05 Minimus II - Moving on in Latin

Rufus is curious about the weather in Dacia. Corinthus tells him the story of the seasons.

DEMETER AND PERSEPHONE

Demeter, the goddess of crops and of all growing things, bore Zeus a beautiful daughter called Persephone. One day Persephone was out gathering poppies when she was spied by Hades, the god of the Underworld. Hades decided to carry her off to the Underworld to liv e with him. As he abducted her, she shrieked so loudly that her cries reached her mother. Demeter mourned the loss of her daughter and so did the whole of nature. Flowers wilted, the fields lay bare and fruit rotted on the branches.

Zeus was alarmed so he sent Hermes to Hades, asking him to release Persephone. Hades agreed to let her go but only on condition that she had not eaten anything. As Persephone had already eaten six pomegranate seeds, she could only return to earth for six months of the year.

She returned to her mother and immediately all the flowers began to bloom and the crops to grow. This was the beginning of spring and summer. But when Persephone returned to the Underworld, all the crops stopped growing and the leav es fluttered down from the trees. It grew cold and dark - autumn and winter had begun. From then on, Persephone spent six lov ely months on earth and six dark months in the Underworld and that is why we hav e the changing seasons.

These are like the rings which Flavius and Lepidina exchanged. Flavius's ring has an intaglio of Mars; Lepidina's has an intaglio of Fortuna. Why do you think these are particularly suitable presents?

Intaglios from Roman rings found in a sewer in York

The whole family is tired and happy after the Saturnalia. Rufus asks Corinthus how the festival came to be called the Saturnalia. Corinthus explains . . .

SATURN AND THE GOLDEN AGE

Jupiter banished his father, Saturn, from Mount Olympus and became king of the gods in his place. Saturn wandered the earth until eventually he came to Italy, where he became king of Latium. He taught his subjects the skills of agriculture and

the blessings of civilisation. People thought of his rule as a Golden Age. Everyone lived peacefully together and life was prosperous. Since those happy times, people have celebrated Saturn's festival, the Saturnalia, with feasting, freedom and happiness - they try to re-create his Golden Age for a few days.