m　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。。。。　（7）
  （（LACUNA））
  （ll。　212…223）　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　womankind　that　sees　you　will　straightway　envy　you；　so　great　reward　would　I　give　for　his　upbringing。'
  （ll。　224…230）　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　（8）：　for　I　know　a　charm　far　stronger　than　the　Woodcutter；　and　I　know　an　excellent　safeguard　against　woeful　witchcraft。'
  （ll。　231…247）　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　heard　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：
  （ll。　248…249）　‘Demophoon；　my　son；　the　strange　woman　buries　you　deep　in　fire　and　works　grief　and　bitter　sorrow　for　me。'
  （ll。　250…255）　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：
  （ll。　256…274）　‘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　honour；　but　now　he　can　in　no　way　escape　death　and　the　fates。　　Yet　shall　unfailing　honour　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　honour　and　is　the　greatest　help　and　cause　of　joy　to　the　undying　gods　and　mortal　men。　　But　now；　let　all　the　people　build　be　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。'
  （ll。　275…281）　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。
  （ll。　281…291）　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。
  （ll。　292…300）　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。
  （ll。　301…320）　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：
  （ll。　321…323）　‘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。'
  （ll。　324…333）　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　right　she　might　be　pleased　to　choose　among　the　deathless　gods。　　Yet　no　one　was　able　to　persuade　her　mind　and　will；　so　wrath　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。
  （ll。　334…346）　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：
  （ll。　347…356）　‘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　earthborn　men　by　keeping　seed　hidden　beneath　the　earth；　and　so　she　makes　an　end　of　the　honours　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。'
  （ll。　357…359）　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：
  （ll。　360…369）　‘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　defr