THE ETERNAL MOMENT

Demeter's priestesses and initiates celebrate the mysteries at Eleusis in Mycennae during the month of Boedronion, and on the sixth day they sing the wonderful hymn of Iaachus in a torch-light procession to his shrine in the grove where the rites are performed and all is bathed in magic.

As the last of the chorus made its illuminated way down the steps at Demeter's temple, Kore quietly tiptoed into the temple gardens to pick some moon-lillies for the rite that was being prepared. Demeter and Hecate were plaiting the corn as a token to the season's resurrection on the altar and Kore at this point should have danced the virgin maid's tripos under the canopy, but she was no where to be found. Kore had become so engrossed in her self appointed task of choosing only the finest lillies that she did not see the earth open up to reveal Hades who promptly snatched her and carried her off to his Kingdom below.

He had become enamoured of Kore his sister's love child and was hopeful of Zeus consenting to their marriage, but such an arrangement would surely enrage Demeter and in lieu of a decision, Zeus offered a blind eye and Hades resorted to the abduction. The presumed rape of Kore caused havoc in the Olympian domain and the mortals were subjected to the wrath of the gods till finally Zeus was obliged to send Hermes for Demeter and she was led to the Palace at Elis where Kore was apparently held against her wishes.

Demeter's attempted rescue was doomed at the onset for whether Kore was coerced or possibly willing, she had already accepted the bridal pomegranite which is the unalterable token of marriage among the Olympian immortals, and so in the family of the gods Kore became Persephone, Hade's Queen of Night.

It is said the Eleusinian Mysteries engendered the timeless accusation of Hade's rape of Persephone, but the ancient abduction has echoed it's way through history and continues to be practised to this day, Judgement resides in the balance, who was captivated by the one or enticed by the other?, we can only presume the episode to be understood simply as the eternal moment.
- DANIEL

Story embracing the cycle of life; Demeter the mother giving birth to Kore who in turn is fertilized by Hades deep within the earth and then becomes Persephone or the Queen of night. Boedronion celebrates the harvest from the earth and the story thus allows Kore's seasonal return. The saga is humanized with accusations of rape, incest, enticement and retribution.
- LJO