Page 23 - Kallima Newsletter - July/August 2020

God of: Harvest, grain and fertility. Symbols: Wheat, Cornucopia, Torch, Swine Parents: Cronus and Rhea Children: Persephone, Arion, Plutus Consorts: None (but had children with Zeus and Poseidon) Siblings: Hestia, Hera, Hades, Poseidon, Zeus Roman name: Ceres
Demeter is the goddess of the harvest and presides over grains and the fertility of the earth. Although she is most often referred to as the goddess of the harvest, she is also goddess of sacred law and the cycle of life and death.
Demeter is a daughter of Kronos and Rhea and sister of Zeus by whom she became the mother of Persephone. Persephone was the goddess of spring time and vegetation. Together, Demeter and Persephone watched over the world's seasons and plants. Demeter taught mankind the art of sowing and ploughing so they could end their nomadic existence. As such, Demeter was also the goddess of planned society. She was very popular with the rural population. As a fertility goddess she is sometimes identified with Rhea and Gaia.
As an Elder Deity Demeter is very powerful, more so then her sister but not more then her other sister. Due to her having divine authority over agriculture and the harvest, she wields tremendous power over the forces of nature, and could weave them to her will: she could command the trees of the forest to grow, vegetation to spring forth from the ground, and even punish those who offend her with famine, hunger, and thirst. Since the seasons also fall under her jurisdiction, she could change the climate and state of the earth as well.
The legendary tale of Hades and Persephone is just one of the numerous instances where Demeter's powers could affect the state of nature itself.
Her virgin daughter Persephone was abducted by the god of the underworld Hades who fell deeply in love with her beauty and wanted her to be his and only his. Demeter became full of grief as she had lost her beautiful daughter. Demeter endlessly searched for her, meanwhile she refused to help the crops grow and there was a great famine in the world. The seasons halted and living things stopped growing and died. At this point, Zeus had to
intervene and send his messenger Hermes to the underworld to bring Persephone back and
prevent the extinction of all life on Earth.
Hades agreed to Persephone’s release but before she departed from the Underworld, Hades offered Persephone a pomegranate as a farewell. This was, however, a cunning move by Hades. If anyone ate or drank anything in the Underworld they would be destined to remain there for eternity. After eating six of the seeds, Persephone was approached by the Fates, who told her she would forever remain in the Underworld as Hades’ Queen.
Hermes sadly went back up to Zeus and Demeter, who anxiously sat awaiting her daughter’s return. Upon the sight of Hermes alone Demeter spiraled into a fit of immense grief and sobbing – she knew what Hades must have done to keep Persephone there.However, Zeus, being the mighty king of all gods, could not allow his beloved land to become decayed and barren; and so, he met with Hades himself. With the help of Hermes the infamous deal was struck.
Because Hades had deceivingly tricked the young Persephone into eating the pomegranate, he was commanded to allow Persephone to visit her poor mother above his domain. In return, Zeus promised a binding deal that allowed Hades to have Persephone a month for each seed she had eaten. Thus, for half of each year, Persephone was to sit on the throne of the Underworld beside Hades.
During Persephone’s six months on earth reunited with her mother, the land was fertile, beautiful, and warm. The meadows were lush and of the deepest green. The trees were tall, sturdy, and fruitful. The rains came often and drought was unseen, these come to be seen as the Spring & Summer months. However, when Persephone left the land and entered Hades’ domain, earth experienced a cold, dark period with no growth.
Demeter grieved for her daughter and had little time
to nurture the land, this is where the autumn and 23 winter months are seen.