Page 13 - GALIET THESMOPHORIAS AND EUPHORIAS: Of Eyes and Funnels, Of Tracks and Traces IV

Galiet & Galiet
and Kore were called “sacred-pure” or hagne thea.13 In Burkert’s view, these serve to link the daily rites: “just as fasting seeks fulfilment in the sacrificial banquet”, Burkert says, “abstinence seeks fulfilment in procreation” (p.244). Perhaps the most obvious explanation lies within the Homeric Hymn to Demeter. When Demeter arrives at Celeus and Metanera’s home, Iambe offers her hospitality and Demeter chooses to sit on the lowest stool covered with a silvery fleece.14 It is clear that the Nesteia is symbolic of Demeter’s grief (Dillon). Demeter’s choice of lowly sitting reflects her grief and sorrow as she rejects all comforts.
Likewise, little is known about the rites celebrated during the Kalligeneia. Dillon emphasizes the invocation by women of the lesser goddess Kalligeneia, “she of the beautiful birth” to encourage the “fertility of their own wombs” (p.113). Dillon asserts that celebration of female fertility, in men’s eyes, is as important as the fertility of crops. Thus, he deduces that female fertility and crop fertility are related. Foxhall rejects this notion (she finds it antiquated and Frazerian) and proposes, instead, that the Thesmophoria is an ongoing socio- political discourse between men and women given that it is endorsed by the polis’ official holiday calendar. Burkert, however, is careful not to make this suggestion overtly. Though he is aware that the Thesmoporia cannot be fully explained agriculturally, he is reticent to openly suggest correspondence between the Athenian calendar and the agricultural year. Instead, he resorts to Kerenyi’s approach, which suggests that the Thesmophoria may have been connected to
13 Burkert further suggests that this is the reason why, Demeter’s priestess must be pure or virgins. Burkert, W. “Thesmophoria”, Ch. V sec. 2.5 in Greek Religion, Cambridge (USA) 1985: 242-6
14 “...until careful Iambe placed a jointed seat for her and threw over it a silvery fleece. Then she sat down and held her veil in her hands before her face. A long time she sat upon the stool without speaking because of her sorrow, and greeted no one by word or by sign, but rested, [200] never smiling, and tasting neither food nor drink, because she pined with longing for her deep-bosomed daughter, until careful Iambe --who pleased her moods in aftertime also --moved the holy lady with many a quip and jest to smile and laugh and cheer her heart.” http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgibin/ptext?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0138;query=card%3D%235;layout=;loc=2.147
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