A time for everything under Heaven and Hell
When I was in graduate school, my favorite professor remarked that even though Persephone was abducted and deceived by Hades, she became the queen of the underworld. It reminded me of Satan’s declaration in Paradise Lost, “Better to rule in Hell than serve in Heaven.” The difference is that Satan had a choice and Persephone did not.
In the realm of the gods things are not always as they are in the realm of man. Still the gods and goddesses often behave as if they are human, holding within themselves and expressing the best and worst of our constitution. They are glorious and they are vain; they often wield their power with brutality because of perceived slights, petty jealousies, and unrestrained contempt. They break the law when it suits them and use it to the letter when it is to their advantage. The are both strange and familiar and teach us much that we must be and do. But there is no perfection to attain.
If we look at our stories contained in our histories, our memories, our experiences, we find that we, too, have been mean and cruel, kind and compassionate, petty and vain. Our lives are woven with the many fibers of our grief and guilt, our loss and despair, our misery and self pity. But the threads of happiness, hope, love, and courage are also in abundance. The confessions of Persephone is my look into my own dark and bright heart.