ke　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　men；　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：
  （ll。　54…58）　‘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。'
  （ll。　59…73）　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。'
  （ll。　74…87）　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　honour；　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。'
  （ll。　88…89）　So　he　spake；　and　called　to　his　horses：　and　at　his　chiding　they　quickly　whirled　the　swift　chariot　along；　like　long…　winged　birds。
  （ll。　90…112）　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　king's　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　Callithoe　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：
  （ll。　113…117）　‘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。'
  （ll。　118…144）　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　pirates　brought　be　thence　by　force　of　strength　against　my　liking。　　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　by　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。'
  （ll。　145…146）　So　said　the　goddess。　　And　straightway　the　unwed　maiden　Callidice；　goodliest　in　form　of　the　daughters　of　Celeus；　answered　her　and　said：
  （ll。　147…168）　‘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　honour　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　has　seen　you；　would　dishonour　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。'
  （ll。　169…183）　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。
  （ll。　184…211）　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　（6）　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