Celeus in the ancient sources

Ancient Sources / Figures / Celeus

9 passages from 5 ancient authors that tell of Celeus, in the original with English translation, author by author in the order the Greeks read them. Celeus, in Greek mythology, was the king of the area of Eleusis and husband of Metaneira. He was also one of the first priests of the goddess of agric... For the story in one place, read our article on Celeus.

Homer (3)

Homer, The Homeric Hymns 2.87–179Hymn 2 to Demeter (2): Demeter at EleusisAngry with Zeus, Demeter leaves Olympus and wanders among men in the form of an old woman. At the Maiden Well in Eleusis she meets the four daughters of Celeus, who take her to their mother Metaneira, and she agrees to nurse Metaneira's late-born son.
Homer, The Homeric Hymns 2.180–289Hymn 2 to Demeter (3): the nurse of DemophoonIn Celeus' house Demeter sits silent in her grief, refuses red wine, and asks for a drink of barley, water and mint. She nurses the child Demophoon and hides him in the fire by night to make him immortal, until Metaneira sees and cries out. Demeter reveals herself as the goddess and orders the people of Eleusis to build her a temple and altar.
Homer, The Homeric Hymns 2.290–394Hymn 2 to Demeter (4): the famine and the mission of HermesIn her new temple Demeter withholds the grain and a terrible year follows, which threatens the offerings of the gods. Zeus sends Iris and then the other gods to persuade her, but she will not return to Olympus without her daughter. Zeus sends Hermes to the underworld; Hades agrees to let Persephone go, but first gives her a pomegranate seed to eat, and Hermes drives her back to Eleusis, where her mother embraces her.

Apollodorus (1)

Apollodorus, The Library (Bibliotheca), with the Epitome 1.5.1–3Demeter and Persephone: Eleusis and TriptolemusHades (Pluto) carries Persephone off with Zeus's help, and Demeter searches for her until she reaches Eleusis in the likeness of a woman, where Iambe makes her smile and she nurses Metanira's child Demophon and tries to make him immortal in the fire. She gives Triptolemus a chariot of winged dragons and wheat to sow over the earth. When Zeus orders Persephone's release, a pomegranate seed binds her to spend a third of every year with Hades.

Aristophanes (1)

Aristophanes, The Acharnians 1–203Prologue: Dicaeopolis at the Assembly; Amphitheus and the treatiesDicaeopolis sits alone on the Pnyx, complaining that the Athenians crowd the market-place while the Assembly is empty, and says that he means to interrupt any speaker who talks of anything but Peace. When the Prytanes arrive, Amphitheus is dragged off for claiming that he alone can make peace with Sparta, and Dicaeopolis gives him eight drachmas to make a private treaty for him. After the Great King's envoys and the Thracians brought by Theorus have been paraded, Amphitheus returns, chased by angry Acharnians, and Dicaeopolis chooses the thirty-year treaty.

Pausanias (2)

Pausanias, Description of Greece 2.14.1–4Phlius: the mysteries of Demeter at Celeae and the tomb of DysaulesPausanias describes the Phliasian mysteries of Demeter at Celeae, held every third year and modelled on Eleusis. He disputes the Phliasian account that Dysaules brought them after being expelled from Eleusis by Ion, citing the Homeric hymn to Demeter, and discusses the tomb of Dysaules, the earlier tomb of Aras and the chariot of Pelops on the roof of the Anactorum.
Pausanias, Description of Greece 1.38.1–9Eleusis: the Rhiti, Eumolpus, Triptolemus and EleutheraePausanias describes the salt streams called Rhiti, boundary between Eleusinians and Athenians, the palace of Crocon and the tomb of Eumolpus, with the war between Eleusis and Athens that fixed the mysteries’ arrangements. At Eleusis he notes shrines of Hippothoon and Zarex, the Cephisus where Theseus slew Procrustes, the temple of Triptolemus, the Callichorum well and the Rarian plain, but declines to describe the sanctuary itself. He ends with Eleutherae and the cave of the infant sons of Antiope.

Nonnus of Panopolis (2)

Nonnus of Panopolis, Dionysiaca 19.0–96Book 19: Dionysos consoles Methe and Botrys; the harpers' contest beginsMethe laments Staphylos, and Dionysos consoles her and Botrys with wine, promising that Methe will give her name to drunkenness and Botrys and Staphylos theirs to the grape cluster and the bunch. He then holds a contest beside Staphylos' tomb, offering a bull and a goat as prizes to the harpers. Erechtheus of Athens sings first, of Demeter entertained by Celeos, comparing Dionysos' hospitality to it.
Nonnus of Panopolis, Dionysiaca 47.0–115Book 47: Dionysos in Attica gives wine to IcariosAthens breaks into dance as Dionysos arrives in Attica, and the vines and flowers spring up everywhere. The god visits the old gardener Icarios, whose daughter Erigone is drawing goat's milk, and gives him wine. Icarios admires the new drink and shares it with his neighbours, and the countrymen drink it neat until they reel.