I begin to sing of rich-haired Demeter, awful goddess —of her and her trim-ankled
 daughter whom Aidoneus rapt away, given to him by all-seeing Zeus the loud-thunderer. Apart
 from Demeter, lady of the golden sword and glorious fruits,

she was playing with the deep-bosomed daughters of Oceanus and gathering flowers over
 a soft meadow, roses and crocuses and beautiful violets, irises also and hyacinths and the
 narcissus, which Earth made to grow at the will of Zeus and to please the Host of Many, to
 be a snare for the bloom-like girl —

a marvellous, radiant flower. It was a thing of awe whether for deathless gods or
 mortal men to see: from its root grew a hundred blooms and it smelled most sweetly, so that
 all wide heaven above and the whole earth and the sea's salt swell laughed for joy.

And the girl was amazed and reached out with both hands to take the lovely toy; but
 the wide-pathed earth yawned there in the plain of Nysa , and the lord, Host of Many, with his immortal horses sprang out upon
 her —the Son of Cronos, He who has many names. He caught her up reluctant on his golden
 car and bare her away

lamenting. Then she cried out shrilly with her voice, calling upon her father, the
 Son of Cronos, who is most high and excellent. But no one, either of the deathless gods or
 of mortal men, heard her voice, nor yet the olive-trees bearing rich fruit:

only tender-hearted Hecate, bright-coiffed, the daughter of Persaeus, heard the girl
 from her cave, and the lord Helios, Hyperion's bright son, as she cried to her father, the
 Son of Cronos. But he was sitting aloof, apart from the gods, in his temple where many pray,
 and receiving sweet offerings from mortal men. So he, that son of Cronos, of many names, who
 is Ruler of Many and Host of Many,

was bearing her away by leave of Zeus on his immortal chariot —his own brother's
 child and all unwilling. And so long as she, the goddess, yet beheld earth and starry heaven
 and the strong-flowing sea where fishes shoal,

and the rays of the sun, and still hoped to see her dear mother and the tribes of
 the eternal gods, so long hope calmed her great heart for all her trouble and the
 heights of the mountains and the depths of the sea rang with her immortal voice: and her
 queenly mother heard her.

Bitter pain seized her heart, and she rent the covering upon her divine hair with
 her dear hands: her dark cloak she cast down from both her shoulders and sped, like a
 wild-bird, over the firm land and yielding sea, seeking her child.

But no one would tell her the truth, neither god nor mortal man; and of the birds of
 omen none came with true news for her. Then for nine days queenly Deo wandered over the
 earth with flaming torches in her hands, so grieved that she never tasted ambrosia and the
 sweet draught of nectar,

nor sprinkled her body with water. But when the tenth enlightening dawn had come,
 Hecate, with a torch in her hands, met her, and spoke to her and told her news: “Queenly
 Demeter, bringer of seasons and giver of good gifts,

what god of heaven or what mortal man has rapt away Persephone and pierced with
 sorrow your dear heart? For I heard her voice, yet saw not with my eyes who it was. But I
 tell you truly and shortly all I know.” So, then, said Hecate.

And the daughter of rich-haired Rhea answered her not, but sped swiftly with her,
 holding flaming torches in her hands. So they came to Helios, who is watchman of both gods
 and men, and stood in front of his horses: and the bright goddess enquired of him: “Helios,
 do you at least regard me, goddess as I am,

if ever by word or deed of mine I have cheered your heart and spirit. Through the
 fruitless air I heard the thrilling cry of my daughter whom I bare, sweet scion of my body
 and lovely in form, as of one seized violently; though with my eyes I saw nothing. But you
 —for with your beams you look down

from the bright upper air over all the earth and sea —tell me truly of my dear
 child, if you have seen her anywhere, what god or mortal man has violently seized her
 against her will and mine, and so made off.” So said she. And the Son of Hyperion answered
 her:

“Queen Demeter, daughter of rich-haired Rhea, I will tell you the truth; for I
 greatly reverence and pity you in your grief for your trim-ankled daughter. None other of
 the deathless gods is to blame, but only cloud-gathering Zeus who gave her to Hades, her
 father's brother, to be called his buxom wife.

And Hades seized her and took her loudly crying in his chariot down to his realm of
 mist and gloom. Yet, goddess, cease your loud lament and keep not vain anger unrelentingly:
 Aidoneus, the Ruler of Many, is no unfitting husband among the deathless gods for your
 child,

being your own brother and born of the same stock: also, for honor, he has that
 third share which he received when division was made at the first, and is appointed lord of
 those among whom he dwells.”

So he spake, and called to his horses: and at his chiding
 they quickly whirled the swift chariot along, like long-winged birds.

But grief yet more terrible and savage came into the heart of Demeter, and
 thereafter she was so angered with the dark-clouded Son of Cronos that she avoided the
 gathering of the gods and high Olympus , and went to
 the towns and rich fields of men, disfiguring her form a long while. And no one of men

or deep-bosomed women knew her when they saw her, until she came to the house of
 wise Celeus who then was lord of fragrant Eleusis . Vexed in her dear heart, she sat near the wayside by the Maiden
 Well, from which the women of the place were used to draw water,

in a shady place over which grew an olive shrub. And she was like an ancient woman
 who is cut off from childbearing and the gifts of garland-loving Aphrodite, like the nurses
 of kings' children who deal justice, or like the house-keepers in their echoing halls.

There the daughters of Celeus, son of Eleusis , saw her, as they were coming for easy-drawn water, to carry it in
 pitchers of bronze to their dear father's house: four were they and like goddesses in the
 flower of their girlhood, Callidice and Cleisidice and lovely Demo

and Callithoë who was the eldest of them all. They knew her not,—for the gods are
 not easily discerned by mortals—, but standing near by her spoke winged words: “Old mother,
 whence and who are you of folk born long ago? Why are you gone away from the city and do not
 draw near the houses?

For there in the shady halls are women of just such age as you, and others younger;
 and they would welcome you both by word and by deed.”

Thus they said. And she, that queen among goddesses
 answered them saying: “Hail, dear children, whosoever you are of woman-kind.

I will tell you my story; for it is not unseemly that I should tell you truly what
 you ask. Doso is my name, for my stately mother gave it me. And now I am come from
 Crete over the sea's wide back,—not willingly;
 but against my liking, by force of strength,

pirates brought me thence. Afterwards they put in with their swift craft to
 Thoricus, and there the women landed on the shore in full throng and the men likewise, and
 they began to make ready a meal by the stern-cables of the ship. But my heart craved not
 pleasant food,

and I fled secretly across the dark country and escaped my masters, that they
 should not take me unpurchased across the sea, there to win a price for me. And so I
 wandered and am come here: and I know not at all what land this is or what people are in it.

But may all those who dwell on Olympus 
 give you husbands and birth of children as parents desire, so you take pity on me, maidens,

and show me this clearly that I may learn, dear children, to the house of what man
 and woman I may go,

to work for them cheerfully at such tasks as belong to a woman of my age. Well
 could I nurse a new born child, holding him in my arms, or keep house, or spread my masters'
 bed in a recess of the well-built chamber, or teach the women their work.”

So said the goddess. And straightway the unwed maiden Callidice, goodliest in form
 of the daughters of Celeus, answered her and said: “Mother,
 what the gods send us, we mortals bear perforce, although we suffer; for they are much
 stronger than we. But now I will teach you clearly,

telling you the names of men who have great power and honor here and are chief
 among the people, guarding our city's coif of towers by their wisdom and true judgements:
 there is wise Triptolemus and Dioclus and Polyxeinus and blameless Eumolpus

and Dolichus and our own brave father. All these have wives who manage in the
 house, and no one of them, so soon as she had seen you, would dishonor you and turn you from
 the house, but they will welcome you; for indeed you are godlike.

But if you will, stay here; and we will go to our father's house and tell
 Metaneira, our deep-bosomed mother, all this matter fully, that she may bid you rather come
 to our home than search after the houses of others. She has an only son,

late-born, who is being nursed in our well-built house, a child of many prayers and
 welcome: if you could bring him up until he reached the full measure of youth, any one of
 womankind who should see you would straightway envy you, such gifts would our mother give
 for his upbringing.” So she spake: and the goddess bowed her head in assent. And they filled
 their shining vessels

with water and carried them off rejoicing. Quickly they came to their father's
 great house and straightway told their mother according as they had heard and seen. Then she
 bade them go with all speed and invite the stranger to come for a measureless hire. As hinds
 or heifers in spring time,

when sated with pasture, bound about a meadow, so they, holding up the folds of
 their lovely garments, darted down the hollow path, and their hair like a crocus flower
 streamed about their shoulders. And they found the good goddess near the wayside where they
 had left her before,

and led her to the house of their dear father. And she walked behind, distressed in
 her dear heart, with her head veiled and wearing a dark cloak which waved about the slender
 feet of the goddess. Soon they came to the house of
 heaven-nurtured Celeus

and went through the portico to where their queenly mother sat by a pillar of the
 close-fitted roof, holding her son, a tender scion, in her bosom. And the girls ran to her.
 But the goddess walked to the threshold: and her head reached the roof and she filled the
 doorway with a heavenly radiance.

Then awe and reverence and pale fear took hold of Metaneira, and she rose up from
 her couch before Demeter, and bade her be seated. But Demeter, bringer of seasons and giver
 of perfect gifts, would not sit upon the bright couch, but stayed silent with lovely eyes
 cast down

until careful Iambe placed a jointed seat for her and threw over it a silvery
 fleece. Then she sat down and held her veil in her hands before her face. A long time she
 sat upon the stool without speaking because of her sorrow, and
 greeted no one by word or by sign, but rested,

never smiling, and tasting neither food nor drink, because she pined with longing
 for her deep-bosomed daughter, until careful Iambe —who pleased her moods in aftertime also
 —moved the holy lady with many a quip and jest to smile and laugh and cheer her heart.

Then Metaneira filled a cup with sweet wine and offered it to her; but she refused
 it, for she said it was not lawful for her to drink red wine, but bade them mix meal and
 water with soft mint and give her to drink.

And Metaneira mixed the draught and gave it to the goddess as she bade. So the
 great queen Deo received it to observe the sacrament 
 And of them all, well-girded Metaneira first began to speak: “Hail, lady! For I think you are not meanly but nobly born; truly dignity and

grace are conspicuous upon your eyes as in the eyes of kings that deal justice. Yet
 we mortals bear perforce what the gods send us, though we be grieved; for a yoke is set upon
 our necks. But now, since you are come here, you shall have what I can bestow: and nurse me
 this child whom the gods gave me in my old age and beyond my hope,

a son much prayed for. If you should bring him up until he reach the full measure
 of youth, any one of woman-kind that sees you will straightway envy you, so great reward
 would I give for his upbringing.” Then rich-haired Demeter answered her:

“And to you, also, lady, all hail, and may the gods give you good! Gladly will I
 take the boy to my breast, as you bid me, and will nurse him. Never, I ween, through any
 heedlessness of his nurse shall witchcraft hurt him nor yet the Undercutter: for I know a charm far stronger than the Woodcutter,

and I know an excellent safeguard against woeful witchcraft.” When she had so
 spoken, she took the child in her fragrant bosom with her divine hands: and his mother was
 glad in her heart. So the goddess nursed in the palace Demophoon, wise Celeus' goodly son
 whom well-girded Metaneira bare.

And the child grew like some immortal being, not fed with food nor nourished at the
 breast: for by day

rich-crowned Demeter would anoint him with ambrosia as if he were the offspring of
 a god and breathe sweetly upon him as she held him in her bosom. But at night she would hide
 him like a brand in the heart of the fire,

unknown to his dear parents. And it wrought great wonder in these that he grew
 beyond his age; for he was like the gods face to face. And she would have made him deathless
 and unageing, had not well-girded Metaneira in her heedlessness kept watch by night from her
 sweet-smelling chamber and

spied. But she wailed and smote her two hips, because she feared for her son and
 was greatly distraught in her heart; so she lamented and uttered winged words: “Demophoön, my son, the strange woman buries you deep in fire and
 works grief and bitter sorrow for me.”

Thus she spoke, mourning. And the bright goddess, lovely-crowned Demeter, heard
 her, and was wroth with her. So with her divine hands she snatched from the fire the dear
 son whom Metaneira had born unhoped-for in the palace, and cast him from her to the ground;
 for she was terribly angry in her heart.

Forthwith she said to well-girded Metaneira: “Witless are you mortals and dull to
 foresee your lot, whether of good or evil, that comes upon you. For now in your heedlessness
 you have wrought folly past healing; for —be witness the oath of the gods, the relentless
 water of Styx —

I would have made your dear son deathless and unaging all his days and would have
 bestowed on him everlasting honor, but now he can in no way escape death and the fates. Yet
 shall unfailing honor always rest upon him, because he lay upon my knees and slept in my
 arms.

But, as the years move round and when he is in his prime, the sons of the
 Eleusinians shall ever wage war and dread strife with one another continually. Lo! I am that
 Demeter who has share of honor and is the greatest help and cause of joy to the undying gods
 and mortal men.

But now, let all the people build me a great temple and an altar below it and
 beneath the city and its sheer wall upon a rising hillock above Callichorus. And I myself
 will teach my rites, that hereafter you may reverently perform them and so win the favour of
 my heart.”

When she had so said, the goddess changed her stature and her looks, thrusting old
 age away from her: beauty spread round about her and a lovely fragrance was wafted from her
 sweet-smelling robes, and from the divine body of the goddess a light shone afar, while
 golden tresses spread down over her shoulders,

so that the strong house was filled with brightness as with lightning. And so she
 went out from the palace. And straightway Metaneira's knees were loosed and she remained
 speechless for a long while and did not remember to take up her late-born son from the
 ground. But his sisters heard his pitiful wailing and sprang down from their well-spread
 beds:

one of them took up the child in her arms and laid him in her bosom, while another
 revived the fire, and a third rushed with soft feet to bring their mother from her fragrant
 chamber. And they gathered about the struggling child and washed him,

embracing him lovingly; but he was not comforted, because nurses and handmaids much
 less skilful were holding him now. All night long they
 sought to appease the glorious goddess, quaking with fear. But, as soon as dawn began to
 show, they told powerful Celeus all things without fail,

as the lovely-crowned goddess Demeter charged them. So Celeus called the countless
 people to an assembly and bade them make a goodly temple for rich-haired Demeter and an
 altar upon the rising hillock. And they obeyed him right speedily and harkened to his voice,

doing as he commanded. As for the child, he grew like an immortal being. Now when
 they had finished building and had drawn back from their toil, they went every man to his
 house. But golden-haired Demeter sat there apart from all the blessed gods and stayed,
 wasting with yearning for her deep-bosomed daughter.

Then she caused a most dreadful and cruel year for mankind over the all-nourishing
 earth: the ground would not make the seed sprout, for rich-crowned Demeter kept it hid. In
 the fields the oxen drew many a curved plough in vain, and much white barley was cast upon
 the land without avail.

So she would have destroyed the whole race of man with cruel famine and have robbed
 them who dwell on Olympus of their glorious right
 of gifts and sacrifices, had not Zeus perceived and marked this in his heart. First he sent
 golden-winged Iris to call

rich-haired Demeter, lovely in form. So he commanded. And she obeyed the
 dark-clouded Son of Cronos, and sped with swift feet across the space between. She came to
 the stronghold of fragrant Eleusis , and there
 finding dark-cloaked Demeter in her temple,

spake to her and uttered winged words: “Demeter, father Zeus, whose wisdom is
 everlasting, calls you to come join the tribes of the eternal gods: come therefore, and let
 not the message I bring from Zeus pass unobeyed.” Thus said Iris imploring her. But
 Demeter's heart was not moved.

Then again the father sent forth all the blessed and eternal gods besides: and they
 came, one after the other, and kept calling her and offering many very beautiful gifts and
 whatever rights she might be pleased to choose among the deathless gods. Yet no one was able
 to persuade her mind and will,

so wroth was she in her heart; but she stubbornly rejected all their words: for she
 vowed that she would never set foot on fragrant Olympus nor let fruit spring out of the ground, until she beheld with her
 eyes her own fair-faced daughter. Now when all-seeing Zeus the loud-thunderer heard this,

he sent the Slayer of Argus whose wand is of gold to Erebus, so that having won
 over Hades with soft words, he might lead forth chaste Persephone to the light from the
 misty gloom to join the gods, and that her mother might see her with her eyes and cease from
 her anger.

And Hermes obeyed, and leaving the house of Olympus , straightway sprang down with speed to the hidden places of the
 earth. And he found the lord Hades in his house seated upon a couch, and his shy mate with
 him, much reluctant, because she yearned for her mother. But she was afar off,

brooding on her fell design because of the deeds of the blessed gods. And the
 strong Slayer of Argus drew near and said: 
 “Dark-haired Hades, ruler
 over the departed, father Zeus bids me bring noble Persephone forth from Erebus unto the gods,

that her mother may see her with her eyes and cease from her dread anger with the
 immortals; for now she plans an awful deed, to destroy the weakly tribes of earth-born men
 by keeping seed hidden beneath the earth, and so she makes an end of the honors of the
 undying gods. For she keeps fearful anger and does not consort with the gods,

but sits aloof in her fragrant temple, dwelling in the rocky hold of Eleusis .” 
 So he said. And Aidoneus, ruler over the dead, smiled grimly and
 obeyed the behest of Zeus the king. For he straightway urged wise Persephone, saying:

“Go now, Persephone, to your dark-robed mother, go, and feel kindly in your heart
 towards me: be not so exceedingly cast down; for I shall be no unfitting husband for you
 among the deathless gods, that am own brother to father Zeus. And while you are here,

you shall rule all that lives and moves and shall have the greatest rights among
 the deathless gods: those who defraud you and do not appease your power with offerings,
 reverently performing rites and paying fit gifts, shall be punished for evermore.”

When he said this, wise Persephone was filled with joy and hastily sprang up for
 gladness. But he on his part secretly gave her sweet pomegranate seed to eat, taking care
 for himself that she might not remain continually with grave, dark-robed Demeter. Then
 Aidoneus the Ruler of Many openly got ready his deathless

horses beneath the golden chariot. And she mounted on the chariot, and the strong
 Slayer of Argus took reins and whip in his dear hands and drove forth from the hall, the
 horses speeding readily.

Swiftly they traversed their long course, and neither the sea nor river-waters nor
 grassy glens nor mountain-peaks checked the career of the immortal horses, but they clave
 the deep air above them as they went. And Hermes brought them to the place where
 rich-crowned Demeter was staying and checked them

before her fragrant temple. And when Demeter saw them, she rushed forth as does a
 Maenad down some thick-wooded mountain, while Persephone on the other side, when she saw her
 mother's sweet eyes, left the chariot and horses, and leaped down to run to her, and falling
 upon her neck, embraced her.

But while Demeter was still holding her dear child in her arms, her heart suddenly
 misgave her for some snare, so that she feared greatly and ceased fondling her daughter and
 asked of her at once: “My child, tell me, surely you have not tasted any food while you were
 below? Speak out and hide nothing, but let us both know.

For if you have not, you shall come back from loathly Hades and live with me and
 your father, the dark-clouded Son of Cronos and be honored by all the deathless gods;
 but if you have tasted food, you must go back again
 beneath the secret places of the earth, there to dwell a third part of the seasons every
 year:

yet for the two parts you shall be with me and the other deathless gods. But when
 the earth shall bloom with the fragrant flowers of spring in every kind, then from the realm
 of darkness and gloom thou shalt come up once more to be a wonder for gods and mortal men.

And now tell me how he rapt you away to the realm of darkness and gloom, and by
 what trick did the strong Host of Many beguile you?”

Then beautiful Persephone answered her thus: “Mother, I will tell you all without
 error. When luck-bringing Hermes came, swift messenger from my father the Son of Cronos and
 the other Sons of Heaven, bidding me come back from Erebus that you might see me with your
 eyes

and so cease from your anger and fearful wrath against the gods, I sprang up at
 once for joy; but he secretly put in my mouth sweet food, a pomegranate seed, and forced me
 to taste against my will. Also I will tell how he rapt me away by the deep plan

of my father the Son of Cronos and carried me off beneath the depths of the earth,
 and will relate the whole matter as you ask. All we were playing in a lovely meadow,
 Leucippe and Phaeno and Electra and Ianthe,
 Melita also and Iache with Rhodea and Callirhoe

and Melobosis and Tyche and Ocyrhoe, fair as a flower, Chryseis, Ianeira, Acaste
 and Admete and Rhodope and Pluto and charming
 Calypso; Styx too was there and Urania and lovely Galaxaura with Pallas who rouses battles
 and Artemis delighting in arrows:

we were playing and gathering sweet flowers in our hands, soft crocuses mingled
 with irises and hyacinths, and rose-blooms and lilies, marvellous to see, and the narcissus
 which the wide earth caused to grow yellow as a crocus. That I plucked in my joy; but the
 earth

parted beneath, and there the strong lord, the Host of Many, sprang forth and in
 his golden chariot he bore me away, all unwilling, beneath the earth: then I cried with a
 shrill cry. All this is true, sore though it grieves me to tell the tale.” 
 So did they then,
 with hearts at one,

greatly cheer each the other's soul and spirit with many an embrace: their hearts
 had relief from their griefs while each took and gave back joyousness. Then bright-coiffed
 Hecate came near to them, and often did she embrace the daughter of holy Demeter:

and from that time the lady Hecate was minister and companion to Persephone. And
 all-seeing Zeus sent a messenger to them, rich-haired Rhea, to bring dark-cloaked Demeter to
 join the families of the gods: and he promised to give her what rights she should choose
 among the deathless gods

and agreed that her daughter should go down for the third part of the circling year
 to darkness and gloom, but for the two parts should live with her mother and the other
 deathless gods. Thus he commanded. And the goddess did not disobey the message of Zeus;
 swiftly she rushed down from the peaks of Olympus

and came to the plain of Rharus, rich, fertile corn-land once, but then in nowise
 fruitful, for it lay idle and utterly leafless, because the white grain was hidden by design
 of trim-ankled Demeter. But afterwards,

as spring-time waxed, it was soon to be waving with long ears of corn, and its rich
 furrows to be loaded with grain upon the ground, while others would already be bound in
 sheaves. There first she landed from the fruitless upper air: and glad were the goddesses to
 see each other and cheered in heart. Then bright-coiffed Rhea said to Demeter:

“Come, my daughter; for far-seeing Zeus the loud-thunderer calls you to join the
 families of the gods, and has promised to give you what rights you please among the
 deathless gods, and has agreed that for a third part of the circling year your daughter
 shall go down to darkness and gloom,

but for the two parts shall be with you and the other deathless gods: so has he
 declared it shall be and has bowed his head in token. But come, my child, obey, and be not
 too angry unrelentingly with the dark-clouded Son of Cronos; but rather increase forthwith
 for men the fruit that gives them life.”

So spake Rhea. And rich-crowned Demeter did not refuse but straightway made fruit
 to spring up from the rich lands, so that the whole wide earth was laden with leaves and
 flowers. Then she went, and to the kings who deal justice, Triptolemus and Diocles, the
 horse-driver,

and to doughty Eumolpus and Celeus, leader of the people, she showed the conduct of
 her rites and taught them all her mysteries, to Triptolemus and Polyxeinus and Diocles also,
 —awful mysteries which no one may in any way transgress or pry into or utter, for deep awe
 of the gods checks the voice.

Happy is he among men upon earth who has seen these mysteries; but he who is
 uninitiate and who has no part in them, never has lot of like good things once he is dead,
 down in the darkness and gloom. But when the bright goddess had taught them all, they went
 to Olympus to the gathering of the other gods.

And there they dwell beside Zeus who delights in thunder, awful and reverend
 goddesses. Right blessed is he among men on earth whom they freely love: soon they do send
 Plutus as guest to his great house, Plutus who gives wealth to mortal men.

And now, queen of the land of sweet Eleusis and sea-girt Paros and rocky
 Antron , lady, giver of good gifts, bringer of
 seasons, queen Deo, be gracious, you and your daughter all beauteous Persephone, and for my
 song grant me heart-cheering substance.

And now I will remember you and another song also.