CMLT316 Lecture Notes - Lecture 14: Eleusinian Mysteries, Acrisius, Kykeon
3 Jun 2018
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Class 14: Demeter and Persephone, Perseus
Demeter and Persephone
● Celeus: King of Eleusis
● Metaneira (Celeus’ wife)
● Demophoon: son (or Triptolemus)
○ Demeter becomes his nanny; tries to make him immortal
● Iambe: nurse
○ Receives Demeter; tries to make her laugh; makes her a drink of “Kykeon”
(pennyroyal tea) - ritual aspects
Triptolemus: Alternative to Demophoon (spreads knowledge of grain to world)
Demeter and Famine
● While Demeter was grieving, no crops would grow
● The thought of losing humans to starvation forced Zeus to come to an arrangement
● Hades would have Persephone for ⅓ of the year; Demeter for the rest
● Deal sealed by the “pomegranate”
Demeter and Persephone Themes
● Sacred marriage (Hades and Persephone)
● Death/rebirth
● Aetiology for the seasons
Mystery Cults
● By nature, secret (mystes=’initiate’)
● A personal choice to take part in them
● Open to everyone (typically): men, women, and slaves are often all permitted to join and
to move through the ranks
● Allow for a closer communion with the chosen god
○ Often the chance for a happier afterlife
Eleusinian Mysteries
● For Demeter and Persephone
● Spring (lesser mysteries)
○ Winnowing fan; purification with fire, air, and water - education
● End of summer (greater mysteries)
○ Revelation of sacred truth - contemplation
● Open to anyone (citizen/freeborn/slave)
● Telesterion (Eleusis)
● Ploutoneion - Shrine of Hades
● Elements we know about
○ Hierophant (Head Priest)
○ Hieron (sacred object)
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Demeter becomes his nanny; tries to make him immortal. Receives demeter; tries to make her laugh; makes her a drink of kykeon (pennyroyal tea) - ritual aspects. Triptolemus: alternative to demophoon (spreads knowledge of grain to world) While demeter was grieving, no crops would grow. The thought of losing humans to starvation forced zeus to come to an arrangement. Hades would have persephone for of the year; demeter for the rest. A personal choice to take part in them. Open to everyone (typically): men, women, and slaves are often all permitted to join and to move through the ranks. Allow for a closer communion with the chosen god. Often the chance for a happier afterlife. Winnowing fan; purification with fire, air, and water - education. Kykeon (drink of meal, mint, and water); drink given to demeter in the homeric. Born of danae (daughter of acrisius, king of argos) and zeus. Acrisius hears that his grandson would kill him.
