Demeter (Ceres) – Goddess of Fertility, Grain, Agriculture and Seasons

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Wazzup Pilipinas!

In Ancient Greek religion and myth, they believed and worshiped “Gods and Goddesses”, whom were living in the Olympus. Only 12 of them were lucky to rule the universe and live in top of Mount Olympus. They were the “Twelve Olympians”; Aphrodite, Athena, Demeter, Hera, Zeus, Poseidon, Ares, Hephaestus, Dionysus, Hermes, Apollo and Artemis. These Olympians had come to power after their leader, Zeus, overthrew his father, Kronos, leader of the Titans.

Hestia also became a part of the twelve Olympians, until such time that Dionysus came. Although Hades is an important god and brother of Zeus and Poseidon, he is not one of the twelve Olympians since he dwelled in the Underworld. Each of them has an important role for the mortals.

Daughter of Cronus and Rhea together with Hera, Hestia, Hades, Zeus and Poseidon, Demeter is one of the greatest divinities of the Greeks. Demeter was depicted as a mature woman, often crowned and holding sheaf of wheat and a torch. 

Demeter is the Goddess of the Earth, sometimes called as the Mother-Earth or Corn-Mother. She is an Agriculture deity therefore she allows different plants, especially crops to grow. She is the Patroness of farmers. The first loaf of bread from the harvest is sacrificed to her. According to the Athenians, Demeter's greatest gift to humankind was agriculture, particularly of cereals. Demeter's emblems are poppy, a bright red flower that grows among the barley, fruits, corn, grain and flowers. Her sacred animal was the snake (an earth-creature).Demeter is also the deity of fertility. As a fertility goddess she is sometimes identified with Rhea and Gaia. Her sacred animal was the pig (symbol of fertility). Anyone who tries to tamper with her sacred land will face her wrath.

Demeter is also associated with seasons; summer, spring, fall and winter. Demeter did not know was that, by the time Persephone was born, Zeus had secretly promised her to his brother Hades, the dark god of the Underworld... Upon discovering her daughter Persephone’s disappearance which is caused by Hades, she grew into a frantic state of despair and neglected the land which resulted to hunger. Zeus and other gods were not happy for the result of Demeter’s despair. She was able to get her daughter back by the help of Zeus and Hermes but because of the pomegranate seeds that her daughter consumed while in the Underworld, she must return Persephone to Hades for four months. The seasons were created in the upper world. All the time Persephone was with Demeter, Demeter was so full of happiness, that the sun was shining and everything was blooming. All the remaining time, when Persephone had to return to the Underworld, Demeter was in grief and nothing could grow... this was the time winter set out in the world.

I choose Demeter, because somehow I liked her personalities. Demeter was usually very generous, understanding, and respectful, but she would become very fierce when angry. She was also very modest and shy, so she earned the sympathy of the Olympian gods and goddesses.