Demeter(Ceres)Ancient Greek Goddess of the harvest
Demeter is the daughter of Cronus and Rhea and sister of Zeus. She is the ancient Greek goddess of the harvest and grain. Her mood determines whether there is a good growing season or a bad one. She has a daughter with Zeus, named Persephone (Proserpine). In art she is depicted with a stalk of wheat and she usually has Persephone standing next to her. She has the epithet of the goddess of the beautiful hair. The famous myth that she is associated with is the Homeric Hymn to Demeter number 2, in which her brother, Hades, abducts her daughter Persephone to be his wife. From this myth comes the reason for having the seasons Fall and Winter. Also this myth establishes Eleusis as her cult site and the site of one of the ancient Greek mysteries known as the Eleusinian Mysteries. Rape of Persephone...the short versionOne day Persephone was picking flowers with the daughters on Oceanus, when the ground opened up and Hades in his golden chariot captured her and carried her away. The only ones who heard her cries were two immortals: the sun god, Helius, and Hecate. The Greek goddess searched all over for her daughter, but she couldn't find her and no one could tell her who had taken Persephone. For nine days she searched in vain, she didn't eat, drink, or bathe. On the tenth day Hecate came to her and told her that she had heard Persephone's cries, but had seen nothing. She told the ancient Greek goddess to go to Helius and ask him about her daughter. So she went to Helius as instructed and he told her how Zeus gave Persephone to his brother Hades to be his wife. Helius tried to tell her that Hades was a worthy husband for her daughter, but the goddess would not listen. In her grief the goddess of the harvest stayed away from the gods on Mt. Olympus for a long time and instead traveled the earth disguised as a mortal. In her wanderings she came to Eleusis and became the nanny to King Celeus' infant son, Demophoon. She cared for him and fed him ambrosia, the food of the gods, instead of mortal food. At night she would secretly hide him in the burning fire for protection. One night King Celeus' wife, Metaneira, spied the ancient Greek goddess putting her infant son into the fire and shrieked with fear for her child. Demeter angrily revealed herself to them and demanded that they build a great temple in her honor. And there she remained, in the temple, still grieving for her daughter. The goddesses grief kept plants from rising. It was a devastating year for the harvest. Zeus took notice of the famine and called Iris to send for Demeter. The goddess of the harvest decided that she wouldn't allow the crops to rise until she saw her daughter with her own eyes. Zeus sent Hermes to dark Erebus to ask Hades to bring his wife back to the surface so that her mother could see her. Hades obliged with Zeus' request, but first he gave Persephone the sweet fruit of the pomegranate to eat. Hades drove Persephone to the temple of Demeter at Eleusis. It was a joyous reunion between mother and daughter. The Greek goddess sensed some act of treachery though. She asked her child if she had eaten anything while in the Underworld. If she had not then she could remain on the surface with her mother, but if she had then she would have to return back to the Underworld. Zeus decided that for one third of the year Persephone would have to live in the realm of Hades, but for the other two thirds she could live with her mother and the other immortals. So for a third of the year Demeter is sad because she is not with her daughter and so no crops grow. Eleusinian MysteriesDemeter's significant cult site is at Eleusis, which just outside of Athens. I'm still working on this one. More to come soon! In the conclusion of the Homeric Hymn to Demeter, the ancient Greek goddess is said to have taught King Celeus, Triptolemus, Diocles, and Eumolpus how to correctly worship her and her secret mysteries. These mysteries were not to be questioned, violated, or expressed. The sacred rites were not for everybody to know, but only for those who had been initiated into her mysteries. Those who were initiates were said to live a happier life in the Underworld than the uninitiated. LinksDemeter Experience Ancient Greece Home Page Ancient Greek Gods Jenny Ervin Contact Me
|
