As a greek, I’d like to point out that the whole myth of Persephone and Hades, in greek is called “Η αρπαγή της Περσεφόνης”, in other words, the abduction of Persephone. Meaning, there is no hint of rape or anything like that. Did he snatch her without her consent? Probably. I doubt he ever laid a finger on her without her permission.

therkalexander:

Agreed on all points, personally.  I know there’s a lot of case to be made for abduction being the prelude to rape, but if we’re looking at it critically, there are LOTS of myths out there about Zeus abducting women and almost immediately in each case it’s followed by spelled-out consummation in the text, like the story of Europa.

Not so with Hades and Persephone.

There’s a lot of floaty language about pomegranate seeds, but nothing is explicitly stated.  Even when Persephone is recounting her stay to her mother, she says nothing about ravishment, or rape, or seduction.  Not a single word, where as the writers would have made that abundantly clear in other texts about the abductions of other women.