Major Events of the Myth
- Kore (in her pubescent state) is picking flowers with the other
- Virgins including Artemis and the
daughters of Ocean on the Nysian Plain.
- Hades makes a deal with Zeus and carries her off in his golden chariot,
- Hecate in her cave and Helios [the Sun} hear her cries.
- Demeter, searching for her.
- Hecate, flame in hand, tells Demeter she heard a cry.
- Helios reveals to Demeter that Zeus gave Kore to Hades.
- Demeter, hearing of her fate, tears the veil from her divine hair, throws a black cloak (the mantle
of death) over herself.
- Demeter, carrying blazing torches, searches the earth for nine days, refusing ambrosia, nectar and
the bath.
- Demeter, disguised, avoids the gods, dwells with mortals.
- Demeter, inconsolable, by the Virgin's Well (Well of *Beautiful Dances ), is invited to the Palace
by Celeus' four daughters.
- Demeter claims to be a Cretan, has escaped from pirates.
- Daughters and Metaneira invite her to Celeus' Palace to nurse the infant boy Demophoon.
- Entering Temple, Demeter refuses Throne.
- Demeter mourns on a ram's fleece stool. Iambe/ Baubo induces laughter by the bawdy display of her
pudenda.
- Demeter refuses wine, asks for barley water with glechon.
- Demeter nurses Demophoon on ambrosia and burns him in the fire [but he isn't harmed].
- Discovered by Metaneira, Demeter throws child to the floor, reveals herself as the Goddess, letting
down her hair.
- Demeter establishes battle games for Celeus' kingdom.
- Demeter demands a Temple to institute her rites which, when performed, will conciliate her wrath.
- Celeus builds a Temple.
- Demeter mourns Persephone for a year at the Temple.
- Demeter declares a year of famine.
- Gods, lacking offerings, protest. Demeter demands Persephone's return.
- Zeus sends Hermes to the Underworld for Persephone.
- Hades releases Persephone. Because she's eaten a pomegranate seed, she must return to Hades.
- Zeus promises to honor Demeter and guarantees that Persephone will be with her 2/3 of the year.
- Demeter demonstrates the performance of her rites, teaches the Mysteries and gives the gift of grain
to Triptolemus.
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