The Fruit of H.Y. Labour

I was recently introduced to the pomegranate. I have not had the pleasure of tasting the pomegranate, having only seen the picture but it is a curious looking fruit with pearly seeds that remind me of salmon roe but of a dark purple colour.

The pomegranate has a part in a story in Greek mythology and it so happens that the woman with whom I am friendly and who introduced me to the fruit, also shares an interest in Greek mythology.

Persophone, daughter of Demeter – goddess of the Harvest – was taken by the brother of Zeus, Hades – lord of the Underworld – for his wife. Hades was a lonely god, surrounded by dead things, bones decayed, offal in flesh, writhing maggots and the like.  It was hard and solitary work ruling the dead, passing judgements and keeping the peace amongst millenia of enemies gathered together in one place. 

Unlike the Christian mythology with its binary opposition of Heaven and Hell, the Underworld was where everybody ended up when they’re buried.  Hades’ work was necessary and the cthonic deity was equivalent but not quite opposite to the world of Olympus.  True, the Underworld was less aesthetically pleasing and the smells were less than perfume but nonetheless, Hades was Zeus’ brother and deserved some form of respect.

Hades did manage to entertain distinguished guests who had passed over the river to his domain.  Aristophanes wrote a play called The Frogs that details Dionysus’ journey to Hades’ palace to bring back a tragedian for Athens as there were no more great dramatists left since Euripedes died.  Hades reserved a seat at his dinner table for his most honoured poet.  But the succulent touch of flesh that is so nice, was missing from his life.  He needed a woman and the voluptuous  daughter of the ever-fertile goddess Demeter naturally caught his eye.

 Demeter was heart-stricken at this effrontery by Hades and withdrew herself from the Earth. The crops died and the earth became drought-stricken. All the green grass turned to dust and the fruits of the trees died and shrivelled up, barren and infertile.

And the earth died screaming,
while I lay dreaming,
dreaming of you.                            Tom Waits

Zeus could not let the Earth die. He demanded of his brother that he return Demeter’s daughter back to her.

Now Hades had played a trick on Persephone as he did not want to give up his beloved woman. The Fates had long ago decreed that anyone partaking of the food of Hades should never be allowed to leave. Hades fed Persephone a handful of pomegrante seeds – those delicious-looking, dark purple seeds like salmon roe.

Not even Zeus could overturn what the Fates had decreed. A compromise was reached. For part of the year Persephone would be allowed to spend her time upon the surface of the Earth with her mother and for the remainder of the time (roughly one month for every pomegranate seed she ate which – like the seasons – is not set in stone),  she was to dwell in the Underworld with Hades.

The veracity of this myth was born out for the Greeks by the change in the seasons.  In the autumn and winter months, Persephone would dwell in the Underworld as Hades’ bride but in springtime, the leaves would return to the trees and planting could begin again as Demeter returned home to the Earth to meet her daughter ascending from the cthonic.  It was a cause for celebration, planting seeds and making love, dancing and singing, drinking and eating the fruits of the Earth as part of the orgiastic spring festivals.