Proserpina, Goddess of the Underworld
Persephone's Italian counterpart
In ancient mythology, a tale of two goddesses unfolds—or perhaps it's the tale of one goddess seen through two different lenses: Persephone, daughter of Zeus and Demeter and wife to Hades in Greek mythology, and her Roman counterpart, Proserpina (sometimes seen as Proserpine), child of Jupiter and Ceres, and wife to Pluto.
My upcoming novel, In The Garden of Monsters, is set in Bomarzo, Italy, so I used the Latin names for my gods. If you visit Italy, you’ll notice these names on statues and paintings instead of the more familiar Greek names.
Many tourists may first encounter the name Proserpina when they visit Rome and see Bernini’s magnificent statue (depicted in the main image of this post), one of the most incredible pieces of marble art in the world. It’s found in the Galleria Borghese, one of my favorite museums. I’ve seen this statue well over a dozen times, and every single time, it’s just as breathtaking as the last. The hands on her thigh, the tears on her face. It’s hard to believe that this is a piece of stone.
There are countless Proserpina paintings, so many that I think I’ll do another post at some point about my favorites. The goddess has also inspired musicians as well. I created a soundtrack that I listened to a lot when I was writing the novel, and you’ll see at least a dozen Persephone songs on it, including some of my longstanding favorites from Dead Can Dance, Cocteau Twins, and Yumi Zouma. This is a great moody soundtrack for fall.
But this haunting Martha Wainwright song is my favorite about Proserpina.
Whether you call her Persephone or Proserpina, this goddess reminds us that even in the darkest depths of winter, spring will always return.
Congratulations to Kim Lewandowski for winning Jennifer Saint’s Hera! Stay tuned (and make sure you are subscribed) for more giveaways in the future.
WHAT’S BRINGING ME JOY
😹😹😹😹😹
I never liked these colors back then! And my mom had that crockpot and all that same Tupperware. My dad put a lime green carpet in my childhood bedroom when he built the house and it was just as awful as the orange living room carpet, IMHO. So maybe not joy, but some laughter and nostalgia looking back at how weird it was.
More nostalgia. This commercial was on TV ALL the time. I never would have worn Jordache…it was too preppy for my new wave sensibilities.
I didn’t know I wanted this, but I do.
If you love food and love Italy, and haven’t read THE CHEF’S SECRET or FEAST OF SORROW, click the links to learn where to buy your copy! 🍒🍗🍷 And now you can pre-order IN THE GARDEN OF MONSTERS!
You can also follow me in these places too: Website | Instagram | Facebook | Threads
I listen to that Allison Russell song at least once a week 💗
I totally remember that Jordache commercial!! I spent the early eighties begging my mom for "tight" jeans. (I was in elemntary school at the time, so she wasn't keen to grant that request. I was allowed corduroy OshKosh overalls instead.)