CLAS104 Lecture Notes - Lecture 12: Homeric Hymns, Eleusinian Mysteries, Kykeon

• School: University of Waterloo
• Department: Classical Studies
• Course: CLAS104
• Professor: Ronald Kroeker

Document Summary

Mother: name: de means earth or barley or tamer , meter means mother . Rhea came to get her daughter demeter saying that zeus promises to grant you whatever honours she wants and just wants her among the immortals. Interpretation of the myth recurring theme of death and rebirth of vegetation as metaphor for spiritual resurrection (belief of afterlife!) Myth of demophoon if we are nourished like child by demeter"s truth we will be initiated into her mysteries and find redemption, immorality and joy through devotion to her but if foolish wont. Eleusinian mysteries - persephone"s honours and demeter"s rites. Priests: hierophant reveal to the worshippers ultimate mysteries including showing of the hiera (scared objects) Lesser mysteries preliminary steps in initiation, held in athens. Greater mysteries full initiation into cult ceremony was from athens to eleusis to athens carrying the hiera from the temple of demeter in eleusis.