Greece

• Homeric Hymn to Demeter:

  • Dated to roughly 700 BCE
  • Uses epithets for gods like Zeus
• Themes in the Homeric Hymn to Demeter:

  • Relationship between mortals and gods
  • Nature of Greek Gods: experienced human emotions, actions and emotions could have consequences for humans, gods depended on belief and offerings
• Summary of the Homeric Hymn:

  • Lines 1-18: Persephone abducted by Hades with Zeus' involvement, showing aspects of ancient Greek society and arranged marriages
  • Lines 19-39: Persephone taken to the underworld, heard by Demeter
  • Lines 40-89: Demeter devastated, searches for Persephone, seeks help from Hecate and Helios
  • Lines 90-104: Demeter rages, leaves Olympus, disguises herself among men
  • Lines 105-300: Demeter meets a family, demands a temple be built at Eleusis, shows gods' need for belief and sacrifices
• Who was Persephone with immediately before Hades abducted her?

  Nymphs