καὶ τῆς ἁρπαγῆς τῆς κατὰ τὴν Κόρην ἐν ταύτῃ γενομένης ἀπόδειξιν εἶναι λέγουσι φανερωτάτην ὅτι τὰς διατριβὰς αἱ θεαὶ κατὰ ταύτην τὴν νῆσον ἐποιοῦντο διὰ τὸ στέργεσθαι μάλιστα παρʼ αὐταῖς ταύτην.
γενέσθαι δὲ μυθολογοῦσι τὴν ἁρπαγὴν τῆς Κόρης ἐν τοῖς λειμῶσι τοῖς κατὰ τὴν Ἔνναν. ἔστι δʼ ὁ τόπος οὗτος πλησίον μὲν τῆς πόλεως, ἴοις δὲ καὶ τοῖς ἄλλοις ἄνθεσι παντοδαποῖς ἐκπρεπὴς καὶ τῆς θεᾶς ἄξιος. διὰ δὲ τὴν ἀπὸ τῶν φυομένων ἀνθῶν εὐωδίαν λέγεται τοὺς κυνηγεῖν εἰωθότας κύνας μὴ δύνασθαι στιβεύειν, ἐμποδιζομένους τὴν φυσικὴν αἴσθησιν. ἔστι δʼ ὁ προειρημένος λειμὼν ἄνωθεν μὲν ὁμαλὸς καὶ παντελῶς εὔυδρος, κύκλῳ δʼ ὑψηλὸς καὶ πανταχόθεν κρημνοῖς ἀπότομος. δοκεῖ δʼ ἐν μέσῳ κεῖσθαι τῆς ὅλης νήσου, διὸ καὶ Σικελίας ὀμφαλὸς ὑπό τινων προσαγορεύεται.
ἔχει δὲ καὶ πλησίον ἄλση καὶ περὶ ταῦτα ἕλη, καὶ σπήλαιον εὐμέγεθες, ἔχον χάσμα κατάγειον πρὸς τὴν ἄρκτον νενευκός, δι’ οὗ μυθολογοῦσι τὸν Πλούτωνα μεθʼ ἅρματος ἐπελθόντα ποιήσασθαι τὴν ἁρπαγὴν τῆς Κόρης. τὰ δὲ ἴα καὶ τῶν ἄλλων ἀνθῶν τὰ παρεχόμενα τὴν εὐωδίαν παραδόξως διʼ ὅλου τοῦ ἐνιαυτοῦ παραμένειν θάλλοντα καὶ τὴν ὅλην πρόσοψιν
Again, the fact that the Rape of Corê took place in Sicily is, men say, proof most evident that the goddesses made this island their favourite retreat because it was cherished by them before all others. And the Rape of Corê, the myth relates, took place in the meadows in the territory of Enna. The spot lies near the city, a place of striking beauty for its violets and every other kind of flower and worthy of the goddess. And the story is told that, because of the sweet odour of the flowers growing there, trained hunting dogs are unable to hold the trail, because their natural sense of smell is balked. And the meadow we have mentioned is level in the centre and well watered throughout, but on its periphery it rises high and falls off with precipitous cliffs on every side. And it is conceived of as lying in the very centre of the island, which is the reason why certain writers call it the navel of Sicily. Near to it also are sacred groves, surrounded by marshy flats, and a huge grotto which contains a chasm which leads down into the earth and opens to the north, and through it, the myth relates, Pluton, coming out with his chariot, effected the Rape of Corê. And the violets, we are told, and the rest of the flowers which supply the sweet odour continue to bloom, to one’s amazement, throughout the entire year, and so the whole aspect of the place is one of flowers and delight.
ἀνθηρὰν καὶ ἐπιτερπῆ παρεχόμενα.| μυθολογοῦσι δὲ μετὰ τῆς Κόρης τὰς τῆς ὁμοίας παρθενίας ἠξιωμένας Ἀθηνᾶν τε καὶ Ἄρτεμιν συντρεφομένας συνάγειν μετʼ αὐτῆς τὰ ἄνθη καὶ κατασκευάζειν κοινῇ τῷ πατρὶ Διὶ τὸν πέπλον. διὰ δὲ τὰς μετʼ ἀλλήλων διατριβάς τε καὶ ὁμιλίας ἁπάσας στέρξαι τὴν νῆσον ταύτην μάλιστα, καὶ λαχεῖν ἑκάστην αὐτῶν χώραν, τὴν μὲν Ἀθηνᾶν ἐν τοῖς περὶ τὸν Ἱμέραν μέρεσιν, ἐν οἷς τὰς μὲν Νύμφας χαριζομένας Ἀθηνᾷ τὰς τῶν θερμῶν ὑδάτων ἀνεῖναι πηγὰς κατὰ τὴν Ἡρακλέους παρουσίαν, τοὺς δʼ ἐγχωρίους πόλιν αὐτῇ καθιερῶσαι καὶ χώραν τὴν ὀνομαζομένην μέχρι τοῦ νῦν Ἀθήναιον·
τὴν δʼ Ἄρτεμιν τὴν ἐν ταῖς Συρακούσαις νῆσον λαβεῖν παρὰ τῶν θεῶν τὴν ἀπʼ ἐκείνης Ὀρτυγίαν ὑπό τε τῶν χρησμῶν καὶ τῶν ἀνθρώπων ὀνομασθεῖσαν. ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ κατὰ τὴν νῆσον ταύτην ἀνεῖναι τὰς Νύμφας ταύτας χαριζομένας τῇ Ἀρτέμιδι μεγίστην πηγὴν τὴν ὀνομαζομένην Ἀρέθουσαν.
ταύτην δʼ οὐ μόνον κατὰ τοὺς ἀρχαίους χρόνους ἔχειν μεγάλους καὶ πολλοὺς ἰχθῦς, ἀλλὰ καὶ κατὰ τὴν ἡμετέραν ἡλικίαν διαμένειν συμβαίνει τούτους, ἱεροὺς ὄντας καὶ ἀθίκτους ἀνθρώποις· ἐξ ὧν πολλάκις τινῶν κατὰ τὰς πολεμικὰς περιστάσεις φαγόντων, παραδόξως ἐπεσήμηνε τὸ θεῖον καὶ μεγάλαις συμφοραῖς περιέβαλε τοὺς τολμήσαντας προσενέγκασθαι· περὶ ὧν ἀκριβῶς ἀναγράψομεν ἐν τοῖς οἰκείοις χρόνοις.
And both Athena and Artemis, the myth goes on to say, who had made the same choice of maidenhood as had Corê and were reared together with her, joined with her in gathering the flowers, and all of them together wove the robe for their father Zeus. And because of the time they had spent together and their intimacy they all loved this island above any other, and each one of them received for her portion a territory, Athena receiving hers in the region of Himera, where the Nymphs, to please Athena, caused the springs of warm water to gush forth on the occasion of the visit of Heracles to the island, and the natives consecrated a city to her and a plot of ground which to this day is called Athena’s. And Artemis received from the gods the island at Syracuse which was named after her, by both the oracles and men, Ortygia. On this island likewise these Nymphs, to please Artemis, caused a great fountain to gush forth to which was given the name Arethusa. And not only in ancient times did this fountain contain large fish in great numbers, but also in our own day we find these fish still there, considered to be holy and not to be touched by men; and on many occasions, when certain men have eaten them amid stress of war, the deity has shown a striking sign, and has visited with great sufferings such as dared to take them for food. Of these matters we shall give an exact account in connection with the appropriate period of time.
ὁμοίως δὲ ταῖς προειρημέναις δυσὶ θεαῖς καὶ τὴν Κόρην λαχεῖν τοὺς περὶ τὴν Ἔνναν λειμῶνας· πηγὴν δὲ μεγάλην αὐτῇ καθιερωθῆναι ἐν τῇ Συρακοσίᾳ τὴν ὀνομαζομένην Κυάνην.
τὸν γὰρ Πλούτωνα μυθολογοῦσι τὴν ἁρπαγὴν ποιησάμενον ἀποκομίσαι τὴν Κόρην ἐφʼ ἅρματος πλησίον τῶν Συρακουσῶν, καὶ τὴν γῆν ἀναρρήξαντα αὐτὸν μὲν μετὰ τῆς ἁρπαγείσης δῦναι καθʼ ᾅδου, πηγὴν δʼ ἀνεῖναι τὴν ὀνομαζομένην Κυάνην, πρὸς ᾗ κατʼ ἐνιαυτὸν οἱ Συρακόσιοι πανήγυριν ἐπιφανῆ συντελοῦσι, καὶ θύουσιν οἱ μὲν ἰδιῶται τὰ ἐλάττω τῶν ἱερείων, δημοσίᾳ δὲ ταύρους βυθίζουσιν ἐν τῇ λίμνῃ, ταύτην τὴν θυσίαν καταδείξαντος Ἡρακλέους καθʼ ὃν καιρὸν τὰς Γηρυόνου βοῦς ἐλαύνων περιῆλθε πᾶσαν Σικελίαν.
μετὰ δὲ τὴν τῆς Κόρης ἁρπαγὴν μυθολογοῦσι τὴν Δήμητραν μὴ δυναμένην ἀνευρεῖν τὴν θυγατέρα λαμπάδας ἐκ τῶν κατὰ τὴν Αἴτνην κρατήρων ἀναψαμένην ἐπελθεῖν ἐπὶ πολλὰ μέρη τῆς οἰκουμένης, τῶν δʼ ἀνθρώπων τοὺς μάλιστʼ αὐτὴν προσδεξαμένους εὐεργετῆσαι τὸν τῶν πυρῶν καρπὸν ἀντιδωρησαμένην.
Like the two goddesses whom we have mentioned Corê, we are told, received as her portion the meadows round about Enna; but a great fountain was made sacred to her in the territory of Syracuse and given the name Cyanê or “Azure Fount.” For the myth relates that it was near Syracuse that Pluton effected the Rape of Corê and took her away in his chariot, and that after cleaving the earth asunder he himself descended into Hades, taking along with him the bride whom he had seized, and that he caused the fountain named Cyanê to gush forth, near which the Syracusans each year hold a notable festive gathering; and private individuals offer the lesser victims, but when the ceremony is on behalf of the community, bulls are plunged in the pool, this manner of sacrifice having been commanded by Heracles on the occasion when he made the circuit of all Sicily, while driving off the cattle of Geryones.
After the Rape of Corê, the myth does on to recount, Demeter, being unable to find her daughter, kindled torches in the craters of Mt. Aetna and visited many parts of the inhabited world, and upon the men who received her with the greatest favour she conferred briefs, rewarding them with the gift of the fruit of the wheat.
φιλανθρωπότατα δὲ τῶν Ἀθηναίων ὑποδεξαμένων τὴν θεόν, πρώτοις τούτοις μετὰ τοὺς Σικελιώτας δωρήσασθαι τὸν τῶν πυρῶν καρπόν· ἀνθʼ ὧν ὁ δῆμος οὗτος περιττότερον τῶν ἄλλων ἐτίμησαν τὴν θεὸν θυσίαις τʼ ἐπιφανεστάταις καὶ τοῖς ἐν Ἐλευσῖνι μυστηρίοις, ἃ διὰ τὴν ὑπερβολὴν τῆς ἀρχαιότητος καὶ ἁγνείας ἐγένετο πᾶσιν ἀνθρώποις περιβόητα. παρὰ δὲ τῶν Ἀθηναίων πολλοὶ μεταλαβόντες τῆς ἐκ τοῦ σίτου φιλανθρωπίας, καὶ τοῖς πλησιοχώροις μεταδιδόντες τοῦ σπέρματος, ἐπλήρωσαν πᾶσαν τὴν οἰκουμένην.
οἱ δὲ κατὰ τὴν Σικελίαν, διὰ τὴν τῆς Δήμητρος καὶ Κόρης πρὸς αὐτοὺς οἰκειότητα πρῶτοι τῆς εὑρέσεως τοῦ σίτου μεταλαβόντες, ἑκατέρᾳ τῶν θεῶν κατέδειξαν θυσίας καὶ πανηγύρεις, ἐπωνύμους αὐταῖς ποιήσαντες καὶ τῷ χρόνῳ διασημήναντες τὰς δοθείσας δωρεάς.
τῆς μὲν γὰρ Κόρης τὴν καταγωγὴν ἐποιήσαντο περὶ τὸν καιρὸν ἐν ᾧ τὸν τοῦ σίτου καρπὸν τελεσιουργεῖσθαι συνέβαινε, καὶ ταύτην τὴν θυσίαν καὶ πανήγυριν μετὰ τοσαύτης ἁγνείας καὶ σπουδῆς ἐπιτελοῦσιν ὅσης εἰκός ἐστι τοὺς τῇ κρατίστῃ δωρεᾷ προκριθέντας τῶν ἄλλων ἀνθρώπων ἀποδιδόναι τὰς χάριτας·
And since a more kindly welcome was extended the goddess by the Athenians than by any other people, they were the first after the Siceliotae to be given the fruit of the wheat; and in return for this gift the citizens of that city in assembly honoured the goddess above all others with the establishment both of most notable sacrifices and of the mysteries of Eleusis, which, by reason of their very great antiquity and sanctity, have come to be famous among all mankind. From the Athenians many peoples received a portion of the gracious gift of the corn, and they in turn, sharing the gift of the seed with their neighbours, in this way caused all the inhabited world to abound with it. And the inhabitants of Sicily, since by reason of the intimate relationship of Demeter and Corê with them they were the first to share in the corn after its discovery, instituted to each one of the goddesses sacrifices and festive gatherings, which they named after them, and by the time chosen for these made acknowledgement of the gifts which had been conferred upon them. In the case of Corê, for instance, they established the celebration of her return at about the time when the fruit of the corn was found to come to maturity, and they celebrate this sacrifice and festive gathering with such strictness of observance and such zeal as we should reasonably expect those men to show who are returning thanks for having been selected before all mankind for the greatest possible gift;
τῆς δὲ Δήμητρος τὸν καιρὸν τῆς θυσίας προέκριναν ἐν ᾧ τὴν ἀρχὴν ὁ σπόρος τοῦ σίτου λαμβάνει, ἐπὶ δʼ ἡμέρας δέκα πανήγυριν ἄγουσιν ἐπώνυμον τῆς θεοῦ ταύτης, τῇ τε λαμπρότητι τῆς παρασκευῆς μεγαλοπρεπεστάτην καὶ τῇ διασκευῇ μιμούμενοι τὸν ἀρχαῖον βίον. ἔθος δʼ ἐστὶν αὐτοῖς ἐν ταύταις ταῖς ἡμέραις αἰσχρολογεῖν κατὰ τὰς πρὸς ἀλλήλους ὁμιλίας διὰ τὸ τὴν θεὸν ἐπὶ τῇ τῆς Κόρης ἁρπαγῇ λυπουμένην γελάσαι διὰ τὴν αἰσχρολογίαν.
but in the case of Demeter they preferred that time for the sacrifice when the sowing of the corn is first begun, and for a period of ten days they hold a festive gathering which bears the name of this goddess and is most magnificent by reason of the brilliance of their preparation for it, while in the observance of it they imitate the ancient manner of life. And it is their custom during these days to indulge in coarse language as they associate one with another, the reason being that by such coarseness the goddess, grieved though she was at the Rape of Corê, burst into laughter.
περὶ δὲ τῆς κατὰ τὴν Κόρην ἁρπαγῆς, ὅτι γέγονεν ὡς προειρήκαμεν, πολλοὶ τῶν ἀρχαίων συγγραφέων καὶ ποιητῶν μεμαρτυρήκασι. καρκίνος μὲν γὰρ ὁ τῶν τραγῳδιῶν ποιητής, πλεονάκις ἐν ταῖς Συρακούσαις παρεπιδεδημηκὼς καὶ τὴν τῶν ἐγχωρίων τεθεαμένος σπουδὴν περὶ τὰς θυσίας καὶ πανηγύρεις τῆς τε Δήμητρος καὶ Κόρης, κατεχώρισεν ἐν τοῖς ποιήμασι τούσδε τοὺς στίχους· λέγουσι Δήμητρός ποτʼ ἄρρητον κόρην Πλούτωνα κρυφίοις ἁρπάσαι βουλεύμασι, δῦναί τε γαίας εἰς μελαμφαεῖς μυχούς, πόθῳ δὲ μητέρʼ ἠφανισμένης κόρης μαστῆρʼ ἐπελθεῖν πᾶσαν ἐν κύκλῳ χθόνα. καὶ τὴν μὲν Αἰτναίοισι Σικελίαν πάγοις πυρὸς γέμουσαν ῥεύμασιν δυσεμβόλοις πᾶσαν στενάξαι, πένθεσιν δὲ παρθένου σίτων ἄμοιρον διοτρεφὲς φθίνειν γένος. ὅθεν θεὰς τιμῶσιν εἰς τὰ νῦν ἔτι.
οὐκ ἄξιον δὲ παραλιπεῖν τῆς θεοῦ ταύτης τὴν ὑπερβολὴν τῆς εἰς τοὺς ἀνθρώπους εὐεργεσίας· χωρὶς γὰρ τῆς εὑρέσεως τοῦ σίτου τήν τε κατεργασίαν αὐτοῦ τοὺς ἀνθρώπους ἐδίδαξε καὶ νόμους εἰσηγήσατο καθʼ οὓς δικαιοπραγεῖν εἰθίσθησαν, διʼ ἣν αἰτίαν φασὶν αὐτὴν θεσμοφόρον ἐπονομασθῆναι.
τούτων δὲ τῶν εὑρημάτων οὐκ ἄν τις ἑτέραν εὐεργεσίαν εὕροι μείζονα· καὶ γὰρ τὸ ζῆν καὶ τὸ καλῶς ζῆν περιέχουσι. περὶ μὲν οὖν τῶν μυθολογουμένων παρὰ τοῖς Σικελιώταις ἀρκεσθησόμεθα τοῖς ῥηθεῖσιν.
That the Rape of Corê took place in the manner we have described is attested by many ancient historians and poets. Carcinus the tragic poet, for instance, who often visited in Syracuse and witnessed the zeal which the inhabitants displayed in the sacrifices and festive gatherings for both Demeter and Corê, has the following verses in his writings:
Demeter’s daughter, her whom none may name,
By secret schemings Pluton, men say, stole,
And then he dropped into earth’s depths, whose light
Is darkness. Longing for the vanished girl
Her mother searched and visited all lands
In turn. And Sicily’s land by Aetna’s crags
Was filled with streams of fire which no man could
Approach, and groaned throughout its length; in grief
Over the maiden now the folk, beloved
Of Zeus, was perishing without the corn.
Hence honour they these goddesses e’en now.
But we should not omit to mention the very great benefaction which Demeter conferred upon mankind; for beside the fact that she was the discoverer of corn, she also taught mankind how to prepare it for food and introduced laws by obedience to which men became accustomed to the practice of justice, this being the reason, we are told, why she has been given the epithet Thesmophoros or Lawgiver. Surely a benefaction greater than these discoveries of hers one could not find; for they embrace both living and living honourably. However, as for the myths which are current among the Siceliotae, we shall be satisfied with what has been said.
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