batch.motif.comparative-golden-bough-volume-1-frazer-gutenberg-l12413-l12626
---
record_id: batch.motif.comparative-golden-bough-volume-1-frazer-gutenberg-l12413-l12626
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/comparative/project-gutenberg/golden-bough-volume-1-frazer.md
passage_locator:
label: CHAPTER II. THE PERILS OF THE SOUL. / HEINE. / CHAPTER III. KILLING THE GOD.
/ FOOTNOTES; lines 12413-12626
start: '12413'
end: '12626'
translation: 'The Golden Bough: A Study in Comparative Religion (Vol. 1 of 2)'
notes: Generated from OpenAI Batch run motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority;
human review required.
canonical_text:
quote: at the initiation into the Eleusinian mysteries ... the central mystery revealed
to the initiated was a reaped ear of corn
summary: The passage is a series of footnotes. It cites sources on Demeter as a
corn-goddess and Proserpine in the same character, and notes Hippolytus's statement
that the central revelation in Eleusinian initiation was a reaped ear of corn.
The remaining notes largely provide bibliographic references to ancient and modern
sources concerning Greek deities, corn customs, and related folklore discussed
elsewhere in the work.
language: English
quote_policy: quoted
literal_observations:
- id: obs:1
text: Demeter is described as a corn-goddess in the bibliographic note.
category: attribute
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:2
text: Proserpine is described as having the same corn-goddess character in cited
sources.
category: attribute
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: obs:3
text: The Eleusinian mysteries are identified as rites of Demeter.
category: relationship
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: obs:4
text: At initiation into the Eleusinian mysteries, the central mystery revealed
to the initiated is stated to have been a reaped ear of corn.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: obs:5
text: The passage cites ancient sources for Demeter and Proserpine narratives, including
the Homeric Hymn to Demeter, Apollodorus, and Ovid.
category: other
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
figures:
- id: fig:1
name_or_label: Demeter
description: Named as a corn-goddess and associated with the Eleusinian mysteries,
which are called rites of Demeter.
role_refs:
- role:1
- role:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:3
- id: fig:2
name_or_label: Proserpine
description: Named as sharing the same corn-goddess character in cited sources.
role_refs:
- role:1
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: fig:3
name_or_label: the initiated
description: People initiated into the Eleusinian mysteries who receive the central
revelation.
role_refs:
- role:2
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
roles:
- id: role:1
label: corn-goddess
assigned_to:
- fig:1
- fig:2
basis: The note explicitly refers to Demeter as a corn-goddess and Proserpine in
the same character.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- id: role:2
label: initiated recipients of revelation
assigned_to:
- fig:3
basis: The passage states that a central mystery was revealed to the initiated at
Eleusinian initiation.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: role:3
label: deity of associated rites
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: The Eleusinian mysteries are parenthetically described as rites of Demeter.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
symbols:
- id: sym:1
label: reaped ear of corn
literal_form: a reaped ear of corn
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:3
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: sym:2
label: corn
literal_form: corn as the defining attribute in 'corn-goddess'
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:2
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
scenes:
- id: scene:1
label: Eleusinian initiation revelation
summary: During initiation into the Eleusinian mysteries, a reaped ear of corn is
stated to be revealed to the initiated as the central mystery.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:3
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
candidate_motifs:
- id: motif:1
label: initiation with revealed sacred object
taxonomy_refs:
- initiation
basis: The passage explicitly describes initiation into the Eleusinian mysteries
and the revelation of a reaped ear of corn to initiates.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
confidence: high
cautions: The passage is a footnote and does not narrate the rite in detail.
- id: motif:2
label: grain deity or corn-goddess identity
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: The passage explicitly treats Demeter and Proserpine as corn-goddess figures.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
confidence: medium
cautions: No specific taxonomy reference for grain or corn deity is supplied in
the available taxonomy list.
comparison_claims:
- id: claim:1
claim: The passage presents Demeter and Proserpine as sharing the same corn-goddess
function.
claim_level: same_function
target: Demeter and Proserpine as corn-goddess figures
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
counter_evidence_refs: []
confidence: medium
limitations: The claim is based on a bibliographic footnote rather than a full narrative
comparison.
evidence:
- id: ev:1
type: quote
locator: lines 12413-12422; footnote 1089
quote_or_summary: '"On Demeter as a corn-goddess see Mannhardt..."'
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/comparative/project-gutenberg/golden-bough-volume-1-frazer.md
rights_note: Public domain source; short excerpt used.
- id: ev:2
type: quote
locator: lines 12414-12418; footnote 1089
quote_or_summary: '"on Proserpine in the same character see..."'
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/comparative/project-gutenberg/golden-bough-volume-1-frazer.md
rights_note: Public domain source; short excerpt used.
- id: ev:3
type: quote
locator: lines 12419-12425; footnote 1089
quote_or_summary: '"at the initiation into the Eleusinian mysteries ... the central
mystery revealed to the initiated was a reaped ear of corn"'
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/comparative/project-gutenberg/golden-bough-volume-1-frazer.md
rights_note: Public domain source; short excerpt used.
- id: ev:4
type: summary
locator: lines 12431-12433; footnote 1091
quote_or_summary: The note cites the Homeric Hymn to Demeter, Apollodorus, and Ovid's
Fasti and Metamorphoses for the Demeter-related narrative material.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/comparative/project-gutenberg/golden-bough-volume-1-frazer.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
confidence:
extraction: medium
motif_candidates: medium
comparison_claims: medium
notes: The most concrete extractable data come from footnote 1089. Much of the passage
is bibliographic and lacks narrative detail, so motif extraction is limited.
reviewer_status:
status: needs_review
reviewer: ''
reviewed_at: ''
notes: Machine-generated draft from OpenAI Batch; not human-reviewed.
extracted_by: openai_batch:gpt-5.5
extracted_at: '2026-04-28'
notes: |-
No taxonomy symbol was assigned to corn because the provided symbol list includes only cave, fire, milk, mountain, serpent, tree, and water.
batch_run_id=motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority
custom_id=motif_extract:comparative-golden-bough-volume-1-frazer-gutenberg__l12413-l12626
passage_sha256=1f56224555ad69e7355021e8f91b4fe1145eb249f3eee38a764e7ca6d6bfa41c