Proserpina

Culture: Ancient Roman   Domain: Spring's return, the underworld

Proserpina is the Roman form of Persephone, daughter of Ceres, taken by Pluto to rule the underworld and bound to return above ground each spring; her myth carries the same seasonal meaning as her Greek counterpart's, adapted into Roman religious calendar and literature, notably by the poet Claudian.

Associations

Spring's return, the underworld, seasonal duality, the pomegranate.

Ways people honor her (modern)

• Mark seasonal changes with ritual, especially the return of spring
• Hold grief and hope together as part of one cycle
• Offer pomegranate seeds or spring flowers
• Read Claudian's Latin poem on her abduction for the fullest Roman telling

Approach any deity with respect and do your own research. Practices vary widely between traditions, and modern devotional practice often goes beyond what survives in ancient sources.