Origin of the Seasons Flashcards
What is “winnowing”?
Winnowing is a method of separating the grain from the husks.
Who was Demeter’s daughter and where was her home?
Persephone was the daughter of Demeter, and she lived in Sicily.
Who wanted to marry Demeter’s daughter? Who did he seek permission from?
Hades wanted to marry Persephone, and he seeked permission from Zeus.
What beautiful thing lured Demeter’s daughter away from the group? What happened when she strayed away?
A beautiful white and purple flower that looked like a narcissus, and from a single root a hundred blossoms sprung, and when she went to pick it, the earth opened and Hades took Persephone to the Underworld in his chariot.
How did Demeter respond to her daughter’s disappearance?
Demeter was very distraught and sad of her daughter’s disappearance, and there was no harvest until she found her daughter.
Why do you think Demeter lies to the family about her identity?
I think Demeter lies to the family about her identity because gods can’t show themselves in their true form, and possibly wanted to see if the daughters would believe her.
What are Demeter’s plans for the baby that is placed in her care? How does the child’s mother find out?
Demeter wants to turn the child immortal and make him one of her own, and the mother stays up one night to watch her, and she sees Demeter put her baby in the fire.
What is ambrosia?
Ambrosia is the food of the gods.
Since Demeter has been mourning the loss of her daughter, what has happened to the earth?
The mourning of Demeter caused the death of the plants, and it became cold outside.
How did Hades trick Demeter’s daughter? As a result of this action, what happens to earth for part of the year?
Hades told Persephone to dine with him before he left, so she took a pomegranate and ate seven of its seeds. Because she ate the seven seeds, she has to stay in the Underworld for seven months, while the other five she gets to stay with her mother. During the seven months she is gone, Demeter mourns, and in result, winter and fall occur.
