Week 4 Story: Venus' Meddling in Pluto's Love Life

In an ethereal palace beyond mortal eyes perception, the goddess of love, beauty, and fertility dwelled. One day, Venus contemplated a new plan. As the deity of love, Venus' power and influence also spread with love. However, fellows from her pantheon such as Diana and Pallas had sworn off love forever. Now there were even rumors that Ceres' daughter Proserpine would follow the same path.

This trending celibacy was not to say that every god was beyond her influence. Why, with her son Cupid, Venus had already struck love into the hearts of two of the Big Three. Jupiter and Neptune may control the skies and seas, but they were as weak as anyone when it came to love. However, Pluto remained elusive in his underworld kingdom from all attempts to bestow love upon him.

This was the whole point of Venus' frustration. Love was the most wonderful experience anyone could have, yet everyone was swearing it off as a disease. Really, any interference on her part is clearly beneficial for everyone. Though the power boost is a nice bonus.

Proserpine was a fool to swear off love when she'd never experienced before. No doubt her overprotective mother Ceres played a role in her impending chaste vow. She was young and needed to explore without her mother's constant interfering. Someplace a goddess would have trouble meddling, such as the underworld where Pluto resided. As unlikely a pair as a goddess of spring and a god of the underworld would make, Proserpine and Pluto would fit well together. With that thought in mind, Venus saw a rare upper world appearance of Pluto in his chariot the upper world, with Proserpine growing flowers not too far away.

The only problem: Pluto was headed away from his would-be bride. Well, there was only one thing to do then. Venus summoned Cupid and his archery skill for this otherwise wasted opportunity. Her dutiful son took aim, and they watched gleefully as Pluto's love-struck gaze fell upon Proserpine. What they did not expect was for Pluto to immediately snatch Proserpine and make his way back to the underworld. Proserpine was, understandably confused, but as soon as she realizes how well Pluto and she fit together, the two could make a lovely couple. With their job done, Venus and Cupid relaxed with some ambrosia.

Meanwhile, miles away, the nymph Cyane was swimming with her favorite stream and looked at the calm serenity of a beautiful spring morning...until she saw that blasted chariot.

But not just any chariot. Oh no, the chariot of none other than the all-powerful Pluto, with what looked like a very unwilling maiden. Usually, Cyane wouldn't bother. A simple nymph such as her would never match the fight of one of the Big Three. However, she couldn't in good conscience, let that maiden's cries for help go unanswered.

"My lord Pluto! Stop! Stop your chariot!"

Cyane watched as Pluto's chariot slowly descended to her stream, which swiftly turned to horror as she recognized Pluto's captive for none other than Proserpine. While Cyane did not know Proserpine personally, she was familiar with her mother, Ceres, the goddess of agriculture, and her overbearing love for her daughter. Cyane's thoughts were cut off as the newly-arrived Pluto arrived.

He proudly announced, "Good day, lady nymph! I'm pleased to tell you about the big news! I'm getting married, and everyone is invited to the wedding!"

What? Pluto and Proserpine...but based on her expression, Pluto had skipped his proposal.

Cyane fumbled for a reply. "What...wonderful news...I was not aware the two of you were courting."

Pluto opened his mouth to respond, only for Proserpine to cut in. "I would also like to know what insanity has possessed you to kidnap me."

"Insanity? Why it was only with the fervent passion of love that inspire-" Proserpine's swinging fist cut off Pluto.

Cyane gaped. "Did...did you just knock lord Hades unconscious?"

"Well, it's not like he was going to made any sense with that love arrow sickness messing with his head."

"Love arrow sickness?"

"Yeah. Wake him up."

"What?"

"Splash some water on him or something."

Cyane obeyed, and the two women watched as Pluto slowly stirred back to consciousness. His eyes fluttered open, and Pluto lazily glanced around before he shot up straight.

Hades swiftly stood up and bowed, once to Proserpine and once to Cyane. "I deeply apologize for my improper behavior. Can you ever forgive me?"

Proserpine shrugged. "It's not entirely your fault. Though...if you really want to make it up to me, I want to get back at Venus for this incident."

Pluto swiftly agreed, and the two promptly began planning their revenge on Venus and Cupid. With a brief farewell, Pluto and Proserpine departed. Cyane was left alone in her stream.

At this moment, Venus and Cupid lazily snacked on ambrosia, with no inkling of the chaos approaching their gates. But really, they deserved it for trying to force love.
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Author's Note:

This story is a retelling of the myth of Hades and Persephone, with their Roman counterparts Pluto and Proserpine. One thing I changed was Pluto's name from Dis. Dis is a nickname for Dis Pater, who was the Roman god of the underworld. When the Greek and Roman gods blended, Dis Pater became synonymous with Pluto, the Roman counterpart of Hades. In the original story, the beginning is much the same. Venus, the goddess of love, wants to spread her influence and power, best done by her fellow gods and goddesses falling in love. Often, Venus orders her son Cupid to use his love arrows on many people, with not even the king of the gods Jupiter as an exception. The use of love arrows leads to many myths, particularly of Jupiter's many flings with mortals, much to the ire of his goddess wife, Juno.

However, one of the most powerful gods, Pluto, stays out of her son's range from his underworld kingdom. Another issue that Venus faces is how Pallas and Diana swore to be maidens forever, and Proserpine was planning to make the same vow. When Venus sees Pluto in the upper world, she orders Cupid to shoot a love arrow at Pluto, so he falls in love with Proserpine. Pluto whisks off with Proserpine, and the nymphs Cyane attempts to stop him.

In the original story, "attempt" is the keyword. Pluto is resolute in making Proserpine his queen, and Cyane's reasoning that kidnapping is not how to romance someone only angers him. Pluto succeeds in taking Proserpine to the underworld, and Ceres, Proserpine's mother, is devastated. Although Ceres doesn't know it was Pluto that kidnapped Proserpine, she takes away her gifts of well-growing crops and fertile land. Ceres will continue the famine until Proserpine is returned to her. As a result, Proserpine must spend some months out of the year with Ceres and the rest with Pluto. This myth is the basis for the seasons, where the winter months are when Proserpine is in the underworld.

For my retelling, I wanted to stray from a Stockholm- and lima-syndromes type situation. I decided to portray Pluto as a lovestruck fool who is eager to tell everyone about his wedding to Proserpine. This allowed Cyane to successfully delay Proserpine's kidnapping. I had Proserpine knock Pluto out because I imagined the love arrow was brainwashing Pluto to believe he is in love with Proserpine. I remembered the Avengers (2012) scene where the Black Widow breaks Hawkeye's brainwashed state via cognitive recalibration. I also figured Proserpine would be pretty angry about her attempted kidnapping and would not feel any remorse by smacking her captor.

I believe that love is the most beautiful thing a person can experience. However, I dislike Venus' methods of forcing people to fall in love. Not only should love occur naturally, but there are also many different kinds of love.

Venus is the so-called goddess of love, but her actions have created strained love if anything. Her works have played a part in wrecking Jupiter and Juno's marriage. Not to mention Venus' own infidelity, where she continually cheats on her husband Vulcan with the much more handsome Mars. In her part in the myth of Pluto and Proserpine, Venus fabricates romantic love and ignores familial love. If Venus didn't cause Pluto to suddenly fall in love with Proserpine, the situation of Ceres' famine and Proserpine's constant moving could have been avoided. Instead, Proserpine is torn between her two most precious people, and Ceres and Pluto have to deal with the sadness of a long-distance relationship with Proserpine.

Bibliography:

Original Story: Excerpt from Ovid's epic Metamorphoses, translated into English by Tony Kline. Source.

Image Information: The Abduction of Proserpina (1632) Painted by Rembrandt van Rijn. Source.