𝑶 ' 𝖘 𝖕 𝖗 𝖎 𝖓 𝖌 !

𝚂𝙷𝙴 : 𝚆𝙷𝙾 𝙱𝙻𝙾𝙾𝙼𝚂 𝙸𝙽 𝚂𝙷𝙰𝙳𝙴 🥀 🥀 🥀

[persefoneia]

 𝟶𝟶𝟷 .        𝚎𝚙𝚒𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚝𝚜   +   𝚙𝚎𝚛𝚜𝚎𝚙𝚑𝚘𝚗𝚎

so i’ve always felt like if you want to REALLY know the gods — you should study their epithets , not their myths. i’ve separated the following epithets into 2 categories : persephone as a goddess of agriculture / vegetation / spring , and persephone as queen of the underworld

hagne (pure / holy one) , persephone melotidotes (persephone, sweet as honey) ,  euphenges (bright one) , aristi cthonia (the best chthonic , feminine), soteira (savior), karpophoros (bringer of fruit), deione (daughter of demeter), daeira (knowing one), the great goddess , the blooming , the maiden , and more

when referring to her in her role as harvest goddess / spring goddess , she is often referred to alongside with demeter , and they often share epithets. when the greek myths were christianized , these were the epithets that stuck with her - the image of a kind , virgin goddess - but they aren’t the ONLY depictions of her and imo ... they were the LEAST common , in ancient greece. when looking at the majority of her epithets , you find that they refer directly to her role as queen of the underworld -

brimo (the angry / the terrifying), epaine (the fearful), praxidike (bringer of justice), nyktipólos (who roams by night), pandokráteira (the almighty), the dread queen, awful persephone, dreaded empress , and more

fun fact - did you know that it was considered taboo to speak hades’ name in public ? as a god who ruled over death / a chthonic , you didn’t really want to attract his attention. and welllllll ..... THE SAME GOES FOR PERSEPHONE! not only was it generally taboo to speak her name , but the people of greece actively avoided it due to FEAR , and not simply respect (as it is with hades).

it is said that persephone took her role as queen of the underworld EXTREMELY seriously. she was known as the harsher one of the two , the crueler one who enjoyed CARRYING OUT (not just sentencing) punishments , while you see hades with epithets like “ the fair / just one “ “ the host “ “ the receiver “

furthermore - when you read into myths where people descend into the underworld , you should make note of the fact that it was mainly HER that they spoke to , and SHE often took the foreground in art depicting the two of them. - i don’t point this out to minimize hades’ importance , but if you look at art depicting the two of them now , HADES tends to be the main focus. fact is , it wasn’t always like that lol

see vase here - hades , sitting and facing away from the viewer. persephone , standing slightly more in the foreground and facing forward

ok now a couple notes about specific epithets mentioned above -

epaine (the fearful) - i feel like this should be more accurately translated to “ the feared “ - as it was meant to indicate the people of greece’s fear of her

persephone melotidotes (persephone, sweet as honey) - this was often used while referring to her queen of the underworld side , but wanting to appease her. basically , think of it like you’re trying to flatter a terrifying being lol

daeira (knowing one) - i’m sure that by now we all know hades and persephone ruled the underworld as equals but fun fact! in plato’s cratylus , socrates mentions that hades consorts with persephone due to her wisdom - which IS notable , since women weren’t often consulted on how to rule

nyktipólos (who roams by night) - the concept of “ night “ within greek mythology and the greek world wasn’t only ... night ... it often symbolized the unknown / the path less taken / the mystical / the hidden parts of yourself - by referring to persephone as someone who roams by night , they are referring to the fact that she is very much intertwined with “ the shadow , “ with hidden desires , etc

anyways this is long enough and honestly doesn’t really have a point besides education but TLDR ; epithets often speak VOLUMES MORE than any version of a myth. myths were passed down orally , varied based on region and even the person who was recounting the myth , but epithets were written down. they were widely known , used in complex rituals , carved into temple walls , and are what i personally find to be the most telling aspects when learning about any god or goddess

tysm bye

[persefoneia]

Ἁιδης

HE,   DREADED  LORD  OF  THE  DEAD,  KNOWS  ONLY  THE  UNDERGROUND.   a  black  and  blossomless  place,  devoid  of  summer’s  vibrance  and  warmth.  even  the  torch  flames  burned  in  the  blue,  dying  shades  of  starlight,  faintly  lighting  the  meandering,  dark-iron  halls  of  basalt  and  bone.    

he  knows  nothing  of  the  bountiful  flowery  meadows  from  whence  came  this  rose-blushed  maiden  of  hair  rich  as  the  first  saps  of  dawn. nor  how  she  managed  to  enter  his  forbidden  realm  so  effortlessly,  but  in  due  time  he  followed  the  eldritch  whispers  of  these  ancient  walls,  guiding  him  straight  to  her,   the  intruder  –  –  whom  he  now  eyed  from  obscured  luminosity,  the  clench  of  his  jaw  sharp  and  discerning.

❛❛    could  not  help  yourself  ?   ❜❜   a  curious  defense.  one  that  nearly  coaxed  a  rare  and  ironic  smile.    ❛❛    am  i  to  believe  then  that  you  had  little  autonomy  in  venturing  this  far  into  the  realm  of  the  dead  ?  or  that  you  knew  nothing  of  its  laws  against  living  trespassers  ?  ❜❜  he  spoke  low  and  calm  as  an  evening  wind,  but  stood  before  her  an  unyielding  pillar  of  stone.  

he  found  it  was  best  to  make  no  show  of  his  anger  nor  sympathy ; to  remain  unreadable,  unpredictable,  impliable  –  if  only  to  unsettle  the  girl and  make  her  think  twice  about  her  brazen  decision.   ❛❛  my  forgiveness  is  not  so  easily  swayed,  my  lady.   you’d  do  better  to  turn  back  now  before  i  settle  on  a  judgment.  ❜❜

MAIDEN  GODDESS  WATCHES ,      AS  THE  UNDERWORLD  ITSELF  SEEMS  TO  HOLD  ITS  BREATH  WITH  THE  ARRIVAL  OF  ITS  KING    ,             as a cool smoke pools around his feet.          the  unseen  one ,        standing before her now ,       un - yielding and ancient.        the  very  sight  of  him  should  send  shivers  down  her  spine.        instead      :      she swallows ,      hard ,      and presses the soles of bare feet firmly ,       stubbornly ,        into hardened earth    —————    as though she believed that she might command him to allow this intrusion ,      with the strength of her will - power alone.          ❛   yes ,       if it should help my case.   ❜

there  is  a  hidden  beauty  within  this  place  that  she  cannot  deny.        in the glistening rock ,      flecked with gold.        the shimmering depths of the river lethe ,        whose naiads encourage the shades to drink from its waters     —————    and yet      :      for all of its beauty   . . .   there is an      emptiness      that she cannot place.       a sense of longing ,      of loneliness.

❛   and what would sway your forgiveness ,     then  ?   ❜      she muses ,    twirling a loose curl around her finger ,      stepping carefully around the god of the dead ,       continuing down the torch - lit path ,      stopping only once so that she might glance back in his direction ,      before disappearing around a corner.

❛   you should know ,     i meant no harm in coming here.   ❜        she pauses now ,       brows furrowing together ,      lips pursed ,      and turns back to face him.        ❛   i was picking flowers in a meadow ,        AND  HEARD  THE  CRIES  OF  THE DEAD ,      FROM   A  CHASM.      i   —————   ❜       a moment’s hesitation ,       before she speaks once more.       ❛   there was something within me that could not ignore them ,         so i followed them here.   ❜

[persefoneia]

    ‘   don’t  you  wanna  call  it  off ?   ’

OBSIDIAN  FLOORS  TREMBLE  AT  THEIR  FEET ,         BLUE  FLAME  CASTING  THE  SHADOW  OF  A  MONSTROUS  BEAST  AGAINST  STONE  WALLS.                    a wicked grin tugs against the edges of red - stained lips ,      gaze trained firmly upon    he    who trespassed so willingly within her realm.          ❛   no ,   ❜          she muses ,        rising from her seat atop a throne of vine and bone     ———     slowly ,      languidly.         the  sight  of  the  beast ,      with  it’s  three  heads  snarling ,    baring  sharpened  fangs ,       pleases  her.        ❛   it is his duty ,      to protect this realm   . . .   and   you   are a stranger to him.   ❜ 

a  single  word ,        spoken  in  an  ancient  language ,    recalls  the  beast  to  her  side.             @holyfiends​ 

❛   the moirai have whispered to me of you   ———   to what do i owe the pleasure of your company  ?   ❜

[persefoneia]

-

[puckrph]

FLORENCE + T HE MACHINE’S ‘ DANCE FEVER ‘ SENTENCE STARTERS

taken from the 2022 album. feel free to change pronouns, etc.

KING

‘ we’re always arguing about whether to have children, about the world ending, and the scale of my ambition, and how much is art really worth? ’ ‘ how much is art really worth? ’ ‘ the very thing you’re best at is the thing that hurts the most. ’ ‘ you need your rotten heart. your dazzling pain, like diamond rings. ’ ‘ i need to go to war to find material to sing. ’ ‘ i am no mother. i am no bride; i am king. ’ ‘ i need my golden crown of sorrow, my bloody sword to swing, my empty halls to echo with grand self-mythology. ’ ‘ a woman is a changeling, always shifting shape. ’ ‘ just when you think you have it figured out, something new begins to take. ’ ‘ i never knew my killer would be coming from within. ’ ‘ i was never as good as i always thought i was, but i knew how to dress it up. ’ ‘ i was never satisfied. ’ ‘ it never let me go, just dragged me by my hair. ’

FREE

‘ sometimes, i wonder if i should be medicated. if i would feel better just lightly sedated. ’ ‘ i can’t control it. ’ ‘ i’m on fire, but i’m trying not to show it. ’ ‘ i’m always running from something. ’ ‘ i push it back, but it keeps on coming. ’ ‘ being clever never got me very far. ’ ‘ it’s all in my head. ’ ‘ you’re too sensitive. ’ ‘ “you’re too sensitive,” they said. ’ ‘ okay, but let’s discuss this at the hospital. ’ ‘ for a moment, when i’m dancing, i am free. ’ ‘ is this how it is? is this how it’s always been? ’ ‘ is this how it’s always been? to exist in the face of suffering and death, and somehow still keep singing? ’ ‘ don’t you wanna call it off? ’ ‘ there’s nothing else that i know how to do but to open up my arms and give it all to you. ’

CHOREOMANIA

‘ i’m freaking out in the middle of the street. ’ ‘ i don’t know how it started. i don’t know how to stop it. ’ ‘ something’s coming. ’ ‘ i danced myself to death. ’ ‘ this is the end. ’ ‘ do they speak to you? cause they speak to me, too. ’ ‘ you said that rock and roll is dead. but is that just because it has not been resurrected in your image? ’

BACK IN TOWN

‘ i’ve never really been alive before. i always lived in my head. ’ ‘ sometimes it was easier to be hungover and half-dead. ’ ‘ i’m back in town. why don’t we go out? ’ ‘ why don’t we go to that ninth street diner? ’ ‘ why don’t we go out to that ninth street diner and carry on slowly, torturing each other? ’ ‘ i came for the pleasure, but i stayed for the pain. ’ ‘ if you get spat on, that’s just your big city baptism. ’ ‘ why don’t we go out and never go to sleep? ’ ‘ we’ll throw our dreams out, let them pile up on the streets. ’ ‘ i thought that i was here with you, but it was always just an empty room. ’

GIRLS AGAINST GOD

‘ when someone looks at me with real love, i don’t like it very much. it makes me feel like i’m being crushed. ’ ‘ is this something that you would like to discuss? ’ ‘ it’s good to be alive. ’ ‘ it’s good to be alive, crying into cereal at midnight. ’ ‘ if they ever let me out, i’m gonna really let it out. ’ ‘ oh god, you’re gonna get it. ’ ‘ you’ll be sorry that you messed with this. ’ ‘ remember being in that basement? ’ ‘ everyone treated us like little pets. ’ ‘ tell me it’s not over yet. ’ ‘ in my darkest fantasies, i am the picture of passivity. ’ ‘ i’m suppressing all my private rage. ’ ‘ when i decided to wage holy war, it looked very much like staring at my bedroom floor. ’ ‘ i may not look like much… ’ ‘ i met the devil, you know. he gave me a choice: a golden heart, or a golden voice. ’

DREAM GIRL EVIL

‘ did you miss me? ’ ‘ did you walk on water just to kiss me? ’ ‘ come and get me. ’ ‘ drag me out, destroy me. ’ ‘ i’ve been expecting you. ’ ‘ i’m ready. ’ ‘ deliver me the bad news. ’ ‘ am i your dream girl? ’ ‘ do you think of me in bed? ’ ‘ you could never hold me. ’ ‘ make me evil, then i’m an angel instead. ’ ‘ at least you’ll sanctify me when i’m dead. ’ ‘ did i disappoint you? ’ ‘ do i just remind you of every girl that made you mad? ’ ‘ make me perfect, make me your fantasy. you know i deserve it, so take it out on me. ’ ‘ i am nobody’s moral center. ’

PRAYER FACTORY

‘ all the things that i ran from, i now bring as close to me as i can. ’ ‘ why don’t you give me a call? ’ ‘ yes, i’ll take it all. ’ ‘ all this work has gone to waste. ’ ‘ you made me climb, and then you shut the gate. ’

CASSANDRA

‘ i used to see the future, and now i see nothing. ’ ‘ they cut out my eyes and sent me home packing. ’ ‘ i pace around the kitchen for scraps of inspiration. ’ ‘ i used to tell the future, but they cut out my tongue and left me doing laundry to think on what i’d done. ’ ‘ i used to move into the future and bring it all back. ’ ‘ they put crosses on the doors to try and keep me out. ’ ‘ can you see me? ’ ‘ everything i thought i knew has fallen  out of view. ’ ‘ can you hear me? ’ ‘ there’s no one left to sing to. ’ ‘ all the gods have been domesticated, and heaven is now overrated. ’ ‘ you can take your complaints straight to the lord. ’ ‘ i try to still look with wonder on the world as the roses bloom, though the riot van is still plainly in view. ’ ‘ take me back. ’ ‘ if i run fast enough, could i break apart as empires crumble and cathedrals flatten in my heart? ’

HEAVEN IS HERE

‘ bring your cigarette. ’ ‘ heaven is here, if you want it. ’ ‘ heaven is here. ’ ‘ bring your boy. ’ ‘ bring your bottle. ’ ‘ i went to the water, drank every drop. ’ ‘ i’ll turn your sea into a desert. ’ ‘ yes, i’m your girl. ’ ‘ if it glitters, i’m going. ’ ‘ time stretches, endless. ’ ‘ you know i always get my man. ’

DAFFODIL

‘ i couldn’t help it. ’ ‘ i let it get in: the helpless optimism of spring. ’ ‘ the world’s bent double from weeping, and yet the birds begin to sing. ’ ‘ i’m not bad. i’m not good. ’ ‘ i made myself mythical, and tried to be real. ’ ‘ we practice resurrection every night, raising the dead under the moonlight. ’ ‘ you’re a perfect pearl hung in the sky. ’ ‘ there is no bad, there is no good. ’ ‘ kiss my face and tell me that i’m the chosen one. ’ ‘ a generation soaked in grief, and now we’re drying out and hanging on by the skin of our teeth. ’ ‘ i never thought that it would get this far. ’ ‘ sometimes, i see so much beauty, i don’t think that i can cope. ’

MY LOVE

‘ i was always able to write my way out. ’ ‘ now i find that when i look down, every page is empty. ’ ‘ there is nothing to describe, except the moon still bright against the worrying sky. ’ ‘ tell me where to put my love. do i wait for time to do what it does? ’ ‘ i don’t know where to put my love. ’ ‘ when it came, it was stranger than i had ever imagined. ’ ‘ all my friends are getting ill. ’ ‘ my arms emptied, the skies emptied, the billboards emptied. ’

RESTRAINT

‘ have i learned restraint? ’ ‘ am i quiet enough for you yet? ’

THE BOMB

‘ you said this could have been the best thing that ever happened to you… so you decided not to do it. ’ ‘ you come back every summer like a carnivorous flower, and i stare at your hands in the heat, and i think they are the most beautiful thing i’ve ever seen. ’ ‘ if i was free to love you, you wouldn’t want me, would you? ’ ‘ unavailability is the only thing that turns you on. come here, baby, tell me that i’m wrong. ’ ‘ come here, baby. tell me that i’m wrong. ’ ‘ i’ve blown apart my life for you. ’ ‘ break me, shake me, devastate me. ’ ‘ i don’t love you. ’ ‘ i let it burn, but it just had to be done. ’ ‘ i’m in ruins, but is it what i wanted all along? ’

MORNING ELVIS

‘ they dressed me and they put me on a plane. ’ ‘ i pressed my forehead to the floor and prayed for a trapdoor. ’ ‘ i’ve been here many times before. ’ ‘ if i make it to the morning… ’ ‘ i should come with a warning. ’ ‘ if i make it to the stage, i’ll show you what it means to be saved. ’ ‘ i told the band to leave without me; i’ll get the next flight. ’ ‘ i’ll see you with elvis if i don’t survive the night. ’ ‘ after every tour, i swear i’ll quit. ’ ‘ the call, it always comes. ’ ‘ i’m still afraid. i’m still crazy. ’

[persefoneia]

MOON

ASH

[persefoneia]

𝑓𝑖𝑔.  𝟶𝟷.       (  s h e  )   . . .   at  the  banks  of  the  river  styx

[persefoneia]

hi it’s moon lol

carrd ( not yet complete so ask to see my old one if u need )