Who was Persephone and why did she eat the pomegranate?

Persephone was the Greek goddess of the underworld, spring, and fertility. She was the daughter of Zeus, king of the gods, and Demeter, goddess of the harvest and agriculture.

She was abducted by Hades, the god of the underworld, and taken to his realm. Demeter was devastated by her daughter's disappearance and caused a great drought on Earth. This forced Zeus to intervene and negotiate Persephone's return to the surface for part of each year.

According to the myth, Persephone ate a pomegranate seed while she was in the underworld. This act bound her to the underworld and forced her to return there for a period each year. This is the reason why we have winter; when Persephone returns to the underworld, her mother, Demeter, grieves and winter descends. When she returns to Earth, spring begins and new life blossoms.