Why There Is Only One Temple Of Demeter

Demeter

The Greeks had their roots in the primeval. But their myths only show how high they had risen above. Only a few traces are to be found in the stories. Nobody knows when these stories were first told. The myths are the creation of great poets. The first written record of Greece is the Iliad. Greek mythology that starts with Homer is believed to be not earlier than a thousand years before Christ. 

It is said that the Greeks unlike Egyptians made their gods in their own image. The Greeks did not believe that the gods created the universe. It was the other way: the universe created the gods. Before there were gods, heaven and earth had been formed. They were the first parents. The titans were their children and the gods were their grandchildren.

To think of Greek mythology what comes to our mind is Zeus, Poseidon, Hades etc. because these characters are much more familiar to us. We have seen these characters in plenty of movies and read about them in plenty of books. But today whom we are going to talk about is not that famous but that doesn’t make her any less.

Demeter, Goddess of Fertility

Today we will be talking about one of the Greek goddesses named Demeter. She is the sister of Zeus. She is the goddess of harvest and the fertility of the earth. Although she is referred to the goddess of grains, she is also the goddess of sacred law and the cycle of life and death. The first record to be found about Demeter was in some of the hymns written by Homer dating from the eighth or the beginning of the seventh century.

Hades Carrying Persephone

The story was about Demeter and her only daughter, Persephone. Persephone was very beautiful. She was the maiden of spring. The lord of the underworld Hades carried her off to the underworld. 

Demeter Grieving for Her Daughter

Demeter lost her only daughter and in her terrible grief, she withheld her gifts from the earth. This turned the earth into a frozen desert. Demeter sped like a bird over sea and land seeking her daughter. But no one would tell her where Persephone. Demeter wandered for nine days. At last, she came to the Sun and Sun told her the story:

Persephone was down in the world beneath the earth, among the shadowy dead.

At the very moment, she left Olympus and started to dwell on earth in disguise. In her desolate wanderings, she came to Eleusis. She was sitting by the wayside near a well when four beautiful maidens came to draw water from the well.

They asked Demeter pityingly, "Who are you, lady? Why are you sitting here?"

Demeter answered them, “I have fled from the pirates. They were selling me as a slave. I don’t know anyone in this place whom I can go for help.”

One of the maiden answered Demeter, “The people of this place are very nice. They will surely help you. You can come with us to our house. Wait for us here, we are going home to ask mother. If mother permits us, we will take you to our home."

Demeter bent her head in assent and the four maidens hurried home to ask their mother. Their mother Metaneira bade them return to take the stranger home. They came back and took Demeter home with them.

Demeter and Demophoon

In the house, Demeter became so attached to Demophoon, the newborn of Metaneira. Demeter nursed Demophoon. Demeter wanted to give Demophoon immortal youth. So in the daytime, Demeter anointed Demophoon with ambrosia and at night she placed Demophoon in the red heart of the fire. Demophoon grew like a young god.

But this made Metaneira uneasy. One night she kept watch on Demophoon and the lady. She was very much scared and screamed when she saw her child laid in the fire.

The goddess was very much angered. She seized the boy and cast him on the ground. Then Demeter showed herself to Metaneira and told her, “If you want to win the favor of my heart, you must build me a great temple near the town.” Saying this Demeter left the place.

Demeter's Only Temple

In the morning Metaneira told everyone what had happened and revealed to them the command of the goddess. All the people worked willingly to build Demeter a temple. When it was finished Demeter came and sat there apart from the gods in Olympus.

You can still witness this historic temple. This temple is on the Cycladic island of Naxos in the area of Gyroulas about 1.5 km south of Ano Sangri. This temple was said to be built around 530 BC and it is one of the earliest Ionic temples. The temple was built completely from Naxian marble. It is the only temple that was built for Demeter.