and show me this clearly that I may learn, dear children, to the house of what man
 and woman I may go, to work for them cheerfully at such tasks as belong to a woman of my age. Well
 could I nurse a new born child, holding him in my arms, or keep house, or spread my masters'
 bed in a recess of the well-built chamber, or teach the women their work.” So said the goddess. And straightway the unwed maiden Callidice, goodliest in form
 of the daughters of Celeus, answered her and said: “Mother,
 what the gods send us, we mortals bear perforce, although we suffer; for they are much
 stronger than we. But now I will teach you clearly, telling you the names of men who have great power and honor here and are chief
 among the people, guarding our city's coif of towers by their wisdom and true judgements:
 there is wise Triptolemus and Dioclus and Polyxeinus and blameless Eumolpus and Dolichus and our own brave father. All these have wives who manage in the
 house, and no one of them, so soon as she had seen you, would dishonor you and turn you from
 the house, but they will welcome you; for indeed you are godlike. But if you will, stay here; and we will go to our father's house and tell
 Metaneira, our deep-bosomed mother, all this matter fully, that she may bid you rather come
 to our home than search after the houses of others. She has an only son, late-born, who is being nursed in our well-built house, a child of many prayers and
 welcome: if you could bring him up until he reached the full measure of youth, any one of
 womankind who should see you would straightway envy you, such gifts would our mother give
 for his upbringing.” So she spake: and the goddess bowed her head in assent. And they filled
 their shining vessels with water and carried them off rejoicing. Quickly they came to their father's
 great house and straightway told their mother according as they had heard and seen. Then she
 bade them go with all speed and invite the stranger to come for a measureless hire. As hinds
 or heifers in spring time, when sated with pasture, bound about a meadow, so they, holding up the folds of
 their lovely garments, darted down the hollow path, and their hair like a crocus flower
 streamed about their shoulders. And they found the good goddess near the wayside where they
 had left her before, and led her to the house of their dear father. And she walked behind, distressed in
 her dear heart, with her head veiled and wearing a dark cloak which waved about the slender
 feet of the goddess. Soon they came to the house of
 heaven-nurtured Celeus and went through the portico to where their queenly mother sat by a pillar of the
 close-fitted roof, holding her son, a tender scion, in her bosom. And the girls ran to her.
 But the goddess walked to the threshold: and her head reached the roof and she filled the
 doorway with a heavenly radiance. Then awe and reverence and pale fear took hold of Metaneira, and she rose up from
 her couch before Demeter, and bade her be seated. But Demeter, bringer of seasons and giver
 of perfect gifts, would not sit upon the bright couch, but stayed silent with lovely eyes
 cast down until careful Iambe placed a jointed seat for her and threw over it a silvery
 fleece. Then she sat down and held her veil in her hands before her face. A long time she
 sat upon the stool Demeter chooses the lowlier seat,
 supposedly as being more suitable to her assumed condition, but really because in her
 sorrow she refuses all comforts. without speaking because of her sorrow, and
 greeted no one by word or by sign, but rested, never smiling, and tasting neither food nor drink, because she pined with longing
 for her deep-bosomed daughter, until careful Iambe —who pleased her moods in aftertime also
 —moved the holy lady with many a quip and jest to smile and laugh and cheer her heart. Then Metaneira filled a cup with sweet wine and offered it to her; but she refused
 it, for she said it was not lawful for her to drink red wine, but bade them mix meal and
 water with soft mint and give her to drink. And Metaneira mixed the draught and gave it to the goddess as she bade. So the
 great queen Deo received it to observe the sacrament An act
 of communion —the drinking of the potion (κυκεών)
 here described— was one of the most important pieces of ritual in the Eleusinian
 mysteries, as commemorating the sorrows of the goddess. 
 And of them all, well-girded Metaneira first began to speak: “Hail, lady! For I think you are not meanly but nobly born; truly dignity and grace are conspicuous upon your eyes as in the eyes of kings that deal justice. Yet
 we mortals bear perforce what the gods send us, though we be grieved; for a yoke is set upon
 our necks. But now, since you are come here, you shall have what I can bestow: and nurse me
 this child whom the gods gave me in my old age and beyond my hope, a son much prayed for. If you should bring him up until he reach the full measure
 of youth, any one of woman-kind that sees you will straightway envy you, so great reward
 would I give for his upbringing.” Then rich-haired Demeter answered her: “And to you, also, lady, all hail, and may the gods give you good! Gladly will I
 take the boy to my breast, as you bid me, and will nurse him. Never, I ween, through any
 heedlessness of his nurse shall witchcraft hurt him nor yet the Undercutter: Undercutter and Woodcutter are probably popular names (after the
 style of Hesiod's “Boneless One”) for the worm thought to be the cause of teething and
 toothache. for I know a charm far stronger than the Woodcutter, and I know an excellent safeguard against woeful witchcraft.” When she had so
 spoken, she took the child in her fragrant bosom with her divine hands: and his mother was
 glad in her heart. So the goddess nursed in the palace Demophoon, wise Celeus' goodly son
 whom well-girded Metaneira bare. And the child grew like some immortal being, not fed with food nor nourished at the
 breast: for by day rich-crowned Demeter would anoint him with ambrosia as if he were the offspring of
 a god and breathe sweetly upon him as she held him in her bosom. But at night she would hide
 him like a brand in the heart of the fire, unknown to his dear parents. And it wrought great wonder in these that he grew
 beyond his age; for he was like the gods face to face. And she would have made him deathless
 and unageing, had not well-girded Metaneira in her heedlessness kept watch by night from her
 sweet-smelling chamber and spied. But she wailed and smote her two hips, because she feared for her son and
 was greatly distraught in her heart; so she lamented and uttered winged words: “Demophoön, my son, the strange woman buries you deep in fire and
 works grief and bitter sorrow for me.” Thus she spoke, mourning. And the bright goddess, lovely-crowned Demeter, heard
 her, and was wroth with her. So with her divine hands she snatched from the fire the dear
 son whom Metaneira had born unhoped-for in the palace, and cast him from her to the ground;
 for she was terribly angry in her heart. Forthwith she said to well-girded Metaneira: “Witless are you mortals and dull to
 foresee your lot, whether of good or evil, that comes upon you. For now in your heedlessness
 you have wrought folly past healing; for —be witness the oath of the gods, the relentless
 water of Styx — I would have made your dear son deathless and unaging all his days and would have
 bestowed on him everlasting honor, but now he can in no way escape death and the fates. Yet
 shall unfailing honor always rest upon him, because he lay upon my knees and slept in my
 arms. But, as the years move round and when he is in his prime, the sons of the
 Eleusinians shall ever wage war and dread strife with one another continually. Lo! I am that
 Demeter who has share of honor and is the greatest help and cause of joy to the undying gods
 and mortal men. But now, let all the people build me a great temple and an altar below it and
 beneath the city and its sheer wall upon a rising hillock above Callichorus. And I myself
 will teach my rites, that hereafter you may reverently perform them and so win the favour of
 my heart.” When she had so said, the goddess changed her stature and her looks, thrusting old
 age away from her: beauty spread round about her and a lovely fragrance was wafted from her
 sweet-smelling robes, and from the divine body of the goddess a light shone afar, while
 golden tresses spread down over her shoulders,