Demeter

by Micha F. Lindemans
The Greek earth goddess /par excellence/, who brings forth the fruits of
the earth, particularly the various grains. She taught mankind the art
of sowing and ploughing so they could end their nomadic existence. As
such, Demeter was also the goddess of planned society. She was very
popular with the rural population. As a fertility goddess she is
sometimes identified with Rhea
and Gaia
.

Demeter

In systematized theology, Demeter is a daughter of Cronus
and Rhea and sister of
Zeus by whom she became
the mother of Persephone
. When Persephone
was abducted by Hades ,
lord of the underworld, Demeter wandered the earth in search of her lost
child. During this time the earth brought forth no grain. Finally Zeus
sent Hermes to the
underworld, ordering Hades to restore Persephone to her mother. However,
before she left, Hades gave her a pomegranate (a common fertility
symbol). When she ate from it, she was bound to spend a third of the
year with her husband in the infernal regions. Only when her daughter is
with her, Demeter lets things grow (summer). The dying and blossoming of
nature was thus connected with Demeter.

In the Eleusinian mysteries
, Demeter
and Persephone were especially venerated. When she was looking for her
daughter, in the shape of an old woman called Doso, she was welcomed by
Celeus , the king of
Eleusis (in Attica).
He requested her to nurse his sons Demophon and Triptolemus
'. To reward his
hospitality she intended to make the boy Demophon
immortal by placing
him each night in the hearth, to burn his mortal nature away. The spell
was broken one night because Metanira
, the wife of Celeus,
walked in on her while she was performing this ritual. Demeter taught
the other son, Triptolemus, the principles of agriculture, who, in turn,
taught others this art. In Demeter's honor as a goddess of marriage,
women in Athens, and other centers in Greece, celebrated the feast of
Thesmophoria (from her epithet Thesmophoros, "she of the regular
customs"). Throughout Classical times members of all social strata came
from all parts of the Mediterranean world to be initiated in and
celebrate her Mysteries at Eleusis.

In ancient art, Demeter was often portrayed (sitting) as a solemn woman,
often wearing a wreath of braided ears of corn. Well-known is the statue
made by Knidos (mid forth century BCE). Her usual symbolic attributes
are the fruits of the earth and the torch, the latter presumably
referring to her search for Persephone. Her sacred animals were the
snake (an earth-creature) and the pig (another symbol of fertility).
Some of her epithets include Auxesia, Deo, Chloe, and Sito. The Romans
equated her with the goddess Ceres
.

' According to some sources, Demephon and Triptolemus are the same
character, namely Triptolemus.


SOURCE(S)
"EmeraldHarley"


PRIDUCT(S)

<<<< Home >>>>