HOMERIC HYMN: DEMETER AT ELUSIS by ANONYMOUS

She, with heavy heart
Sat by a wayside fountain in the shade,
The Maiden Spring, from which the townsfolk drew,
Where overhead a branching olive grew.

The likeness of some ancient one she wore
Whose bearing-time is past, of one to whom
Wreath'd Aphrodite lends her gifts no more, --
Kings, who in judgement sit and give their doom,
Take such to nurse their sons, or mind the store,
Going about from echoing room to room.
And soon there came and marked her in that place
Daughters of Keleus, of Eleusis' race.

They came to dip their brazen urns and bear
Spring-waters home, a godlike company,
Wearing their youth as flowers their spring-time wear, --
Kallidike, and Demo, dear as she;
With whom Kleisidike appears, and there
The eldest of the four, Kallithoe.
Yet goddess saw they none: to men below
The faces of the gods are hard to know.

Close by they stood, and words came winging forth:
'Pray tell us who you are, and whence you come,
Old mother, from the ancient ones of earth?
And why so far from town? Seek you no home
In shadowy halls where women keep the hearth
Grown old as you are old? There too are some
Of younger age and charity no less
In word and deed to comfort your distress.'

To them the heavenly queen her answer gave:
'Welcome, dear girls, whoever you may be.
Listen, and I will tell you all you crave,
For surely you should hear the truth from me.
Doris the name my mother bade me have.
From Crete I come, over the broad-ridg'd sea;
By force compelled, reluctantly I sailed;
For pirates seized me and their will prevailed.

'Swiftly they ran to Thoricos for trade,
And put ashore the women, every one;
Then by the cables to the stern belayed
Sweet food prepared: but I had heart for none.
Over the dark mainland by stealth I made
From those proud masters ere the meal begun,
That they might nothing get who nothing gave
But looked for profit from a stolen slave.

'And so I wandered and am here arriven,
And nothing of your land or people know.
But O I pray that gods in highest heaven
May give you each a husband, and bestow
Children upon you, -- and to them be given
What gifts a parent will! Pity me now,
Young maids, and of your kindness, children dear,
Tell me some house of man or woman here

'Where I may go and serve with ready will,
Doing such tasks as one grown old may do;
A baby I could nurse and dandle still,
Or mind the house, or for my master strew
His bed, in timbered chamber joined with skill,
And teach the serving-maids their housework too.'
So spake the goddess. Then Kleisidike,
The loveliest of that virgin company: --

'Mother, we suffer as the gods ordain,
For we are men, and gods are mightier far.
Now will I tell you truly and explain
Who the great chieftains, high in honour, are, --
The overlords, whose counsel sovereign
And honest ruling at the judgement-bar
Uphold the State, keeping this land of ours,
And this our city with its crown of towers.

'Know first Triptolemos, in counsel shrewd,
Then Dioklos, and Polyxeinos then;
And three besides, -- Eumolpos, called the good;
Dolichos; and our father, best of men.
Whose ladies all, that mind their livelihood,
Would think no scorn, nor bid you forth again.
To win their hearts enough one look would be,
For like the holy gods you seem to me.

'But wait on our return, till we go tell
Deep-girdled Metaneira all you say;
For she's our mother, and may bid you dwell
With us, and spare your search a longer way.
A son of many prayers, late-born, loved well,
In our good home she nurses, and would pay,
To see him fully grown, so rich a prize
As would bring envy to a woman's eyes.'

She bowed assent. Each one her gleaming urn
Dipped, and rejoicing to the great house sped;
And Metaneira, soon as she could learn
How looked that ancient one and what she said,
A great wage bade them offer, and return.
Then light as fawn or heifer meadow-fed
In spring-time skips, along the rutted track
Lifting their pretty skirts, they darted back.

Like flower of the saffron as they ran
Rippled their hair, over their shoulders playing;
Quickly they found the Power Olympian
Beside the road, where late they left her, staying,
Then, going first, their homeward way began.
And she with covered head and heart dismaying
In robe of sable went, whose hem below
About her slender feet tossed to and fro.

Through pillared porch they ran, their journey done,
Into the house of Keleus heaven-blest,
And soon, beside a column set, whereon
The roof-beams lay of timber finely drest,
They found the queen, their mother, and her son
Fresh as a young bud growing at her breast.
Then stepped the goddess in: her head she bore
Roof-high: a glory of heaven filled the door.

The other looked, and shrank before her face,
Compelled by awe and worship. Pale for fear
She left her seat and gave the goddess place.

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