batch.motif.greek-hesiod-homeric-hymns-evelyn-white-gutenberg-l5349-l5443
---
record_id: batch.motif.greek-hesiod-homeric-hymns-evelyn-white-gutenberg-l5349-l5443
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/hesiod-homeric-hymns-homerica.md
passage_locator:
label: DOUBTFUL FRAGMENTS / THE HOMERIC HYMNS / I. TO DIONYSUS 2501 / II. TO DEMETER;
lines 5349-5443
start: '5349'
end: '5443'
translation: Hesiod, the Homeric Hymns, and Homerica
notes: Generated from OpenAI Batch run motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority;
human review required.
canonical_text:
quote: ''
summary: Demeter enters the house of Celeus in sorrow, is received by Metaneira,
refuses wine, accepts a mixed drink of meal, water, and mint, and becomes nurse
to Demophoon. She secretly treats the child with ambrosia, breath, and nightly
fire to make him deathless, but Metaneira sees and interrupts. Demeter reveals
herself, declares the lost immortality of the child, orders a temple and altar,
promises to teach rites, and leaves in radiant divine form.
language: English
quote_policy: summarized
literal_observations:
- id: obs:1
text: A goddess enters the house and fills the doorway with heavenly radiance, causing
awe, reverence, and fear in Metaneira.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:2
text: Demeter sits veiled and silent in grief, neither smiling nor tasting food
or drink until Iambe's jests move her to smile and cheer her heart.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: obs:3
text: Demeter refuses red wine as unlawful for her and asks instead for a mixture
of meal, water, and soft mint.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: obs:4
text: Metaneira offers Demeter the task of nursing her late-born son and promises
a great reward if the child reaches youth.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: obs:5
text: Demeter accepts the boy and says that no witchcraft or Undercutter will harm
him through the nurse's heedlessness, because she knows protective charms.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: obs:6
text: Demeter nurses Demophoon without ordinary food or breast milk; by day she
anoints him with ambrosia and breathes upon him, and by night she hides him in
the fire like a brand.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: obs:7
text: Demophoon grows beyond his age and appears like the gods face to face.
category: attribute
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: obs:8
text: Metaneira keeps watch at night, sees Demeter's act with the fire, and cries
out in fear for her son.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- id: obs:9
text: Demeter angrily removes the child from the fire and casts him to the ground.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- id: obs:10
text: Demeter states that she would have made Demophoon deathless and unageing,
but now he cannot escape death and the fates.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:9
- id: obs:11
text: Demeter declares that unfailing honour will rest on Demophoon because he lay
on her knees and slept in her arms.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:9
- id: obs:12
text: Demeter identifies herself and orders the people to build her a temple and
altar; she says she will teach rites to be performed reverently.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:10
- id: obs:13
text: Demeter changes from old age into divine beauty, fragrance, golden hair, and
light that fills the house like lightning.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:11
figures:
- id: fig:1
name_or_label: Demeter / Deo
description: The goddess, called bringer of seasons and giver of perfect gifts,
who appears in the house, grieves for her daughter, nurses Demophoon, reveals
her identity, and commands rites.
role_refs:
- role:1
- role:2
- role:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- ev:6
- ev:9
- ev:10
- ev:11
- id: fig:2
name_or_label: Metaneira
description: Queenly mother in the house of Celeus, holding her son; she receives
Demeter, gives her the mixed drink, entrusts Demophoon to her, and later interrupts
the nightly fire ritual.
role_refs:
- role:4
- role:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:3
- ev:4
- ev:7
- id: fig:3
name_or_label: Iambe
description: Careful Iambe places a seat and fleece for Demeter and later moves
her with quips and jests to smile and laugh.
role_refs:
- role:6
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: fig:4
name_or_label: Demophoon
description: The late-born son of Metaneira and Celeus, nursed by Demeter, treated
with ambrosia, breath, and fire, and nearly made deathless and unageing.
role_refs:
- role:7
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:6
- ev:9
- id: fig:5
name_or_label: Celeus
description: Heaven-nurtured Celeus, owner of the house and father of Demophoon,
named as wise Celeus in relation to his son.
role_refs:
- role:8
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:6
- id: fig:6
name_or_label: Demeter's daughter
description: The deep-bosomed daughter for whom Demeter pines with longing; she
is not otherwise present in the passage.
role_refs:
- role:9
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
roles:
- id: role:1
label: revealed goddess
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: Demeter fills the doorway with radiance and later identifies herself as Demeter,
honoured among gods and mortals.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:10
- id: role:2
label: grieving mother
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: She refuses food and drink because she pines for her daughter.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: role:3
label: divine nurse and ritual founder
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: She nurses Demophoon with divine substances and later orders a temple and
promises to teach rites.
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- ev:10
- id: role:4
label: mortal mother
assigned_to:
- fig:2
basis: Metaneira holds her son, asks Demeter to nurse him, and fears for him when
she sees him in the fire.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:4
- ev:7
- id: role:5
label: interrupter of divine immortalization
assigned_to:
- fig:2
basis: By keeping watch and crying out, she interrupts the process Demeter says
would have made the child deathless and unageing.
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- ev:9
- id: role:6
label: comic consoler
assigned_to:
- fig:3
basis: Iambe uses quips and jests to make Demeter smile, laugh, and be cheered.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: role:7
label: mortal child under divine care
assigned_to:
- fig:4
basis: Demophoon is entrusted to Demeter, grows beyond his age under her care, but
remains subject to death and fate after interruption.
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:6
- ev:9
- id: role:8
label: householder and father
assigned_to:
- fig:5
basis: The events occur in the house of Celeus, and Demophoon is called his son.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:6
- id: role:9
label: absent beloved daughter
assigned_to:
- fig:6
basis: Demeter's silence and abstention are explained by longing for her daughter.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
symbols:
- id: sym:1
label: heavenly radiance and lightning-like brightness
literal_form: Radiance at Demeter's entrance and light from her divine body that
fills the house like lightning
associated_figures:
- fig:1
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:11
- id: sym:2
label: veil
literal_form: Demeter holds her veil before her face while seated in grief
associated_figures:
- fig:1
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: sym:3
label: mixed drink of meal, water, and mint
literal_form: A draught mixed by Metaneira after Demeter refuses wine
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:2
taxonomy_refs:
- water
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: sym:4
label: ambrosia
literal_form: Ambrosia used by Demeter to anoint Demophoon by day
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:4
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: sym:5
label: fire containing the child like a brand
literal_form: Nightly fire in which Demeter hides Demophoon like a brand
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:4
taxonomy_refs:
- fire
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- ev:7
- ev:8
- id: sym:6
label: relentless water of Styx
literal_form: Demeter invokes the water of Styx in an oath of the gods
associated_figures:
- fig:1
taxonomy_refs:
- water
evidence_refs:
- ev:9
- id: sym:7
label: temple and altar
literal_form: A great temple and altar to Demeter to be built below the city on
a rising hillock above Callichorus
associated_figures:
- fig:1
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:10
scenes:
- id: scene:1
label: Arrival and reception in the house of Celeus
summary: Demeter enters the house in radiant form but sits veiled and silent in
sorrow until Iambe's jests cheer her; she refuses wine and accepts a mixed drink.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:3
- fig:5
- fig:6
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
- sym:2
- sym:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- ev:3
- id: scene:2
label: Metaneira entrusts Demophoon to Demeter
summary: Metaneira recognizes dignity in the stranger and asks her to nurse her
late-born son; Demeter agrees and promises protective knowledge against witchcraft.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:4
symbol_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:5
- id: scene:3
label: Secret divine nursing and attempted immortalization
summary: Demeter raises Demophoon without ordinary nourishment, anointing him with
ambrosia, breathing upon him, and placing him in fire at night, so that he grows
beyond his age.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:4
symbol_refs:
- sym:4
- sym:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: scene:4
label: Interruption by Metaneira
summary: Metaneira watches at night, sees the child in the fire, laments, and Demeter
angrily removes the child and throws him down.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:4
symbol_refs:
- sym:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- ev:8
- id: scene:5
label: Revelation, lost immortality, and institution of rites
summary: Demeter declares that mortals are witless, says Demophoon has lost deathlessness
but will retain honour, identifies herself, orders the construction of her temple
and altar, and promises to teach rites.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:4
symbol_refs:
- sym:6
- sym:7
evidence_refs:
- ev:9
- ev:10
- id: scene:6
label: Divine epiphany and departure
summary: Demeter casts off old age, reveals beauty, fragrance, golden hair, and
divine light, and leaves the palace.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
evidence_refs:
- ev:11
candidate_motifs:
- id: motif:1
label: grieving mother goddess
taxonomy_refs:
- mother_goddess
basis: Demeter is both a goddess and mother; her abstention, silence, and sorrow
are caused by longing for her daughter.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
confidence: high
cautions: The broader abduction context is outside this passage and is not used
here.
- id: motif:2
label: divine nursing of a mortal child
taxonomy_refs:
- divine_parent_child
basis: A goddess accepts a mortal child, nurses him, protects him, and confers extraordinary
growth and honour through close bodily care.
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:5
- ev:6
- ev:9
confidence: high
cautions: Demeter is not the biological parent of Demophoon; the relationship is
temporary nursing and divine care.
- id: motif:3
label: attempted immortalization through fire interrupted by a mortal parent
taxonomy_refs:
- death_rebirth
- initiation
basis: Demeter secretly places Demophoon in fire as part of a process she says would
have made him deathless and unageing, but Metaneira's fearful intervention prevents
it.
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- ev:7
- ev:8
- ev:9
confidence: medium
cautions: The passage states the intended result as immortality and agelessness,
but does not explicitly call the fire treatment an initiation or a death-and-rebirth
rite.
- id: motif:4
label: foundation of cult rites after divine revelation
taxonomy_refs:
- initiation
- sacred_exchange
basis: After the interrupted care of Demophoon, Demeter reveals herself, orders
a temple and altar, and says she will teach rites that humans may perform to win
her favour.
evidence_refs:
- ev:9
- ev:10
confidence: medium
cautions: The content of the rites is not given in this passage.
- id: motif:5
label: ritual abstention and special drink
taxonomy_refs:
- initiation
basis: Demeter refuses wine, asks for a drink of meal, water, and mint, and receives
it as a sacrament according to the passage summary.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
confidence: medium
cautions: The term and later ritual associations of the drink are not elaborated
in the supplied passage.
- id: motif:6
label: divine epiphany in transformed radiant body
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: Demeter casts off old age and manifests beauty, fragrance, golden hair, and
light that fills the house like lightning.
evidence_refs:
- ev:11
confidence: high
cautions: No specific taxonomy reference from the supplied list directly matches
divine epiphany.
comparison_claims: []
evidence:
- id: ev:1
type: summary
locator: ll. 184-189
quote_or_summary: Demeter comes to Celeus' house, reaches the roof with her head,
fills the doorway with heavenly radiance, and Metaneira is seized by awe, reverence,
and pale fear.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/hesiod-homeric-hymns-homerica.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:2
type: summary
locator: ll. 190-205
quote_or_summary: Demeter sits on a stool with a veil before her face, silent and
grieving, taking no food or drink because she longs for her daughter, until Iambe's
quips and jests make her smile and laugh.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/hesiod-homeric-hymns-homerica.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:3
type: summary
locator: ll. 206-211
quote_or_summary: Metaneira offers sweet wine; Demeter refuses red wine as unlawful
and asks for meal and water mixed with soft mint, which she receives as a sacrament.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/hesiod-homeric-hymns-homerica.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:4
type: summary
locator: ll. 212-223
quote_or_summary: Metaneira greets the stranger as noble and asks her to nurse the
child given by the gods in her old age, promising a great reward for his upbringing.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/hesiod-homeric-hymns-homerica.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:5
type: summary
locator: ll. 224-230
quote_or_summary: Demeter agrees to nurse the boy and says that no witchcraft, Undercutter,
or Woodcutter will harm him because she knows stronger charms and safeguards.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/hesiod-homeric-hymns-homerica.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:6
type: summary
locator: ll. 231-243
quote_or_summary: Demeter nurses Demophoon in the palace; he is not fed with ordinary
food or breast milk, but is anointed with ambrosia by day, breathed upon, and
hidden in the fire by night like a brand, growing beyond his age.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/hesiod-homeric-hymns-homerica.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:7
type: summary
locator: ll. 243-249
quote_or_summary: Metaneira keeps watch at night, sees the act, fears for her son,
smites her hips, and cries that the strange woman buries Demophoon deep in fire.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/hesiod-homeric-hymns-homerica.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:8
type: summary
locator: ll. 250-255
quote_or_summary: Demeter hears Metaneira mourning, becomes angry, snatches the
child from the fire with divine hands, and casts him to the ground.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/hesiod-homeric-hymns-homerica.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:9
type: summary
locator: ll. 256-264
quote_or_summary: Demeter rebukes mortals, swears by the water of Styx, and says
she would have made the child deathless and unageing, but now he cannot escape
death and the fates, though he will have unfailing honour.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/hesiod-homeric-hymns-homerica.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:10
type: summary
locator: ll. 265-274
quote_or_summary: Demeter says the Eleusinians will wage strife, identifies herself
as Demeter, and commands the building of a temple and altar below the city, promising
to teach rites to win her favour.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/hesiod-homeric-hymns-homerica.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:11
type: summary
locator: ll. 275-281
quote_or_summary: Demeter changes her stature and looks, thrusts old age away, emits
fragrance and divine light, displays golden tresses, fills the house with brightness
like lightning, and leaves the palace.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/hesiod-homeric-hymns-homerica.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
confidence:
extraction: high
motif_candidates: medium
comparison_claims: high
notes: Extraction is based only on the supplied passage. Motif assignments are conservative
and use only supplied taxonomy references where supported; no comparison claims
are made because the passage itself does not explicitly support cross-textual
comparison.
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: |-
The passage includes a marked lacuna after l. 211; no content has been inferred for the missing section.
batch_run_id=motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority
custom_id=motif_extract:greek-hesiod-homeric-hymns-evelyn-white-gutenberg__l5349-l5443
passage_sha256=4767a195e1c35d095fe44bc9f4b02d396f8d0e274e00a711a283204fe41b480f