Also called Proserpine, Persephone (Greek).
Their story
Ovid tells how Proserpina was gathering flowers near Henna in Sicily when Dis carried her off to the underworld. Ceres searched the earth for her by torchlight, and the fields lay barren until Jupiter agreed that she would spend part of each year with her mother. Because she had eaten pomegranate seeds, she could not return for good. In Rome she was worshipped with Dis at the Tarentum and linked with Ceres in rites brought from Greece.
Best times to give to them
- Cerialia, 12 to 19 April
- Spring equinox
- Ludi Saeculares
What they like being given
- Pomegranate seeds
- Spring flowers
- Honey
- Grain
How to honour them
- Plant bulbs in autumn and greet her when they flower.
- Light a small candle for those who are grieving.
- Honour her together with Ceres.
How they can help you
- Returning after a hard time
- Bereavement
- Mother and daughter bonds
Symbols
- pomegranate
- narcissus
- torch
- wheat
Her myth is essentially the Greek Persephone story told in Latin.
Sources
- Ovid, Fasti 4
- Ovid, Metamorphoses 5
- Cicero, In Verrem 2.4.106-107
More Roman goddesses
- Juno Queen of heaven and protector of women
- Minerva Patron of craftworkers, teachers and healers
- Venus Mother of the Roman people and goddess of love
- Diana Lady of the woodland grove and the moon
- Vesta The living flame at the heart of home and Rome
- Ceres Mother of the grain and friend of the common people
- Luna The moon, shining through the night
- Libera Partner of Liber in the Aventine triad