C. M. Furness University of Tasmania - 27.03.

2013

An Analysis of the Homeric Hymn to Demeter

Despite the fact that the hymn to Demeter is written by an anonymous author,
roughly between 650 B.C. and 550 B.C, and is found only within one collection of the
Homeric Hymns (leading some to regard it as an oddity) there is a great deal which can be
inferred from its mythic content and the careful style of the poet, who appears to be acting
within both epic and local - Eleusinian - traditions. The hymn's treatment of the myth
surrounding the 'rape of Persephone' as well as its highly selective compositional nature
places emphasis on many aspects of the Ancient Greek worldview during the archaic period,
treating themes as broad as the natural and cosmological orders, to the development of
mythic narrative and its literary value, to a theogonic explanation for the distribution of
honours in cult, to even parodying rites associated with divine worship. To historians, the
themes available for inference are broad and varied, including but not limited to cult
practice, gender and social concerns, links between mortals and divinities, religious and
political tensions or even the selection, adaption and appropriation of literary sources as
propaganda; the value of which can only be passed over summarily within the constraints of
this analysis.
At the outset of the hymn it is apparent that the themes being presented by the poet
are more critical than simply offering an explanation for the seasons or as an emotional
appeal to the experiences of the mother goddess grieving for the loss of her child (lines 1-4).1
The narrative surrounding Demeter's search is postponed as the reasons for Persephone's
abduction are fully laid out.2 Most important to the interpretation of this episode are Pluto's
claims and request to Zeus in contrast to the claims of Persephone's mother Demeter. Both
claims centre upon the gendered interpretation of events, creating parallels between rape or
violent abduction and marriage enacted through ritual and expressions of mourning for dead
souls contrasted with the celebration of re-birth and the allocation of rites and honours,
which ultimately serve to facilitate the grand accomplishment - through mediation,
negotiation, realisation, compromise - the establishment of a new order in accordance with

1
Robert Parker, "The 'Hymn to Demeter' and the 'Homeric Hymns'," Greece and Rome - Second Series 38,
no. 1 (1991), 6-7, 11; Nancy DeBloois, "Rape, Marriage or Death? Gender Perspectives in the Homeric Hymn
to Demeter," Philological Quarterly 76, no. 3 (1997), 245, 253-4.
2
The hymn immediately assumes a metaphorical, allegorical and indeed mythic stance and manipulates the
tale of the 'rape of Persephone' in order to demonstrate the claims of necessity to which a new distribution of
honours and powers in the cosmos will be accorded at the conclusion of the hymn... See DeBloois, 245-249 for
the importance of the hymn's opening lines in presenting the dominant male perspective.

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the will of Zeus and indeed the literary form itself.3 Alderink observes that in keeping with
epic tradition the Hymn to Demeter illustrates the subversion of Zeus' authority and the
threats placed on the natural order by the divinity's actions, whereby a compromise and
indeed a redistribution of rites and honours is required.4 Parker sees the imagery of
Persephone's death and re-birth as essential to the new distribution of honours and powers,
their divine limits and to offering aetiological explanation for both cult practices and the
importance of particular religious sanctuaries... an inquiry both favoured and necessitated in
hymns.5
The abrupt movement toward the tale of Persephone's abduction is used as a literary
tool in a very important way, accomplishing goals in line with both the epic and local guises
of the poet.6 The 'rape of Persephone' is adopted, adapted and shaped to express the need for
a new divine order; the intruding narrative however allows the events to be placed in contrast
to another important episode within the hymn, which itself re-shapes the order of things for
mortals through the establishment of rites in favour of the goddess, that is the Demophon
episode (lines 231-265). DeBlois remarks that the incident of Persephone's abduction is seen
from a duel perspective - both masculine and feminine - and is interpreted differently
according to gender.7 Pluto has legitimate claim to the union, being given her at his request
by her father Zeus, as well as to the new honours for both he and his bride in the Underworld
(see lines 2-3, 29-32, 363-369). Similarly, Demeter too, as mother-goddess, has claim to
kinship with her child.8 As Persephone moves into the domestic sphere of Pluto his
transgression is highlighted by the behaviour and actions of Demeter who, grieving for the
loss of her daughter, enters the house of Celeus as an outsider and assumes control over the
mortal nurseling Demophon, subjecting him to fire in an attempt to immortalise him and
presumably steal away Pluto's prize.9 Demeter is now portrayed as the violent instigator and
her plans are soon interrupted by the actions of Demophon's mother, fearing that she too is

3
Larry J. Alderink, "Mythical and Cosmological Structure in the Homeric Hymn to Demeter," Numen 29, no.
1 (1982), 4-5; DeBloois, 245-6.
4
Alderink, 2, 4-6, 11.
5
Parker, 3-5, 11-12.
6
It is here perhaps important to note that only the 'longer' surviving hymns contain this almost intrusive style
of narrative, which has led some scholars to suppose that their purpose was not to be used in ritual singing as
the 'shorter' hymns are considered but they may still retain their aetiological, theogonic and importantly mythic
functions of explanation. See Parker, 2 for discussions...
7
DeBloois, 245, 248, 254; The male divinities all make claim to the union between Persephone and King
Death as marriage and a suitable one at that.
8
DeBloois, 255, 257-8; Nancy Felson Ruben and Harriet M. Deal, "Some Functions of the Demophon
Episode in the Homeric Hymn to Demeter," Quaderni Urbinati di Cultura Classica - New Series 5 (1980), 11.
9
DeBloois, 255; Ruben and Deal, 8-9.

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witnessing the death of her child, and the goddess ultimately fails to immortalise the boy,
who himself now stands for the fragility and mortality of all humankind.10 The changes
wrought on the children/victims are neither complete nor permanent, since after Demeter's
epiphany, revelation, and of course rebuking of Metaneira's ignorance the commentator
intervenes with an aetiological explanation for the quasi-immortalisation of Demophon in
cult within Eleusis, establishing its own parallel with the immortal Persephone's union with
Death and new status between realms.11
The Demophon episode and other intrusive local content within the narrative casts
light on the poet's aims in producing the hymn. Alderink has suggested that the composition
of the work may be the product of an Eleusinian circle attempting to assert local claims to
the mystery rites after Athenian attempts to displace them.12 Stylistically, Parker views
evidence for selected local traditions within the hymn in order to assert religious
independence, most notably emphasised in the expression of cult powers associated more
traditionally with prayers and hymns within an epic framework;13 this might explain the
again abrupt and sudden return to the main plot, which recounts the foundation of the
mysteries and its associations with the divine order in their Eleusinian context, where the
need to appease the goddess in her anger is stressed.14 These claims can also be viewed in
relation to Athens' appropriation and manipulation of the figure Triptolemus in artistic
representation (cf. hymn's treatment, lines 474-479), seen as an attempt to assert cultural and
religious hegemony over other Greek city states during the classical period, as well as
indicate attempts at subverting the Demopon character who in later mythic accounts is
killed off.15 Walton has remarked that the hymn's usefulness as literary propaganda,
believing it to have been designed in order to give precedence to Eleusis as cult founder,
died when these local and imperial tensions waned.16

10
Parker, 8-10; Ruben and Deal, 9-12.
11
Ruben and Deal, 17, 18, 20.
12
Alderink, 1; Perhaps too the overall narrative structure of the hymn, with its emphasis on
request/mediation and eventually compromise, might be alluding to these negotiations.
13
Parker, 2, 4, 6.
14
Alderink, 3; Parker, 1-2, 5-6; Parker here alludes to the use of divine epiphany in the establishment of
Demeter's cult at Eleusis... and makes reference to the hymn's style and select composition as supporting
evidence for the 'mixed nature' of the work, believing that at various points a choice was made to subvert
'international' mythical content in favour of 'local' variants.
15
Apollodous, Bibliotheke, 1.33; Francis R. Walton, "Athens, Eleusis, and the Homeric Hymn to Demeter,"
The Harvard Theological Review 45, no. 2 (1953), 105-6, 107, 109-10, 112-13; It should also be considered
that there is speculation that the hymn's usefulness was limited to this context and was in fact somewhat
forgotten until its resurgence in the late Hellenistic period...
16
Walton, 113-4; Of course Eleusis was not the only community who made significant claims to the origins
of the Mysteries and this is reflected in other mythic narratives - see Ovid, Metamorphoses, 5.337-569 for
Sicilian tradition as well as variations on the mythic content.

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The aetiological nature of the hymn is demonstrated most when placed in the ritual
context of the Eleusinian Mysteries (most notably at lines 474-484); this is indeed where
scholarship has placed the most importance on the hymn as a source of information, even
going so far as to suppose that it can illuminate our understanding of the ritual experience of
initiates.17 The great many allusions to ritual practice associated with the Eleusinian
mysteries contained within the hymn have frequently been the subject for debate by scholars,
however, the majority of conclusions arrived at are only ever based on mere inferences due
to the secretive nature of the cult itself. Imagery associated with the procession of torches,
the important offering of the kykeon brew and even the blinding light viewed upon Demeter's
divine revelation have been connected with cult practice associated with the mysteries and to
the Thesmophoria festival,18 where the old woman or Ds is accorded religious
responsibility and ritual status in recognition of Demeter's suffering journey in disguise
before revelation and return to the heavenly sphere.19 The most valuable aetiological
explanation provided by the text comes, however, at its resolution. For it is here that the
goals of the poet are fully realised in presenting both the establishment of the rites, taught by
Demeter herself, in Eleusis and the 'gift' of happiness in life and death; an incentive perhaps
aimed towards new initiates (lines 480-483). Importantly, the underworld is no longer a
place of doom and gloom, as Persephone has acquired new powers and honours in the world
below and her new husband has been integrated into the natural order of life, death and re-
birth, whilst Demeter has acquired new ritual honours in cult and above all the value placed
upon human society and its relationship to the divine sphere is re-asserted in this new order
accordingly.

17
Parker, 4-5, 8; Walton, 106.
18
Parker, 1, 8; Ruben and Deal, 15; Walton, 111.
19
Parker, 10; Louise Pratt, "The Old Women of Ancient Greece and the Homeric Hymn to Demeter,"
Transactions of the American Philological Association 130 (2000), 43, 56, 59-60; Walton, 109-110.

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Bibliography

Primary Sources:

Anonymous, Homeric Hymn to Demeter.

Apollodorus, Bibliotheke.

Ovid, Metamorphoses.

Secondary Sources:

Alderink, Larry J. "Mythical and Cosmological Structure in the Homeric Hymn to Demeter."
Numen 29, no. 1 (1982): 1-16.

DeBloois, Nancy. "Rape, Marriage or Death? Gender Perspectives in the Homeric Hymn to
Demeter." Philological Quarterly 76, no. 3 (1997): 245-262.

Parker, Robert. "The 'Hymn to Demeter' and the 'Homeric Hymns'." Greece and Rome -
Second Series 38, no 1 (1991): 1-17.

Pratt, Louise. "The Old Women of Ancient Greece and the Homeric Hymn to Demeter."
Transactions of the American Philological Association 130 (2000): 41-65.

Ruben, Nancy Felson and Harriet M. Deal. "Some Functions of the Demophon Episode in
the Homeric Hymn to Demeter." Quaderni Urbinati di Cultura Classica - New Series 5
(1980): 7-21.

Walton, Francis R. "Athens, Eleusis, and the Homeric Hymn to Demeter." The Harvard
Theological Review 45, no. 2 (1952): 105-114.