Homeric Hymn to Demeter

A detailed Summary of Homeric Hymn to Demeter

Homer began his song revealing to his audience that Hades had permission from Zeus to abduct Persephone, daughter of Zeus and Demeter. One day, a glorious narcissus sent by Earth to lure Persephone to her abduction while she was playing and gathering flowers with the daughters of Oceanus. With curiosity Persephone reached for the flower; and at once, Hades sprang from the earth and grabbed her into his car pulled by deathless horses. She cried out for help but not a single soul heard her pleads, except the sun god Helius and Hecate. Meanwhile, Zeus was hiding in his temple to receive offerings from the mortal and to avoid the cries of his daughter. At last, Demeter heard her cries as she wept in torments and wandered about for nine days to look for Persephone. Finally, Hecate suggested that Demeter seek out Helius for the identity of Persephone's abductor. Helius informed her that Hades had permission from Zeus to take Persephone as his wife in the underworld and that Demeter should give up her anguish.

The weeping goddess disguised herself as an old woman, until at last she came to Eleusis and rested at the Well of the Maiden. There, the four daughters of Celeus who came to fetch water from the well saw the old woman.

One of the most famous religious cults of the ancient world is the Eleusinian Mysteries established by the goddess Demeter. According to Powell interpretation, the Hymn offers the ancient Greeks a way to account for the origin of the cult of Demeter at Eleusis. Perhaps Demeter has planed to make Demophon, the son of Celeus, king of Eleusis, immortal to rule the city as her gratitude towards the queen and the maidens' generosity. The queen in her folly secretly spied on them, thus making it impossible for her son to become immortal. The goddess revealed herself and directed them to build a place to honor her:

I myself will establish your rites, so that forever thereafter

[250] by the Well of the Dance, where I rested, on a high and projecting bluff.

[246] "....Know that I am Demeter, everywhere honored, the greatest

and beneath it build me an altar, by the steepest wall of the city

comfort and joy to all, both mortal men and immortals.

Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 2136
Approximate Pages = 9 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: English

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Homeric Hymn to Demeter

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