What Are Demeter's Immortal Gods

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For the most part, the immortal gods of Olympus were of little use to the humans and usually caused humans harm rather than assisting them. Demeter though was one of the two great gods of earth. Along with Dionysus, god of wine, they were mankind’s companion. Demeter was the older, as was logical. Corn was planted long before vines. The first cornfield was the beginning of settled life on earth. It is also natural that the divine power which brought forth the corn and grain be a goddess, not a god. While men hunted and fished, women were left to tend the land and collect the harvest. Women also understood Demeter better and worshipped her by making humble sacrifices in every act that made the farm fruitful. The threshing-floor was also under …show more content…
(YouTube, 2016) Hades, god of the underworld and king of the numerous dead, swooped in and kidnapped her. He took her to the underworld, his home, in his chariot drawn by coal-black steed. Persephone cried out as she rode down into hell and her cry carried over hills and seas to her mother who came racing after her. Demeter wondered for nine days looking for her daughter in despair, not letting a drop of ambrosia touch her lips. No one would tell her the truth until she came to the Sun who relayed the awful news: her daughter had been taken down into the world below the earth, among the dead, by Hades. (Theoi Greek Mythology) An even deeper despair came over her as she heard this news and she left Olympus to live on earth. Demeter disguised herself so that nobody knew her. In her dismal roving, Demeter came to Eleusis and sat near a well. Demeter appeared as an aged woman, the kind that in significant houses care for children or guard the storerooms. Four beautiful maidens, sisters, had come to draw water and seeing her there, asked what she was doing. Demeter said she had just
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