Homeric Hymn 13, "To Demeter"

Demeter I begin to sing – Comely-haired, reverend goddess – Herself and her daughter, Persephone of surpassing beauty. Hail, goddess, and safeguard this city – Be, too, leader of my song. Δήμητρ᾽ ἠύκομον, σεμνὴν θεάν, ἄρχομ᾽ ἀείδειν, αὐτὴν καὶ κούρην, περικαλλέα Περσεφόνειαν. χαῖρε, θεά, καὶ τήνδε σάου πόλιν: ἄρχε δ᾽ ἀοιδῆς.

Head of a marble statue of Demeter. Artist unknown; 2nd cent. CE. Found at Sagalassos, near modern Burdur, Turkey; now in the Burdur Archaeological Museum. Photo credit: Bodrumlu55/Wikimedia Commons.

Ancient Greek terracotta incense burner in the form of a female head, possibly Kore/Persephone.  Artist unknown; 3rd cent. BCE.  Now in the Walters Art Museum, Baltimore.

A Song for the Eleusinian Goddesses

Anonymous scolion (drinking song), PMG 885 = Athenaeus, Deipnosophistae 15.694c  In the season of garland-wearing I sing Of Demeter, Wealth’s Olympian mother, And of you, child of Zeus, Persephone- Hail to you both, and guard this city well.  Πλούτου μητέρ’ Ὀλυμπίαν ἀείδω Δήμητρα στεφανηφόροις ἐν ὥραις σέ τε παῖ Διὸς Φερσεφόνη· χαίρετον, εὖ δὲ τάνδ’ ἀμφέπετον πόλιν.

Terracotta plaque bust of Demeter.  Artist unknown; early 5th cent. BCE.  Found on Naxos; now in the Archaeological Museum of Naxos.  Photo credit: Zde/Wikimedia Commons.

Kore (Persephone) gives the Eleusinian nobleman Triptolemos the gift of grain, which he will soon spread throughout the entire inhabited world.  Tondo of a red-figure Attic cup; attributed to the Aberdeen Painter; ca. 470-460 BCE.  Found in Vulci; now in the Louvre.