Springtime in Miletus is a beautiful sight; the swallows have returned, displaying flashes of iridescent blue as they dart around with acrobatic agility. The asphodel is in full bloom, giving a wonderful array of colour in the foreground, where it grows amongst the fallen columns that lay strewn everywhere, creating a wonderful juxtaposition between ruins and nature. The backdrop of the ancient theatre which still stands proudly completes the picture, both the nature and the ruins have their roots and foundations anchored in many myths and legends.

Asphodel is a hardy herbaceous perennial with star shaped white flowers on tall stalks, and it is easy to imagine the Asphodel Meadows, one of the three divisions of the underworld, referred to in Homers Odyssey, it was a realm of the Ancient Greeks were the spirits of ordinary souls, mortals reside after their death, it’s location close to the land of dreams by the streams of Oceanus. A land where reality ends and everything is wonderful and full of springtime flowers.

The second division, the Elysian Fields, is depicted as an eternal paradise for immortals, heroes and the righteous to indulge in what they had enjoyed in life. The Greek poet Hesiod described it's as the ‘fortunate isles’ their location in the western ocean at the end of the earth.

The third division, Tartarus, is a dungeon where wicked souls are punished, as far beneath Hades as heaven is above the earth.

It’s also easy to imagine Persephone, the Goddess of spring, nature, agriculture and harvest collecting her flowers in a beautiful meadow, the earth cracking beneath her and her abduction by Hades the god of the dead and King of the underworld forcing her into the bleak depths of hell to become his wife. The only witnesses were Hecate and Helios. The effect this had on the earth was devastating, as it became barren, crops failed to grow, causing widespread famine.

As with all mythology, there are many variations, but I favour the story that relates to Hecate being Persephone’s saviour, she is the goddess of crossroads and gateways and holds the key to other realms so she is able to unlock the gate to the underworld each spring, leading the way with her asphodel torches to once again escort Persephone back to earth each year to bring nature, agriculture and harvest, a magical time full of vibrant colourful blooms and sweet aromas to the bleak lands after winter. Each autumn she returns to Hades and nature sleeps again before the long dark winters.

The legend of Hecate and Persephone illustrates the cycle of life, the changing seasons symbolic of life, death, and renewal. Asphodel had many uses in ancient times and is still used today, it is still the symbol of eternal life and therefore used in ceremonies, memorials, and funerals. I hope people visit Miletus in springtime and let their imagination go wild in this amazing ancient city.