Demeter

Characteristics
In Greek mythology the goddess Demeter was the most generous of the great Olympian goddesses. The Greek goddess Demeter
was beloved for her service to mankind in giving them the gift of the harvest, the reward for cultivation of the soil.
Also known as the Roman goddess Ceres, Demeter was the goddess of the harvest and was credited with teaching humans how to
grow, preserve, and prepare grain. Demeter was thought to be responsible for the fertility of the land.
She was the only one of the Greek goddesses who was involved on a day-to-day basis in the lives of the common folk. While others
occasionally "dabbled" in human affairs when it suited their personal interests, or came to the aid of "special" mortals they favored,
the goddess Demeter was truly the nurturer of mankind.
Demeter also was the only one of the Greek goddesses who could truly empathize with the human experience of suffering and grief,
having experienced it fully herself.

Origin:

Demeter was the second born child of Kronus and Rhea, after Hestia and before Hera. After her birth, Kronus devoured her and she would remain there,
growing, for she was immortal and would never die. Once Zeus had grown, he fed Kronus a mixture of wine and mustard, which made him disgorge his
children. Demeter was the second to last person to be thrown up. She also fought in the Titanomachy, until the gods won. She would then become
an Olympian. Poseidon and Zeus both wanted to marry her, though she refused. She would, however, have affairs with them later on.

Descendants
Persephone (with Zeus)
Arion and Despoina (with Poseidon)
Plutus (with Iasion)
Chrysothemis (with Carmanor)
Zeus
Children: Persephone (became Queen of Underworld after being abducted by Hades)
Iacchus

Iasion (met Demeter at a wedding and jealous Zeus attacked him and either killed or crippled him for life)
Children: Plautus (became protector of harvest)
Philomelus
Demeter used to be in love with the agricultural hero Iasion and their sacred wedding took place in the island of Crete. The couple laid together three
times in a field and brought greek god Plutus and the demi-god Philomelos into existence. Plutus was the god who symbolized earthly wealth, and
Philomelos became famous for inventing the plough.

According to a myth, Zeus, the King of the Gods, killed Iasion for his impudence to lay with a goddess; after that, he managed to seduce Demeter and
the couple brought Persephone to the world. Persephone would later on be abducted by the Greek god Hades to the Underworld and become the
Queen of the Underworld.

Poseidon, the Greek god of the Seas, also approached Demeter to lay with her and bring fertility to earth with his wet elements. Demeter tried to avoid
the god by turning herself into a mare, but Poseidon then took the form of a stallion and captured her. From their union Demeter gave birth to two
children: the stallion Arion, god of the horses, and Despoena, the goddess of fruit.

EPILOGUE *Mehehehehehe*
The story of Greek goddess Demeter illustrates the tremendous capacity of a woman to love and nurture, within her own family and
the world at large.
It also reminds us to stand firm for what is good and right, even in the face of adversity, when powerful forces are aligned against
us.
The goddess Demeter's message also reminds us of the seasons of a woman's life, that even though there are times of great sorrow
there is also great joy to be found.