Greek Mythology: A Look at Demeter, Goddess of the Harvest

People always look for ways to explain the doings and phenomenon of nature (Daly vii). This is done for comfort, and as a way of finding a meaning in life.

Demeter’s name derives from the Greek words for “earth” and “mother.” The two parts of her name “de” and “meter” are Greek for the words “earth” and “mother” respectively, so her name literally means “Earth Mother” (Webster). This title which Demeter holds is appropriate, given her area of rule. In Roman mythology, Demeter goes by the name of Ceres (Daly 39).

In Greek mythology, the Greeks portray Demeter as the goddess of grain and agriculture (Webster). She presides over the harvest of crops and cares for the earth’s fertility and agriculture (Daly 39). Because of this, the Greeks considered her, along with Dianysus, one of the most important gods in the everyday lives of the people (Pontikis).

Greek mythology usually associates Demeter with corn, wheat, barley, torches, and scepters. Since she rules over the crops and fertility of the earth, her symbols represent what she rules over.

Daughter of the Titans Cronus and Rhea, Demeter was one of Cronus and Rhea’s six children, and sister of Hestia, Hera, Hades, Poseidon, and Zeus (Pontikis). He feared that they would overthrow him and take his throne, as he had done to his own father, Uranus (34). Consequently, Cronus adopted the habit of swallowing his children as they were born, so they would never have a chance of overthrowing him (34). Distraught at the loss of her children, Rhea sought her mother Gaia, the earth mother, and asked for advice (Webster). Gaia advised that she give Cronus a stone to swallow in the place of her next child. After the birth of her last child, Zeus, Rhea followed this advice: she hid Zeu...

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...e did not want him (40). Nevertheless, Demeter only truly loved a mortal named Iasion. With him, she had a son named Plutus. However, Zeus, resentful towards Iasion for sleeping with Demeter, struck him with a lightning bolt and killed him.

Works Cited
Daly, Kathleen N. Greek & Roman Mythology A to Z. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2004. Print.

“Demeter.” Mythography: Exploring Greek, Roman, and Celtic Myth and Art. Web. 8 Dec. 2009 .

Pontikis, Nick. “Demeter: Spirit of the Cultivated Soil.” Greek Mythology Today. Web. 8 Dec. 2009 .

Reid, Jane D. The Oxford Guide to Classical Mythology in the Arts. New York: Oxford University Press, Inc., 1993. Print.

Webster, Michael. “Greek History and the Gods.” Grand Valley State University. Web. 15 Dec. 2009 .