the gift of triptolemus to humankind was the art of agriculture.
the gift of triptolemus to humankind was the art of agriculture.
what is the gift of triptolemus to humankind?
the art of agriculture
while demeter (in the guise of an old woman named doso) was searching for her daughter persephone, who had been abducted by hades, she received a hospitable welcome from celeus. he asked her to nurse demophon—"killer of men", a counterpart to triptolemus— and triptolemus, his sons by metanira. demeter saw triptolemus was sick and fed him her breast milk. not only did he recover his strength but he instantly became an adult. as another gift to celeus, in gratitude for his hospitality, demeter secretly planned to make demophon immortal by burning away his mortal spirit in the family hearth every night. she was unable to complete the ritual because metanira walked in on her one night. instead, demeter chose to teach triptolemus the art of agriculture and, from him, the rest of greece learned to plant and reap crops. he flew across the land on a chariot drawn by dragons while demeter and persephone, once restored to her mother, cared for him, and helped him complete his mission of educating the whole of greece in the art of agriculture. triptolemus was equally associated with the bestowal of hope for the afterlife associated with the expansion of the eleusinian mysteries (kerenyi 1967 p 123).
triptolemus
porphyry ("on abstinence" iv.22) ascribes to triptolemus three commandments for a simple, pious life: "honor your parents", "honor the gods with fruits"—for the greeks, "fruits" would include the grain—and "spare the animals" (kerenyi, p128).









































triptolemus is also depicted as a young man with a branch or diadem placed in his hair, usually sitting on his chariot, adorned with serpents. his attributes include a plate of grain, a pair of wheat or barley ears and a scepter.









































celeus or the peasant dysaules may be substituted for triptolemus as the primordial eleusinian recipient of the first gifts of the mysteries.









































section::::references.
triptolemus