GCSE Classics Homeric Hymn to Demeter

The Homeric Hymn to Demeter is significant because...

...it provides an insight into the Greek's thoughts of the relationship between gods and men

The two main themes of the Hymn are...

...the relationship between the gods & the relationship between gods and men

Epithet

Stock phrase used to identify and honour a character e.g. 'of the slender ankles'

Evidence that the gods' actions can have disastrous consequences for men is...

...Demeter refusing to allow plants to grow so that men starve

Evidence that men have power over the gods is...

...Zeus worrying that if men die, the gods will have no gifts or sacrifices

The gods are similar to men in that...

...they feel the same emotions, e.g. love, hate, loss and fear

Demeter

Goddess of the harvest; sister of Zeus, Hades & Poseidon; mother of Persephone; epithet = 'of the lovely hair'

Persephone

Daughter of Demeter; epithet = 'of the slender ankles'

Hades

Brother of Zeus, Poseidon & Demeter; epithets = 'God who receives so many', 'The Ruler of Many', 'The Receiver of Many'

Zeus

Brother of Hades, Poseidon & Demeter; Son of Kronos; epithets = 'loud thundering', 'far-seeing'

Who was Persephone picking flowers with?

Daughters of Oceanus (god of fresh water)

What was Persephone doing?

Picking flowers

What attracted Persephone?

A 'marvelous, radiant' flower with 'a hundred blooms' which 'smelled most sweetly' and was a 'wonder' for gods and men

Who made the flower grow and why?

Zeus; to attract Persephone so Hades could take and marry her

Who gave Persephone to Hades?

Zeus (Persephone's father)

Who was responsible for arranging marriages?

The head of the household (always male; usually the father)

What was the purpose of marriage?

To secure family links

Why might Zeus have given Persephone to Hades?

To improve the relationship between the Underworld and Olympus

Was Persephone happy when Hades took her? How do you know?

No; she was seized 'against her will'; she 'wailed' & 'cried out shrilly' to her father

Who were the only ones to hear Persephone's cries?

Hecate & Helios

Why didn't Zeus hear Persephone?

He was receiving sacrifices in a temple

How did Demeter feel when Persephone was taken?

Grief-stricken, distressed; 'a sharp pain seized her heart'; 'she tore off her veil'; 'she sped off like a bird of prey'

For how long did Demeter search?

Nine days

How do we know Demeter was really upset?

She didn't eat ambrosia or drink nectar or wash

Was Hecate useful?

No; she only heard Persephone and didn't see anything

What did Demeter learn from Helios?

Zeus gave Persephone to Hades 'to call his blushing bride'

Why did Helios consider Hades a good match for Persephone?

It is not shameful to have him as son-in-law; he is her own brother; he has honour as he holds a third of the world & is a ruler

How did Demeter feel after hearing Helios' words?

Angry; 'a more terrible, more dreadful grief'

What did Demeter do after hearing Helios' words?

She left Olympus and travelled among men in disguise

Where did Demeter stay?

Eleusis

How did Demeter try to help the Eleusinians?

She fed a baby ambrosia and tried to make him immortal by throwing him in a fire

What did Demeter make the Eleusinians do? Why?

Build her a temple & altar so she could teach them to worship her correctly because she was annoyed by their ignorance

How did Demeter hurt men?

She made a 'painful famine'; the 'grimmest and most brutal year'; 'no ground sent up seeds'

Why was Zeus worried?

Demeter would have destroyed the whole mortal race and 'deprived the glorious dwellers of Olympus the honour of gifts and sacrifices'

Who did Zeus send to talk to Demeter?

Iris

Where did Iris find Demeter?

In her shrine in 'fragrant Eleusis'

What was Iris' message to Demeter?

Zeus orders Demeter to go back to the family of everlasting gods

How did the gods try to persuade Demeter to return?

They 'offered plentiful gifts of great beauty' and 'any honours she might want'

Did the gods succeed in persuading Demeter to return?

No because 'she raged in her soul'

Demeter refused to return to 'fragrant Olympus' or 'let the ground send up one seed' before...

...'she saw with her own eyes her fair-eyed girl'

Who did Zeus send to Hades?

Hermes, the 'slayer of Argus'

Erebus

The Underworld

What did Hermes tell Hades Demeter was doing?

'devising some great scheme to make the feeble tribe of earth-born men perish by hiding the seeds below the ground and thus bringing an end to worship of the immortals.'

What does Hades say to Persephone about their marriage?

He is not a 'shameful husband' as he is brother of Zeus; she will 'rule all that lives and moves', and receive 'the greatest honours amongst the immortals'; those who don't 'appease' her 'power with sacrifices' will be punished

What did Hades give Persephone?

One pomegranate seed

Did Hades obey Zeus' instruction to return Persephone?

Yes, after giving her the seed, he took her in his chariot to Demeter

How did Demeter react on seeing Persephone?

Excited at first: 'eagerly darted forward, like a Maenad'; then she suspected a trick: 'grimly stepping back, she restrained her affection'

What did Demeter ask Persephone?

If she'd eaten anything

How long will Persephone spend in the Underworld?

One third of the year

After Persephone's return, who did Zeus send to Demeter?

Rhea