The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-03-20

more intimately associated with the re-
| turn of spring. and the blooming of
! the narcissus and hyacinths. than that
Of Dcmeter and Persephone. The Sicii-
| ian meadows were fair with spring
| flowers when Persephone went with
| her companions to gather them, and
strayed apart from the daughters OF
Ocean and her mother. holding her
| blossoms in her hands and breathing
| in the perfume OF thousands OF others
which sprang up around her.
AS she sat musing and looking In
gladncss at sky, earth and sea.
Aidoneus. King of the great nation of
the dead, suddenly appeared In his
golden chariot. with black horses. ana.
Selling the unwilling daughter OF the
gods. bore her away, while her cries to
Demeter for help were echoed back
from hills and sea. The mother-hcart
Of Demeter was pierced by Persc-
phones anguished call, and she fled.
seeking her child everywhere. But
neither man nor god answered. her in
quiries, and for nine days she wand
cred. refusing to taste ambrosia, or
nectar. Afterward she met Hacate,
who went with her to the all-seeins
Sun. From him she learned the truth.
FOrsoolS Assembly OF Gods.
In her anger against Zcus. who fav-
ored and helped Aidoneus. Denleter for
sock the assembly of the gods and
went to Eeusis. There she sat beside
the we'll where the people of Eleusls
drew their water and was greeted by
the four daughters Of Celeus, King OF
Eleusis. Not knowing Demeser to be a
goddess. the daughters. at the COM
mand OF their mother. Metaneira.
brought the grlef-stricken mother to
their fathers house. There she nursed
the child OF Metaneira, and anointed
it daily with anbrosia. When she was
prevented from giving It immortal
youth through the foolishness Of Me-
taneira, she cast the child from her
ana revealed herself openly as u god-
dess.
celeus built temple in her honor,
and there Demeter sat, apart from the
gods. wasting In grief over Perse-
phones absence. The earth. sympathiz-
ing with her sorrow, refused to water
the dry seed htddensin its soil. and the
whole human race would have perish
into the Kingdom OF the dead and COM
manded Aidoneus to send his bride
back to the light Of day. So Aidoneus
yoked his horses again to the golden
chariot, Persephone entered It. Her
mes took the sreins, and, neither the
waters Of the sea, nor%the plvers, nor
the EraVines of the hills, nor the cliffs,
resisting them. they came at last4to the
door Of the temple where Demeter sat,
and mother and daughter We're once
more In each others arms.
Peace Restored. 56
Then a1ells again his mot her Rlea
to reconcile the two to- him, and bring
them bacllgonce more to- the company OF
gods. promising, as atonmentRfor his
offense, that loersephone should here
after remain With her mother two.
thirds Of the year, and spend only one-
third with Aidoneus In the Kingdom OF
the dead. In token OF her renewed Joy,
Demeter suffered the earth to Yield It's
fruits, and the land was speed full !
of leaves and flowers and waving
grain. "a
Dameter belongs in. mythology to
the older religion most nearly assoc
ciated With tho Garth She knew the
magic properties Of certain plants, and
presided over the sources Or springs.8
she was tile preserYer the seed sowl,{
in'hope and presided over all \ no pleas
nt#siEnitlcnnt details Of the farm. the
threshirg floor and the full granarE.
she stood beside tho woman balsing
bread at the oven. she laid her finger
ON the grass at the roadside, and some
new flowers came ~. s q & rev Isl olln s
a gain ScverW spring, and lay on n the
ground out OF doors on simmer Nights,
becoming wet with dew is
lOyid'N Different Version.
Ovid notes lorl n as Il he day or DEE
smetcr's festival, InMllis elegles no re-j
l.lates the following episode, G! e , u;