Demeter’s Grief lam the Goddess of harvest and agriculture; all those who worship me call me Demeter. My story begins with me having only one child, and it is my dearest daughter, Persephone. She is beautiful, kind, and also the daughter of my brother Zeus, I care about her the most. Persephone has always been delightful being around, she is all joyful and full of warm smiles. But then one morning, she went out to the fields to gather some flowers like she would do. As time passes, she has not come back from the fields. I begin to worry as the hour’s pass by thinking why she is taking so long.
But I am certain that she takes her time to gaze upon the ravishing flowers. Later in the morning, I hear an echoing cry from the mountains, the voice had seemed to belong to Persephone. I rush and sped out to search for her down on earth; I roam all around, I start to panic and wonder if I will be able to find her. My tears start to roll down on my cheek as I yell out for Persephone, she was nowhere in sight. I still go on to search for her and hope that she will come back all well and joyful. As I pass by the trees, they start to wither leaves, then flowers start to droop, and crops begin to wilt and decay.
But I do not take notice of the plants and see the harm I am doing; all I want to see is my missing daughter. Nonetheless, I search all around for her, with no taste of ambrosia nor the sweet nectar I feed on, I do not quit my search for Persephone. I cover myself in a long blue cloak since it has started to get more frigid than before. I approach an old man and ask: “Have you seen a young woman named Persephone, she is my daughter but I could not find her anywhere, have you seen her? ” “No, I have not seen a single soul. Now may you excuse me, I must water my crops, the plants are starting to wilt.
This cold weather will not do for these hopeless crops” he said as he turned away to his crops. ” “Thank you, may the gods bless you” I walked away still yearning were my dear daughter Persephone is at. Asking every person I walk past or approach to if they had seen her but replied they have not. On my ninth day of looking for her, I called out to the sun if he had seen Persephone anywhere. He replies that he has, my hopes go up to see where she could be found. The sun replies: “Your daughter, Persephone has abducted by Hades, God of the dead. She is to be made his queen of the Underworld. ”
This news brought me to despair and pain in my heart, I took my pain out on earth. As the crops begin to rot, the plants start to wilt, and the weather began to turn frigid that rivers freeze. My grief extended around farms and forest, I withheld all the goods that I would give to earth, furthermore bringing famine. I left Olympus and began to dwell on earth with greater grief in my heart, I disguised myself so that mortals will not notice who | was. I roam around a town, passing through houses with children outside, then I gaze upon four kind maidens, sisters, gathering water out of well.
One maiden, who seemed to look like the youngest of them came to me along with her other sisters. Then youngest asked me: “Why are you wandering around so lonely with a pitiful face? ” | did not know what to say, but I answered: “I have fled from pirates that sought to sell me as a slave, but I did not know anyone one who would be able to help me. ” “You poor woman, I believe any house around here would be grateful to take you in but I think it would be best if my sisters and I take you to our home. ” “You are so kind, I admire your offer. ” The four maidens then welcomed me in front of their home.
They told me to wait here a while, they fill up their water pitchers before they are able to ask their mother if I am able to stay at their home. I feel much grateful to these kind women who brought me here, I then change my appearance to my goddess form as I wait for them. Their mother ordered them to come home at once, also to invite me in, they rushed out to me to only find me in my true form as a goddess. They brought me in and showed me around their lovely home, then we stopped at the hall and I saw their mother holding a small child, a son, my bright aura filled the room.
Good evening, my name is Metaneira, and this is my son Demophoon. I see you have met my daughters. ” “Good evening as well, I am the goddess, Demeter. You have a lovely family, I do wish I had my daughter with me, but she has been taken from me. ” “I have heard such news, I welcome you to stay a while so you could be comforted” she bowed her head. “Thank you” I then answer. Some days have passed and I have been offered some things by my dear friend Metaneira, moreover, I have been constantly nursing her child Demophoon.
I grew attached to him as the days passed when I take care of him, but I fear the short mortal life he will live. I have made my plan to make him immortal by anointing him with ambrosia, then by night, placing him in a ring of fire to give him immortal youth. But Metaneira intruded in. She screamed and rushed in quickly and snatched Demophoon out of the ring of fire. I burst in anger and left the both of them, I still withheld the goods from earth from my grieving of Persephone. Mortals come to me and bow to ask that I give back the nourishment of crops, but I do not listen.
By the next morning, the helpless mortals have built me a temple near their town to see if they have won my heart, but I left them again. Nothing could make me happier than my dearest daughter Persephone. The next morning they all gathered around the temple and I decided to sit upon the throne they placed for me. I sat here countless day yearning for my daughter, Persephone to come back. My brother Zeus would send god after goddess to persuade me to stop my foolishness, but I do not listen to any of them.
Still grieving each day, then one day my dear brother Hermes comes to me for news of my daughter. He has told me that I will lose Persephone for four months every year, but accompanied by her for the rest. By the next morning, Persephone, my dearest daughter was with me. Tears of joy broke out from my eyes when we finally met each other again. When she was here with me, flowers blossomed, Crops grew, trees grew out beautiful green leaves, and the sun shone brighter for eight months every year. In the autumn season, she would be away from me for four months every year.