depicts the goddess as a mature woman. This fits with the story of Lilith, Persephone as Eve before biting the apple, and Proserpina as Eve after biting the apple. The snake symbolism associated with Proserpina may mean the release of Kundalini, bringing about sexual enlightenment and the wisdom of Lilith. Astrologically speaking, Roman goddesses are upgraded versions of Greek goddesses. Both versions were influenced by time and circumstances, and both emphasized ritual, psychological development, and the cyclical nature of life. The Greek version leans toward innocence and femininity, associated with the Mystery of Eros, while the Roman version depicts a more street-level and sophisticated perspective, emphasizing agricultural aspects and the impact of scarcity on personal growth.
How to Find Persephone and Proserpina in the Astrology Chart
1. Create your chart here.
2. Click “Additional items”
3. Click P in the asteroid number/name list