Biography of Demeter Goddess

Interesting facts The story of the character Demeter is the personification of a true mother. The goddess takes care of the crop, nurtures trees and cannot imagine her own life without children. But the supple calm woman is ready to destroy everything that she herself created when a stranger bursts into a peaceful life of her daughter. Perhaps boundless love made Demeter with such an revered deity for the ancient Greek people.

The history of the occurrence of the exact time of the occurrence of the cult of the Material goddess is unknown, but the first reliable mention of Demeter dates back to our era. The worship was special in the city of Eleusin, whose name is mentioned in the myth dedicated to the abduction of Persephones. Initially revered as the goddess of the barley field, over time, Demeter received the status of the patroness of agriculture.

A simple mention in prayers was replaced by five -day mysteries held every year. Demeter with the Tesmophores - the so -called holidays in honor of Demeter - were led by exceptionally rich women who took over all expenses. In honor of the Mother goddess, victims were made, songs were sung and processions were arranged. In Roman mythology, Demeter is known by the name of Ceres. Cerer is accompanied by the goddess of Annon harvest, and in her hands a woman-mother holds a variety of fruits.

Ancient Greek mythology appropriated another attribute to the goddess - most often Demeter is portrayed with spikelet wheat in her hands. The sculpture of Demeter Roman name Cerer is not the only pseudonym Demeter. The goddess of agriculture is also known under the names of Anfey, Europe, Erinia and others. Researchers counted 18 pseudonyms of the patroness of agriculture. Demeter in mythology The birth of Demeter was accompanied by unpleasant events.

The father of the goddess, the omnipotent Kronos, ate all the children whom Ray's wife gave birth to a man. The same fate befell Demeter, who became the second child in the family of the rulers of Olympus. Kronos later Zeus, the brother of the goddess, freed the girl from his father's stomach. Demeter settled on Olympus surrounded by relatives. A beautiful cheerful girl attracted the attention of a thunderer.

Zeus often visited the goddess in the form of a snake. Over time, the relationship of brother and sisters became closer, Persephone was born from the Divine Union. However, the ruler of Olympus soon lost interest in his sister and was carried away by another young beauty. Considering herself free, Demeter answered the courtship of another God in other sources - a simple mortal.

Jasion, the son of Zeus and Electra, for a long time sought the goddess of fertility. Conquered with perseverance of the young man, a woman three times came to Jasion on dates that took place on a plowed field. After these meetings, Demeter gave birth to Sons Plutos and Philomel. Zeus, learning about the adventures of his sister, in a fit of jealousy killed Jasion with lightning.

Poseidon and Zeus are no less close to Demeter and Poseidon. The ruler of the sea accidentally saw the goddess while bathing and desired a woman. But Demeter did not have response to a man. To hide from persistent courtship, the goddess of fertility turned into a mare and hid in a herd that was grazing nearby. The cunning move did not take action, Poseidon immediately understood the plan of the sister.

The lord of the seas and rivers turned into a stallion and overtook Demeter, while she was resting in the shadow of a tree. It seems that Zeus did not object to such an union. The new love affair brought Demeter of two children: the speaker of the Areon and the daughter of Despin. The abduction of Persephone Demeter loved and took care of all the children, but still highlighted Persephone.

A special arrangement to the daughter is illuminated by the myth telling about the marriage of the girl. Hades Zeus, whose duties were to arrange the marriages of the gods, decided to give Persephon to marry his own brother Aida, who was managing the kingdom of the dead. While the girl was walking with her friends on the ground, the newly -made groom persuaded Geia to grow an unusual flower near Persephone.

Demeter's daughter, drawn by the aroma of the plant, moved away from her friends. At this moment, the earth split, and Hades dragged the beauty into the underground kingdom. Hearing the screams of the girl, Demeter rushed to the scene, but there was no trace of her daughter. The inconsolable mother was looking for a Persephone for nine days around the world. No one knew what happened to the girl, and could not tell the goddess where to look for a daughter.

Persephone a purposeful woman still found out the truth. Realizing that Zeus was separated from Persephone, Demeter left Olympus. Having taken the appearance of a simple mortal, the woman began to wander around the world until she reached the city of Eleusin. Here the goddess of fertility settled a nanny in the house of Queen Metanira.

The son of the royal person became a new object of worship of Demeter. On a little boy, the goddess transferred all the love of Persephone. In order not to part with the baby, Demeter decided to make the prince immortal. But during the rite, Metanir entered the room and screamed, seeing that the nanny was holding the boy above the fire. The goddess dropped the child in a fire, Metanira did not have time to save her son.

The angry goddess appeared before the queen in a true guise and ordered to build a temple in the city in her own honor.The lonely and unfortunate sister of Zeus settled there, ceasing to talk with the gods and mortals. The abduction of Persephons was still looking for a daughter and mourned for loss, the fields on the ground dried out, and the trees stopped fruiting.

The worried Zeus sent the messengers to his sister with requests to change his mind. But Demeter did not listen to relatives. The only way out was to return the mother Persephon, only Hades did not want to part with his wife. Then Vladyka Olympus decided that the daughter would spend two -thirds with her mother, and return to her husband at the rest of the time. Since then, every fall of Demeter falls into longing for his daughter and again revives and has fun with the advent of spring.

Interesting facts in myths dedicated to Demeter mention the beautiful hair of the goddess, the color of which resembles a wheat field. Demeter's hair is not unequivocal. The first part of the name Demeter is translated as “mother”. There are disputes about the second component. Possible translation-“Mother Earth” or “Mother Psenitsa”. The ancient Greeks dedicated Demeter the constellation Virgo.