14: Demeter and Persephone

Question 1

Genealogy of Demeter and meaning of name

Answer 1

• Demeter is the daughter of Cronus and Rhea
• Sister of Zeus
• Zeus + Demeter = Persephone
• Goddess of Grain
• Demeter: De- : “wheat” and -meter: “mother”
• Her roman name is Ceres: Cf. cereal (grain)

Question 2

Origin of Persephone and Divine Powers

Answer 2

• Goddess of Grain
• Etymology of name is unknown
• Other name: Kore = “daughter” or “girl”
• Roman name is Proserpina
• Known for fertility of Crops, with mother (Demeter) they are known as The Two Demeters or The Two Goddesses

Question 3

Story of Persephone abductiona and where from

Answer 3

• From Homeric Hymn to Demeter
• on THe Rape of Persephone, both in archaic sense of “seizure” and non consensual sex
• Hades abducts Persephone which is condoned by Zeus and seen by Helius and Hecate
• Demeter searches for her: 9 days of fasting with no bathing and uses torches to seek her at night

Question 4

Demeter at Eleusis (from where)

Answer 4

• From Homeric Hymn to Demeter
• Demeter disguises as old woman and takes reguse at Celeus’ palace near the Maiden well
• Demeter becomes nurse to Celeus’ and Metaneira’s son, Demophoön
• Demeter is cheered up by an old woman named iambe who tells her lascivious jokes
• Demeter refuses wine, and drinks Kykeon: oncoction of Barley and Mint

Question 5

Who does Demeter nurse and the story

Answer 5

• From Homeric Hymn to Demeter
• Demeter nurses Demophoön by feeding him with nectar and ambrosia
• Demeter burns away mortal parts at night to make him immortal as thanks for her refuge
• She gets caught by his mom and reveals herself as goddess –> Demophoön remains mortal but is forever honoured
• Demeter demands a temple in her honor: Etiology of Eleusinian Temple Complex where they explain the Myth of Demeter

Question 6

Demeter and Zeus

Answer 6

• Demeter casts famine upon the land. Zeus sends deities to win her over to stop the famine but she refuses so Zeus sends Hermes to Hades
• Persephone and Demeter reunited but Persephone eats pomegranate seeds so Persephone must spend:
  1/3 of year with Hades
  2/3 of year with Demeter and Olympians
  (Cf. Adonis)

Question 7

how was Eleusinian Mysteries established

Answer 7

• Demeter restores fertility and establishes mystery cult with secret initiation and promise of happy afterlife
• Triptolemus: messenger of Demeter who passes on agricultural wisdom and merges with Demophoön and becomes judge of dead in Plato’s Republic

Question 8

Interpretation of the Myth of Demeter and Persephone (4)

Answer 8

1. Agricultural allegory: hades = earth and persephone = seed grain. Problem: does not tally with Greek agriculture of winter wheat vs Kore (Persephone) returning in springtime
2. Structuralist interpretation: Great Goddess and dying lover int erms of mother-daughter relationship
3. Charter myth: foundation of worship of Demeter at Eleusis
4. Ritualist interpretation: rite of passage for young girl like Kore and Parthenos (virgin) who is put in an arranged marriage.
   –> Loss of virginity:
   * Persephone plucks narcissus flower and she is “deflowered”
   * Persephone eats pomegranate seeds as a symbol of sexual union

Question 9

What was the Eleusinian Mysteries

Answer 9

• In village of Eleusis, west of Athens
• Mystery religion: open to only those who are initiated but open to all
• Myo = “to squint”
• Mystai = “Squinters”, “Initiates”
• Sanctuary of Demeter at Eleusis
• The Telesterion: “Hall of initiation”
• Hierophant: “revealer of sacred things”
• Connects with Hymn story of Demeter
  9 days of fasting
  Drinking of kykeon: barley meal, mint, and water
  Torch procession
  Jesting
  Resting at Maiden Well

Question 10

Stages of Initiation of the Eleusinian Mysteries

Answer 10

3 Stages of Initiation
* Lesser mysteries: preliminary initiation
* Greater mysteries: full initiation
* Epopteia: “the beholding”
* The Hierophant: “revealer of sacred things”, “things said; things shown; things done”
–> according to hostile Christian sources: Hiera = sexual intercourse and male and female genitalia

Question 11

Meaning of iambe and who is she

Answer 11

• Cheers up Demeter at Eleusis
• Origin of iambic poetry from iambos, a term associated with traditional jesting (joking) in certain festivals of Demeter