The Nursing of Demophoon

Background

This story happens during Demeter's search for Persephone. The world is cold and fruitless. People and animals alike are starving, crying out for the blessings of Demeter to return to the barren earth. 

(the following is my telling of the story)

The Nursing of Demophoon

As Demeter travels the earth, covered by a dark mourning veil, She comes to a tiny village outside of Athens. She walks into the town and sits under a barren pomegranate tree to mourn the loss of Her beloved daughter before continuing the search. The branches are brittle with death and snap as the wind blows against them. 

An older woman and her attendants walk past the disguised, mourning goddess. The older woman, undoubtedly of noble birth, approaches the Goddess. She invites Her into her home and offers Her food and water despite the great famine plaguing the land. Later in the evening, after the disguised Demeter had Her fill, the noble woman (Metaneria) asked Her about Her journeys. 

Demeter told Metaneria and the rest of the court the story of a loving mother and her lost child. She spoke of the mother's grief and the empty pit the loss caused. Demeter finished Her story with words of hope about how the mother will be united with her daughter soon. 

Metaneria was so moved by this that she offered her own child, Demophoon, to the Goddess's care in an attempt to console Her. Demeter saw in the young boy that same spark of life and vigor that had shone so brightly in the eyes of Her daughter. 

Brightly Crowned Demeter accepted the honor and nursed the child as Her own. She spent several days there tending Demophoon. In those days life slowly crept back to the sleepy village. 

Metaneria noticed something odd about her child one day. She took note of how his eyes began to show age as if he had lived many lives and had the wisdom of them all. He never cried and refused to play with his many toys. Instead the child would stare off at the sky or the earth with a contemplative look. Metaneria decided that Demophoon's new nurse had something to do with his odd behavior. 

One night she went to the door of the Goddess's room and looked in. She saw the Goddess anoint the child with some strange liquid and feed him an odd substance. Both of these strange things smelled like a fresh spring meadow and glimmered with an aura of power. After Demeter did these things She placed the child in the fire. 

Metaneria was horror struck and burst through the door screaming at the woman. Demeter jumped up from Her seat by the hearth and snatched the child from the flames. She was so angered by Metaneria for her intrusion and behavior, that She tossed the child to the ground. Demeter then turned towards Metaneria and shouted how She was blessing the child to rid him of age, death, and decay. She told Metaneria how her son would have lived like a god on earth and how he would have been the wisest of men. Mourning Demeter then told Metaneria that her sons, the sons of Eleusis, must construct Her a temple and conduct Her most holy mysteries there in penance. 

Metaneria accepted the Goddesses judgement and She left to continue Her search. 

Analysis

This myth has many key parts that hold deep spiritual knowledge.

My interpretation of the characters is as follows

Metaneria-the human ego

Demophoon-the human soul

Demeter-enlightenment/the Gods

In the beginning of the story we see xenia (hospitality) in the Queen Metaneria. She sets an example for proper behavior towards strangers even under difficult circumstances. 

Next we see Mateneria surrender her son to the Goddess. This is symbolic of how humans must surrender ourselves and expose our most vulnerable parts in order to find enlightenment. This involves a lot of personal work with our own fears and impulses. We have to learn how to break down the ego (the part of our personality that develops over time and reacts without thinking) in order to find enlightenment.

Now we see Demeter nursing the child and putting him in the flames. Nursing, in this case, is symbolic of expanding our wisdom, compassion, and understanding. Humans who have these traits and bear them always already live like gods. Fire has been associated with cleansing and enlightenment for thousands of years. By putting the "soul" in the fire Demeter is cleansing it of its impurities. This goes along with the Orphic view of the universe and reincarnation. (shocker :P)

 And lastly we see Mateneria (the ego) become upset when she sees Demophoon (the soul) get so close to enlightenment. This, very simply, shows how we have a tendency to be our own worst enemy. We procrastinate, act impulsively, hold grudges etc and this all keeps us from attaining enlightenment and living like the Gods. Here is a quote from the Dhamapada  "Those who know that their time on this earth will come to an end cease their quarrels immediately." This quote in its very essence  shows the nature of enlightenment. "As the rain breaks through and ill thatched roof so too does passion (impulse) break through an unreflecting mind." This quote from the same book shows how enlightenment can be attained, through reflection and the wisdom/mental discipline that comes with that.