10/14/2021
VIRGO - CONSTELLATION LEGEND
Virgo - The Virgin
There seems to be at least two ancient myths, with variations of each, that are most commonly associated with the constellation Virgo.
The first was that Virgo was Persephone, the beautiful daughter of Zeus and Demeter, goddess of the fertility of the earth. One spring day as Persephone was wandering out in the fields, Hades, god of the underworld, grabbed her and took her down into the underworld to become his wife. But this stubborn young goddess refused to accept her captivity, refusing to eat or even to speak to Hades. He tried to give her jewels, fancy clothes, and even slaves to entertain her, but she still would not speak to him.
When Demeter found out that Hades had abducted her daughter and that Zeus (who had been bribed by Hades) would not intervene, she became so angry that she refused to care for the crops and plants of the earth. A great famine followed, crops failed, animals and people began to die. Finally, Zeus gave in and told Demeter that she could have her daughter back. However, under the ancient Law of Abode, if Persephone had accepted food, she would have to be considered a guest, not a captive, and would have to stay in the underworld as Hades’ bride.
Demeter immediately sent Hermes on his winged sandals to fetch Persephone. But before Hermes could get there, an evil man who hated Demeter took a sweet red pomegranate and broke it in half and offered some of it to Persephone who had grown very hungry by this time. Before she could stop herself, she had eaten six of the sweet juicy seeds. When Hermes arrived, Hades claimed Persephone as his bride under the Law of Abode because she had eaten the six pomegranate seeds. When Demeter heard this, she declared that no crops or flowers would ever grow if her daughter became the bride of death. Zeus declared a compromise. Each year, Persephone would have to spend six months with Hades because she had eaten the six seeds. The other six months she could spend with her mother. Both Hades and Demeter.
