In Greek mythology, Persephone became the goddess of the underworld when she was abducted by Hades, who was so taken with her beauty that he needed to possess her. Persephone's mother Demeter, Goddess of the harvest, was so enraged by her daughter's disappearance that she withdrew in her misery and all fertility on earth ceased. Zeus, Persephone's father, sent Hermes down to Hades to make him release Persephone. Hades agreed, but before sending her home, he gave Persephone a pomegranate to eat. Had she refused the pomegranate, Hades possesion of Persephone might have ended there. But because she ate a single seed of the fruit of the underworld, she remained in his possesion for one third of each year -- the rest of the year she was allowed to remain with her mother. Demeter decreed that while Persephone dwells in the underworld, nothing on earth can thrive - thus winter began.
This story leads me the following question: if you were about to be excecuted and were asked for your final meal request, what are the chances that you'd choose a pomegranate?