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Tales from Ancient Greece1. PERSEPHONEHERMES The earth, and everything in it, is alive!

Itreallyis!Hearthewindinthetrees?I’mflyingoverthehotandrockylandofGreeceandeverytreebelowmehasitsownspirit,itsownnymph,who’sbornwiththetreeanddieswiththetree.Everypoolandriver,too,hasitsnymph,itsspecialspirit.Andeverywheretherearegods!Andguesswhat–I’moneofthem!I’mHermes,thegods’messenger,whichiswhyIcanfly-y-y-y!!!

Checkoutthewingsonmybootsandmyhat! AndIhavetoflyfast,becausetheykeepmebusy,thegods– becausetherearesomanyofthem!Forinstance,downthere:I’m

swoopingoutovertheseanowandthat’sthekingdomofthesea-godPoseidon.Andwhenyouseetheoceanstormandheave,thatmeansPoseidonisstirring.

POSEIDON IcancalmthewavesifIchooseorIcanwhipthemintoaship-wreckingfrenzy!

HERMES Poseidonispowerful,andheknowsit!

Butmostofthegodsliveonthismountainhere–MountOlympus-atthepalaceofthegods.Letmeintroduceyoutooneortwoofthem.Thebiggestofthemall,thefatherofallthegods,isZeus–

ZEUS Isendthelightningandthethunder!

HERMES Whatashow-off!Music!That’smyolderbrotherApollo.He’stheshininggodofthesunandthegodofmusic.Thatinstrumentheplays,abitliketheharpthatyouhaveinyourtime,wecallitalyre.

APOLLO Nomusicintheworldcompareswithmine!

HERMES I’llbehonest–modestheisnot.Oh,butlisten:there’sadifferentkindofmusic.Itellyouwhat.I’mflyingdownfromOlympusintothevalleybelow.There’sacrowdofpeopleoutsideatemple.It’sbuilttohonouranothergoddess:Demeter.Hereweare!Thepeopleout-sidethetemplehavedugadeeppitintheearth...andintoitthey’repouringgrain...

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PRIEST Demeter!Wegiveyougrain!

HERMES ...andacascadeofoliveoil.

PRIEST Demeter!Wegiveyouoil!

HERMES Andit’sallforMotherEarth–thegoddessDemeter.Thepeoplearegivingsomethingbacktoher,hopingshe’llgivethemanothercropnextyear.Producenewlifeinthespring.AndmyfirststoryisaboutDemeter–goddessoftheearthandofthecorn-andaboutherlovelydaughterPersephone.

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HERMES ThestoryofDemeter-goddessoftheearth-andherlovelydaugh-terPersephone,startsonaperfectsummer’smorning.YoungPerse-phoneissingingasshefillsherbasketwithflowers...

PERSEPHONE Ijustneedalily,andperhapssomethingelse.ThenI’lltaketheflow-ershometomymother.

HERMES Shemightsoundjustabittoosweet,butshe’sabouttogothroughabigordeal,sogiveherabreak.

PERSEPHONE Ah,there!Downbytheriver–awholebankoforchids!

HERMES Persephone’slovelymorning...

PERSEPHONE Whatever’sthatnoise?

HERMES ...isabouttotakeaturnfortheworse.Themountainbehindherisn’tasrock-solidasitlooks.Zeus,ourfather-god,onceburiedamonsterunderit,andthemonster’salwaystryingtoescape.

PERSEPHONE Oh!

HADES Onward!!!

HERMES There’sadeafeningroarandadistantshout.Butit’snotthemonster-it’sanothergod…

HADES Onward!!!

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HERMES It’sachariot.Withblackwheels,blackhorses,andamighty,black-cloakeddriver–’causethedriverisHades,thegodoftheunder-world,thelandofthedead!Hecamechargingoutthroughthesmokingsideofthemountain.SoIflewdownandaskedhim:

Whatbringsyouhere,Hades?Whatareyoudoingintheupper

world?

HADES Themonsterhassplittheearthopenwithhisstruggling!Ican’thavedaylightpouringdownintomykingdom!I’vecometosealitupagain!Butoh-my-word!Lookatthat!

HERMES Lookatwhat?

HADES Onward!!!

HERMES What…whereareyougoing?

HERMES QuicklyIflewaheadhim…becauseinaninstantIcouldseewherehewasheading…

HADES Wooah!!!

HERMES Hadesreinsinhishorsesandstandsthereinhischariot,gazingatPersephone,herarmsfullofflowers.

HADES SheisthemostbeautifulcreatureI’veeverseen!

HERMES Well,Icouldtellitwasallgoingtokickoff–soIflewuptoHadesandtriedtodosomegood...

Erm,forgiveme,YourDarkMajesticness...

HADES Sheisbeautiful!

HERMES Yes,yes,you’renotwrong.Butyouknowwhoyou’relookingat,don’tyou?

HADES Ariver-nymph,aflower-nymph,anymphofabeautifultree..?

HERMES Er–close,butnotcloseenough.It’sPersephone.

HADES Persephone?Oh,theveryname!

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HERMES Yes,yes,it’salovelyname.Butshe’sDemeter’sdaughter.She’sthedaughterofthegoddessoftheearth!

HADES AreyousayingI’mnotworthyofher?

HERMES No,no,YourMightiness–

HADES I,Hades,godoftheunderworld,notworthyofthebesttheupperworldcanoffer?

HERMES No,it’sjustIcanseewhat’ll–

HADES Silence!Shemustbemine!Yah!!!

HERMES HewentclatteringuptoPersephone…

PERSEPHONE Mind!Lookout!!!

HADES Ihavenoeyesforanyonebutyou!

PERSEPHONE No!Stop!Putmedown!

HERMES …andthenhesweptherintohischariotandwasgoneinasecond,hurtlingawaybackacrossthevalley.Ifollowedthemoverhillsandplainstilltheycametoaroaringriver,whereHadesstruckthewaterwithhissceptre...

HADES Open!!!

HERMES ...andtheriverandtheriverbedsplitintwo…andPersephonesawachasmopen,ahugeblackmouthleadingdowntotheunderworld.

PERSEPHONE Ah!!!Whereareyoutakingme?!

HADES Tomykingdom,tobemybride!

PERSEPHONE No-o-o!!!

HERMES AndassherealisedtheawfultruthIsawherpulloffhergoldensashandthrowitontotheriverbank.Thentheyweregone-van-ishedintotheunderworld-whiletheriverclosedabovethem.IknewPersephone’smother,thegoddessDemeter,must’veheardherscreams–youcould’veheardtheminEgypt.SoIthoughtI’dbet-tergoandtellherwhat’dhappened.IpickedupPersephone’sgoldensashandflewofftofindher...

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DEMETER Persephone!Persephone!Daughter-whereareyou?

HERMES ImetherinthevalleywherePersephonehadbeenpickingflowers.

DEMETER Hermes!Hermes!Haveyouseenmydaughter?

HERMES Erm–

DEMETER Thereareflowersscatteredeverywhere!Something’sverywrong,Iknowit!Haveyouseenher?Well?Haveyou?

HERMES Haveyoueverhadtogivesomebodybadnews?Noteasy,isit?

DEMETER Hermes,what’shappened?Whyareyoulookinglikethat? HERMES It’snotallbadnews.

DEMETER Whatdoyoumean?

HERMES Persephone’sgoingtobeaqueen!

DEMETER Whatareyoutalkingabout?Andwhatareyoudoingwithmydaugh-ter’s sash?

HERMES Hersash?Ah,yes,yes,Ithoughtyou’dwanttohaveit–asakeep-sake.

DEMETER What?

HERMES Asouvenir.Somethingtorememberherby.I’mnotdoingthisverywell, am I?

ButeventuallyImanagedtotellDemeterwhathadhappenedand-nosurprises-shedidn’ttakeitverywell...

DEMETER ThebrideofHades!

HERMES Aworthybride,foragreatking!

DEMETER Oftheunderworld!Lostforeverintherealmofdarkness!Aaah!!

HERMES Don’tbeupset.

DEMETER Upset!Icursetheland!Icursetheearththatopenedtotakeherdown!

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HERMES Youcan’tdothat!You’vealwaysblessedtheearthandmadethecropsgrow!

DEMETER Andnowtheywillwitheronthestalk!Thesunwillscorchtheseed!Theflockswilldie!Thepeoplewillstarve!

HERMES Whataboutthefruit?

DEMETER It’llrot!

HERMES PerhapsIshouldn’thavementionedthefruit.AndItellyou,thegod-dessDemeterwasasgoodasherword:soonthefieldswereparchedandbare,andalltheflocks–thesheep,thegoats–layshrivellingintheburningsun.Andthepeoplewell,thepeoplewerestarving

everywhere.Whatonearthwasgoingtohappen?

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HERMES Demeterhadcursedtheearthandeverythingwasdying.SoZeus,fatherofthegods,calledhertohispalaceonMountOlympus...

ZEUS Youshouldrejoice,Demeter!Persephoneisgoingtobeaqueen,andmarriedtoagod!

HERMES ButDemeterwashavingnoneofit.

DEMETER No!Iwantmydaughterback!Untilshereturnsfromthelandofthedeadtheearthwillbeawastelandandthepeoplewillstarve!

HERMES SoZeussentmetofetchPersephonehome.

ZEUS Hermes,goandtellHadestogiveherback.

HERMES What!

ZEUS Goon!Awaywithyou!

HERMES Justlikethat!Likeitwouldbeadoddle!

DEMETER Andyoumustbequick,Hermes–ifPersephonehaseatenthefoodofthedead,she’llbelosttousforever!

HERMES Ihadn’tthoughtofthat!AkickofmywingedbootsandI’maway!

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HERMES Mindyou,Ididn’tknowwhyshewasworriedaboutthefoodbusi-ness.Persephonewassoupset,Icouldn’timagineshe’deatenabitethewholetimeshewasthere.Still,downtotheunderworldIflew.

It’snotaplaceyou’dwanttogo,thelandofthedead.Seriouslygloomy:deadpeopledriftingaroundeverywhereAndtheresatPersephone,onathronebesideHades,crownedthequeenoftheunderworldbutlookingasifherlifewasended–whichofcourseitwouldbeifshe’deatenthefoodofthedead.Well,ItookHadesasideandtoldhimwhathadhappened.

It’sallgoingpear-shaped,honestly.

HADES ‘Pear-shaped’?

HERMES Demeter’sheart-brokenand,well,she’stakingitoutoneveryoneelse.AndZeusiscommanding–er,askingverynicely,thatis–thatyougivePersephoneback.

IexpectedHadestogoballistic,butno.Heturnedtohisbride,poorpiningPersephoneandsaid:

HADES Persephone-Iknowhowunhappyyouare,mydear–nothingIcandowillcheeryou.

PERSEPHONE No.Nothing.

HADES Andyou’regrowingsothin,eatingnothingIoffer.Andyourmotherisgrieving.

PERSEPHONE Sheis?

HADES SoHermestellsme.Youmustreturntoher. PERSEPHONE Youmeanit?Icango?You’llletmeleave?

HADES Iwill.I’mnotthecruelmonsteryouthinkIam.

PERSEPHONE Oh,Hades!

HADES Mydear!

HERMES Yes,allveryjolly.Buttherewassomethingnotquiteright.Hadeshadthisfunnysmileonhisface...

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HADES Butyoumustbehungry,Persephone.Takesomefoodtoseeyouonyourway.

PERSEPHONE Oh,no-youknowIcan’t.IfIeatthefoodofthedeadI’llhavetostaydownhereforever.

HADES Ofcourse–howforgetfulofme.Butyoumustbethirsty.

PERSEPHONE Yes,verythirsty.

HADES Thentakethis.

HERMES Andheofferedherabrightred,juicypomegranate.

PERSEPHONE Afruit?Icaneatnofruit.

HADES Ofcourse–justsuckthejuice:it’srichandsweet.Drinkingisnotforbidden.

HERMES Iwasn’ttoosureaboutthis.Pomegranatesarejuicy,allright–butthey’refullofpips,thousandsofthem:nofruitonearthhassomany.Andpipswouldcountaseating.

PERSEPHONE Itlooksdelicious.

HERMES Hangon,Persephone,I’mnotsure–

HADES Letmecutitforyou.

PERSEPHONE I’msothirsty.

HADES There–seethejuice!

HERMES Yes,but-

PERSEPHONE Ican’tresist.

HERMES Persephone-!

PERSEPHONE Mmmm!It’sso,sosweet!Butoh!Oh!Oh!

HADES What’swrong,mydear?

PERSEPHONE Thepips!I’veswallowedthepips!

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HADES Oh,howtragic!

HERMES You-youknewthatwouldhappen!Demeterwillmournforever!Thewholeworldwillbebarrenandthepeoplewillstarve!Alllifeonearthwill end!

HADES Oh,calmdown,Hermes.You’realwayssodramatic!

HERMES ButthenIhadanidea…

Doadeal!

HADES Adeal?

HERMES Share her!

HADES Shareher?

PERSEPHONE Whatd’youmean?

HERMES Persephone’sonlyeatenasmallpartofthefruit:sheshouldstayherewithyouforonlypartoftheyear.Therestoftheyearletherbewithhermotherintheupperworld.Thatwaythingswilllive.

HADES Thendieagain,whenshecomesbackhere.

HERMES Thenliveagainwhenshegoesbackup!

HADES Anddieagain.

HERMES Andliveagain!

HADES Anddieagain!Anever-endingcycle!

HERMES Exactly!

HERMES Andthat’sjustwhathappened.Hadesletmetakeherbackto Demeter...

DEMETER Persephone!

PERSEPHONEI’mhome,mother!

DEMETER Oh,mydear,deardaughter!

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HERMES ...andthegoddessinherjoymadeeverythingturngreenagain!

DEMETER Lettheflowersbloom!Letthetreesbearfruit!Letthefieldsbefilledwithgoldengrain!

HERMES Butitonlystaysthatwayforpartoftheyear.Andthen,PersephonereturnstoHadesintheunderworld,Demetergoesintomourningagainandtheearthturnscoldandthefieldsaredeadandempty.

SometimespeoplefearthatHadeswon’tkeephispartofthe bargain:winterseemslong–williteverend?Butundergroundallis

stirring.Justlikeapomegranate,theearthisfullofseeds,andeveryyearHadessendsPersephoneback,Demeterrejoices,andevery-thingspringsgreenagain.It’sjustasIsaid:theearth–andevery-thinginit–isalive!