Page:The Mythology of the Aryan Nations.djvu/543

Rh whither she had gone. From Helios, whom she addresses as the all-seeing, Demeter receives clearer tidings and a deeper sympathy, and now she learns that her child is the bride of Aidoneus, who reigns in the unseen land beneath the earth. The grief of the mourning mother is almost swallowed up in rage, as she leaves the home of the gods and wanders along the fields and by the cities of men, so changed in form, and so closely veiled that none could know the beautiful queen who had till then shed a charm of loveliness over all the ^ide world. At last she sat down by the wayside, near Eleusis, where the maidens of the city came to draw water from the fountain. Here, when questioned by the daughters of Keleos the king, the mourner tells them that her name is Deo, and that, having escaped from Cretan kidnappers, she seeks a refuge and a home, where she may nurse young children. Such a home she finds in the house of Keleos, which the poet makes her enter veiled from head to foot^ Not a word does she utter in answer to the kindly greetings of Metaneira, and the deep gloom is lessened only by the jests and sarcasms of lambe. ^^^len Metaneira offers her wine, she says that now she may not taste it, but asks for a draught of water mingled with flour and mint, and then takes charge of the new-born son of Keleos, whom she names Demophoon, Under her care the babe thrives marel- louslv, thoush he has no nourishment either of bread or of milk. The kindly nurse designs, indeed, to make him immortal ; and thus by day she anoints him with ambrosia, and in the night she plunges him, like a torch, into a bath of fire. But her purpose is finistrated by the folly of Metaneira, who, seeing the child thus basking in the flames, screams with fear, and is told by Demeter that, though her child shall ever receive honour because he has slumbered in her arms, still, like all the sons of men, and like Achilleus himself, he must die. Nevertheless, though she cast the child away from her, she abode yet in the house of Keleos, mourning and grieving for the maiden, so that all things in the heaven above and the earth beneath felt the weight of her sorrow. In vain the ploughs turned up the soil, in vain was the barley seed scattered along the furrows. In 01)"mpos itself there was only gloom and sadness, so that Zeus charged Iris to go and summon Demeter to the palace of the gods. But neither her words nor those of the deities who follow her avail to lessen her grief or to bend her will The mourning mother will not leave the place of her exile till her eyes have looked upon her child once more. • The hymn-writer forgets for a head touched the roof, while a bla^e of moment the veiled Mater Dolorosa, light streamed through the doors and when at her entrance he sajs that her fiUed the dwelling.