Demeter and Pelops
Rage soon reverted to great sorrow. It was during this period that Demeter absentmindedly ate a piece of Pelops' shoulder at a banquet for the gods.See: Pelops and the House of Atreus
Then came depression, which meant Demeter couldn't even think about doing her work. Since the goddess wasn't providing food, soon no one would eat. Not even Demeter. Famine would strike mankind.
Demeter and Poseidon
It didn't help when Demeter's third brother, the lord of the sea, Poseidon, turned against her as she wandered in Arcadia. There he tried to rape her. Demeter saved herself by turning into a mare grazing along with the other horses. Unfortunately, horse-god Poseidon easily spotted his sister, even in mare's form, and so, in stallion form, Poseidon raped the horse-Demeter. If ever she had given a thought to returning to live on Mt. Olympus, this was the clincher.Demeter wanders the earth
Now, Demeter was not a heartless goddess. Depressed, yes. Vengeful? Not particularly, but she did expect to be treated well -- at least by mortals -- even in the guise of an old Cretan woman.Gecko killing pleases Demeter
By the time Demeter reached Attica, she was more than parched. Given water to drink, she took the time to sate her thirst. By the time she had stopped, an on-looker, Ascalabus, was laughing at the gluttonous old woman. He said she didn't need a cup, but a tub to drink out of. Demeter was insulted, so throwing water at Ascalabus, she turned him into a gecko.Then Demeter continued on her way about another fifteen miles.
Demeter Gets a Job
Upon arriving at Eleusis, Demeter sat down by an old well where she began to cry. Four daughters of Celeus, the local chieftain, invited her to meet their mother, Metaneira. The latter was impressed with the old woman and offered her the position of nurse to her infant son. Demeter accepted.Demeter Tries to Make an Immortal
In exchange for the hospitality she'd been extended, Demeter wanted to do a service for the family, so she set about to make the baby immortal by the usual immersion in fire and ambrosia technique. It would have worked, too, if Metaneira hadn't spied on the old "nurse" one night as she suspended the ambrosia-anointed infant over the fire.The mother screamed.
Demeter, indignant, put the child down, never to resume the treatment, then revealed herself in all her divine glory, and demanded that a temple be built in her honor where she would teach her worshipers her special rites.
Demeter Refuses to Do Her Work
After the temple was built Demeter continued to reside at Eleusis, pining for her daughter and refusing to feed the earth by growing grain. No one else could do the work since Demeter had never taught anyone else the secrets of agriculture.Next page Persephone and Demeter Reunited
