The Eleusinian Mysteries:
Healing and Transformation
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.
Site index
:
Portal
Introduction
The Lost Eleusis
Major Events of the Myth
The stations of the Eleusinian Mysteries
The Stations of Mythic or Spiritual Journeys
The Stages of a Mystery Religion
Comparison: Eleusinian Mysteries and The Jewish High Holy Days
The Why and How of Ecstasy
The Way of Transformation
The Secret of The Mysteries
The Sacrifice and The Pig
Touch the Snake
Asclepius
Dionysus
Kore/Demeter/Persephone
Correspondence /Links
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