Blogging Assignment: Persephone

By: Amy Stello


As she sat before me, I could see the stubborn look in her eyes. My own gaze waxed darkly upon her face- perhaps it was the Underworld which had created the pall draped over my eyes. A grave injustice had been done in this instance and my tolerance had diminished after watching man and woman stumble in their self-created destruction to the realm of Hades and I.

"Do you know who I am?" I said in my soft, yet palpable voice. Those who first meet me think that I would always give mercy, but living the way I do and meeting those I meet creates a harder inner shell. Orual only looks at me with a face that was not used to being gazed upon. I almost soften my own gaze, since I had known and heard about the beauty of her sister Psyche. All I say is that I am Persephone: I give no real hint at my true power.

She begins on a long, convoluted explanation about the plight she, like everyone else, has created for herself. I only look like a maiden; these ones are truly children. My knowledge of the soul runs deep, but this Orual assumes she knows herself since she is herself. The Brute this, and the Brute that. I grow weary of her complaint and her shallow, self-justifying explanations. As I seemingly pay attention, a plan is hatched in my mind. It begins to take place as I innocently watch her jabbering away and I touch my hair gently. I hush Orual and set her at ease with my innocent tones. She immediately relaxes.

I have properly calmed her and now I will loosen her mood with drink and the merry tones of Apollo's songs. I empathize with her blind justification of the ruining of her sister by relating it to my own problematic beginnings with Hades. And now, I strike.

"Orual, I am told that my stories have a touch of healing. I have one which will go down like wine." She, of course, answers yes. "There was once a man who needed a wife who could love him, like all men need. He searched high and low, from the heaven down to Hades where he spoke to me. He waited year after year searching for this one woman who would be his forever. He would give her everything if only she would only accept that his hand would be hidden from her. This man who sacrificed his life to find her, found her! The joy was greater than the approval of all the gods. It was the picture of perfection. However, a dark spirit came upon his bride. This dark spirit haunted her day and night until the woman could not longer be satisfied with the insatiable longing the dark spirit created. This dark spirit was jealous of the good things from which he had been deprived. Finally the dark spirit chased the woman into her husband. She grabbed him and pulled out the hand to see the secret. The love was shattered. From this, the dark spirit had stolen the soul of the woman. The woman was destroyed and the dark spirit gained prominence from this wickedness. This dark spirit lives among us."

I frightened her. As a leader, she was wondering who this dark spirit could be. I had to finish my story.

"Orual, that dark spirit is you. You have destroyed beauty."

She opened her mouth to defend and nothing came out. One silent tear stained the already distorted face.

"I have a room for you in my realm," said I, "just ten days for you to ruminate upon your complaint. You will return to my comfort after those ten days and we will hear your complaint, if it still is a complaint."