Chapter IV
Ceres and Persephone
Original
Literary translation
§ 4.1
.
Today both Italians and Britons worship one God.
§ 4.2
, , .
But long ago the Romans worshipped many gods and many goddesses.
§ 4.3
.
I shall tell stories about the Roman gods.
§ 4.4
; , .
Ceres was the goddess of grain; she tended the grain in the fields and the grass in the meadows.
§ 4.5
; .
Grain is golden; the goddess's hair was golden.
§ 4.6
.
The goddess's cloak was blue.
§ 4.7
.
Persephone was the goddess's daughter.
§ 4.8
.
Ceres loved her dear daughter deeply.
§ 4.9
.
Ceres lived with her daughter on the island of Sicily.
§ 4.10
.
One day Persephone was wandering in the meadows.
§ 4.11
, .
Other girls were wandering with her, for the grassy place pleased the happy girls.
§ 4.12
.
The girls were dancing and singing in the grassy meadow.
§ 4.13
, , .
There were many roses and many lilies in the meadows.
§ 4.14
.
The white lilies delighted the girls.
§ 4.15
, , .
But Pluto, the girl's uncle, watched the goddess's daughter from a distance and immediately fell deeply in love with her.
§ 4.16
, .
Suddenly he urged on his blue horses, sped through the meadows, and carried off the terrified girl.
§ 4.17
, “ ,” , “ ? .”
Then Persephone cries, “O Ceres, where are you? My uncle is carrying your daughter to the Underworld!”
§ 4.18
, .
Ceres was not in Sicily, but now she hurried to the island.
§ 4.19
.
Persephone was nowhere to be found.
§ 4.20
, , .
Then the goddess, angry and frightened, wandered through the lands with her hair hanging loose.
§ 4.21
, , , .
Over high hills, across wide plains, through forests and fields, over earth and sky, she called for her daughter.
§ 4.22
, : “ ?”
In vain she questioned the farmers, in vain the moon and stars: “Where is my daughter?”
§ 4.23
.
But neither the farmers nor the moon nor the stars showed the goddess her daughter.
§ 4.24
; , , , .
Grain no longer pleased the wretched goddess; there was no longer grass in the meadows, nor purple grapes in the vineyards, nor fruit in the fields, because the angry goddess cared for neither grass nor vineyards nor fruit.
§ 4.25
.
In vain the white oxen plowed the fields.
§ 4.26
.
They no longer carried food to the towns in large wagons.
§ 4.27
.
At last Ceres was sitting on a cold rock near a farmer's little cottage.
§ 4.28
.
The sorrowful goddess wept for a long time.
§ 4.29
.
Then a little girl came out of the cottage to the goddess.
§ 4.30
.
The girl's eyes were full of tears.
§ 4.31
“ ,” , “.
“We have a little boy,” she said.
§ 4.32
.
He lies sick in his cradle.
§ 4.33
, .”
We are weeping because the boy is ill.
§ 4.34
, .
Then Ceres held back her tears and hurried to the cottage with the girl.
§ 4.35
.
There Metanira was holding her sick son in her lap.
§ 4.36
.
Metanira's son was Triptolemus.
§ 4.37
, .
The farmer, Metanira, and the little girl were all weeping because the boy was not well.
§ 4.38
, ! .
Then Ceres gave the boy a kiss, and behold! at once the boy recovered.
§ 4.39
.
The goddess's kiss is wondrous and divine.
§ 4.40
.
The farmer, Metanira, and the girl were happy.
§ 4.41
.
Now the happy, healthy boy slept in his cradle.
§ 4.42
.
Then Ceres held Triptolemus in her own lap.
§ 4.43
; .
The goddess dined with the whole family; on the table were purple grapes and pleasant fruit.
§ 4.44
.
At that time both wine and grain were still unknown to Italians and Greeks.
§ 4.45
.
Yet the rustic meal was pleasing to the golden-haired goddess.
§ 4.46
.
After dinner the goddess stayed in the farmer's cottage and tended Triptolemus every day.
§ 4.47
.
Now the moon and stars shone in the sky.
§ 4.48
.
Shadows hid the lands and the deep sea.
§ 4.49
.
Across the lands, men and women relaxed their minds in sleep.
§ 4.50
; .
But sleep did not hold Metanira; secretly she watched the goddess with the child.
§ 4.51
.
Ceres stood near the boy's cradle.
§ 4.52
.
She was chanting strange and divine words.
§ 4.53
, .
Then she held the boy in her lap and walked to the hearth.
§ 4.54
! ; ; .
Look! Triptolemus lay in the hearth among the flames; but the boy was happy, and he feared neither hearth nor flames.
§ 4.55
, “ ,” , .
But the terrified Metanira cried, “Oh, my son!” and rushed to the hearth.
§ 4.56
, , “ ,” , “ .
Then the angry goddess snatched the boy from the flames and threw him to the ground, and said to Metanira, “Woman, you have been foolish and wicked.”
§ 4.57
, .
Triptolemus will not be a god, because he is the son of a foolish woman.
§ 4.58
; .
But he has lain in a goddess's lap; therefore he will be a great man.
§ 4.59
, , .
Both I and Persephone, my daughter, will teach and care for Triptolemus.
§ 4.60
, .”
He will be the teacher of farmers, for he will show farmers grain and wine.
§ 4.61
.
Then Ceres walked out of the farmer's cottage.
§ 4.62
, .
But the family wept, and Triptolemus wept, because he no longer slept in the goddess's lap.
§ 4.63
, .
In the morning the farmer summoned the men and women of the place and told them the goddess's words and deeds.
§ 4.64
.
Then the men and women brought many stones and built a great temple.
§ 4.65
, .
They sacrificed victims on the temple's altars and worshipped the goddess.
§ 4.66
, .
The people's gifts were pleasing to the goddess, and Ceres dwelt in the temple for a long time.
§ 4.67
.
Meanwhile no fruit, grapes, or roses lay upon the altars of the other gods.
§ 4.68
, , .
No longer did grass flourish in the meadows or fruit in the fields, because Ceres was still weeping for her daughter.
§ 4.69
, “,” , “ .
Therefore Jupiter said to the goddess, “Pluto has your daughter.”
§ 4.70
.
Persephone is queen of the Underworld.
§ 4.71
, .”
But Mercury will hurry to the realm of the dead and quickly bring the girl to your temple.
§ 4.72
.
Then Mercury hurried to the Underworld.
§ 4.73
.
Persephone was sitting on a couch with her husband.
§ 4.74
, .
The girl was unhappy because she still longed for her dear mother, the goddess.
§ 4.75
.
But she saw Mercury and became happy.
§ 4.76
“,” , “ , .”
“Again,” she said, “I shall see my dear mother; again Ceres will have her daughter.”
§ 4.77
: “ , ; .
Then Pluto pleaded with the girl in gentle words: “O Persephone, Pluto will always be dear to your memory; you will be queen of the Underworld again.”
§ 4.78
, , , .
Now the sky is blue and the meadows are pleasant; but soon the sky will be icy, and both winds and fields will be cold.
§ 4.79
.
Then you will long again for your husband and the Underworld.
§ 4.80
, .”
Farewell, dear queen.
§ 4.81
.
Then Persephone hurried out of the realm of the dead with Mercury.
§ 4.82
, , .
Mercury urged on the strong horses, and the horses gladly hurried over high hills and across broad plains.
§ 4.83
.
At last Persephone could see the golden-haired goddess's temple.
§ 4.84
.
The joyful girl called to the goddess with joyful words.
§ 4.85
, .
Ceres flew out of the temple in great joy and gave many kisses to her dear daughter.
§ 4.86
, , .
Suddenly, throughout the lands, grass in the meadows and grapes on the vines flourished everywhere, because Ceres and Persephone were no longer weeping.
§ 4.87
, .
The other gods were happy too, because farmers brought many gifts to their temples and offered sacrifices on their altars.