A-Z: General definitions
- Dactyl
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- Daedalus and Icarus
- Dagon
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- Demeter
A-Z: General definitions: Demeter
Definition
Demeter (Ceres) was the Greek goddess of corn, the sustainer of life for all creatures. She was a daughter of Cronos and had a daughter, Persephone Proserpina, by her brother Zeus. With Zeus' support, Hades abducted Persephone, taking her down into the Underworld to be his wife. Demeter searched for her daughter, her grief making the earth barren. Zeus ordered Hades to return the girl, but she had already eaten one (or six) pomegranate seeds, meaning she had to stay with Hades. An agreement was reached to restore the Earth's fertility: Persephone would leave the Underworld for half of each year to be with Demeter, thus establishing the seasonal pattern of the crops.
Related Topics
Greek goddess of fertility and the crops. (Roman name, Ceres.)
Roman goddess of fertility and the crops. (Greek name, Demeter.)
One of the Titans. Father of Zeus. (Roman name, Saturn.)
Daughter of Zeus and Ceres, who was carried down into the Underworld by Hades. Later, she would spend half the year with Ceres and half with Hades, so giving rise to the cycle of the crop-growing season. Also known as Proserpine.
Daughter of Zeus and Ceres, who was carried down into the Underworld by Hades. Later, she would spend half the year with Ceres and half with Hades, so giving rise to the cycle of the crop-growing season. (Also known as Proserpine and Persephone.)
Son of Cronos, ruler and chief of the Greek gods, originally a sky-god. (Roman name: Jupiter.)
God of the Underworld (Roman name, Pluto); a Greek word for the world of the dead, where they await final judgement.
God of the Underworld (Roman name, Pluto); a Greek word for the world of the dead, where they await final judgement.
One of the Titans. Father of Zeus. (Roman name, Saturn.)
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