Poor ~ Pathetic ~ Proserpina

Personally, I have always been intrigued by Proserpina's (better known as Persephone) sad story.  Essentially she is kidnapped and forced to live in this world devoid of light, life, and laughter.  The barbarity of Dis' actions is further amplified in the representation of Proserpina as the essence of childish innocence.


"The terrified goddess cried out/for her mother, her playmates - but for her mother most often,/since she had torn the uppoermost seam of her garment,/and the gathered flowers rained down from her negligent tunic;/because of her tender years and her childish simplicity,/even this loss could move her to maidenly sorrow." (Ovid V. 563-68)

Some different images/interpretations of Proserpina

Most of what I found in researching Proserpina are very overly-sexualized representations of what the Ovid text illustrates as a very innocent and childlike girl.  I find this especially interesting when realizing Cupid's role in it all.  He makes Pluto "fall in love" with Proserpina, so for all I know she could look like Shrek and he wouldn't care...


Cupid himself is fun to talk about, what with Valentine's day on the rise and all.  So here's a funny pic of him - I seriously hope this isn't really what he's supposed to look like.

At what point does it ever seem like a good idea to have a naked baby fly around, stab people with arrows, that forever change them into beings other than themselves ~ take Pluto, for instance, who becomes Creeper No.1