Metanira in the ancient sources

Ancient Sources / Figures / Metanira

5 passages from 4 ancient authors that tell of Metanira, in the original with English translation, author by author in the order the Greeks read them. Metanira was the queen of Eleusis in Greek mythology, wife of King Celeus. They had two sons, Triptolemus and Demophoon. She appeared in the myth of D... For the story in one place, read our article on Metanira.

Homer (2)

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 2.87–179Hymn 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.

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.

Pausanias (1)

Pausanias, Description of Greece 1.39.1–6Eleusis to Megara: the Flowery Well, graves of the Seven and early MegaraOn the road from Eleusis to Megara Pausanias notes the Flowery Well where Demeter sat, the sanctuary of Metanira and the graves of the heroes who marched against Thebes, buried by Theseus. He adds the tomb of Alope and the wrestling-ground of Cercyon, then crosses into Megaris and gives the competing Megarian and Boeotian accounts of its origins, from Car, Lelex and Nisus to Sciron, Megareus and the Dorian takeover.

Nonnus of Panopolis (1)

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.