#despoina

Δημήτηρ Μέλαινα🐍🌾🐴

Mount Elaios is some thirty stades away from Phigalia [in Arkadia] and has a cave sacred to Demeter surnamed Melaina (Black). The Phigalians accept the account of the people of Thelpousa about the mating of Poseidon and Demeter, but they assert that Demeter gave birth, not to a horse, but to Despoine (the Mistress), as the Arkadians call her. Afterward, they say, angry with Poseidon and grieved at the rape of Persephone. She put on black apparel and shut herself up in this cavern for a long time. But when all the fruits of the earth were perishing, and the human race dying yet more through famine, no god, it seemed, knew where Demeter was in hiding, until Pan, they say, visited Arkadia. Roaming from mountain to mountain as he hunted, he came at last to Mount Elaios and spied Demeter, the state she was in, and the clothes she wore. So Zeus learnt this from Pan, and sent the Moirai (Fates) to Demeter, who listened to the Moirai and laid aside her wrath, moderating her grief as well. For these reasons, the Phigalians say, they concluded that this cavern was sacred to Demeter and set up in it a wooden image. The image, they say, was made after this fashion. It was seated on a rock, like to a woman in all respects save the head. She had the head and hair of a horse, and there grew out of her head images of serpents and other beasts. Her tunic reached right to her feet; on one of her hands was a dolphin, on the other a dove. Now why they had the image made after this fashion is plain to any intelligent man who is learned in traditions. They say that they named her Melaina (Black) because the goddess had black apparel. They cannot relate either who made this wooden image or how it caught fire. But the old image was destroyed, and the Phigalians gave the goddess no fresh image, while they neglected, for the most part, her festivals and sacrifices until the barrenness fell on the land Then they went as suppliants to the Pythian priestess and received this response :

‘Azanian Arkadians, acorn-eaters, who dwell in Phigaleia, the cave that hid Deo, who bare a horse, you have come to learn a cure for grievous famine, who alone have twice been nomads, alone have twice lived on wild fruits. It was Deo who made you cease from pasturing, Deo who made you pasture again after being binders of corn and eaters of cakes, because she was deprived of privileges and ancient honors given by men of former times. And soon will she make you eat each other and feed on your children, unless you appease her anger with libations offered by all your people, and adorn with divine honors the nook of the cave.’

When the Phigalians heard the oracle that was brought back, they held Demeter in greater honor than before, and particularly they persuaded Onatas of Aigina, son of Mikon, to make them an image of Demeter at a price" - Pausanias, Description of Greece 8. 42. 1-13

My favourite part in this account recorded by Pausanias is the oracle's message to the Phigalians. To me, it's metal as hell.

tsk tsk nice try, I ain't spoiling

The worship of the goddess Despοina at Lykosura probably reflects an ancient Arcadian tradition. In the cella of the Temple of Despoina, the renowned sculptor Damophon from Messene crafted a colossal marble statue group (measuring approximately 5.80–5.90 m in height), which the majority of scholars have dated to the end of the 3rd and the beginning of the 2nd century BC. The cult statues of Lykosura illustrate a female group comprising four figures: the goddesses Artemis, Demeter, Despoina, and Anytos. Artemis is depicted as the goddess of hunting, accompanied by a dog and a quiver. Furthermore, Artemis can be identified with Hekate, as both goddesses were depicted with a torch and snakes, and Artemis was also the sister of Despoina and daughter of Demeter according to the local Arcadian tradition. In this representation, Demeter is depicted holding a torch in her right hand while her left rests on Despoina’s right shoulder. She was depicted as a seated statue positioned alongside Despoina. Despoina, the Mistress, was depicted holding a scepter in her left hand and a mystiké kíste on her lap with her right. According to Pausanias description: “Demeter holds a torch in her right hand, while the other lays upon Despoina. Despoina holds a sceptre and the kíste on her knees, which she holds with her right hand. On both sides of the throne: by the side of Demeter stands Artemis clad in a deerskin; she has a quiver on her shoulders, and she holds a torch in the one hand while in the other holds two snakes; beside Artemis lies a hunting dog. By the statue of Despoina stands Anytos, as an armed figure. The priests of the sanctuary say (maintain) that Despoina was brought up by Anytos, who was one of the called Titans. (……) The legend about Anytos is based on an arcadian tradition”.

The myth about Despoina’s birth is also based on a local arcadian tradition. Despoina was born after the secret coitus of Demeter and Poseidon. While Demeter was searching for her daughter Persephone, Poseidon pursued her. The god transformed into a horse, thus enabling him to rape the goddess. According to this tradition, daughter was born through this coitus, whose name was forbidden to be revealed to those who were not initiated to the Mysteries of her mother Demeter. The cult of Despoina in Lykosura is related to this religious tradition, as evidenced by Pausanias's account of his visit to Lykosura, in which he states that: “The Arcadians venerate this goddess among the most gods, namely Despoina. They say (maintain) that she was the daughter of Poseidon and Demeter. Most of them use the name Despoina, which is a byname of the goddess, just like the other daughter of Demeter and Zeus, who was called Kore, although her primary name is Persephone (…….). I was afraid to reveal the name of Despoina to those who were not initiated.”

It is challenging to determine with precision whether the origins of the cult at Lykosura can be attributed to a period preceding or contemporary to that of the worshipping cult group. However, there is evidence that indirectly speaks of its antiquity. It can be reasonably inferred from the available sources that the sanctuary of Lykosura was the site of ancient cultic activities. The sacrificial rituals that Pausanias describes during his visit to the temple may have been the inheritors of an older tradition. Furthermore, the terracotta statuettes from the Archaic period, which were discovered at the Megaron in Despoina’s sanctuary, offer valuable insight into the practice of older cult activities. The votive figures are both anthropomorphic and zoomorphic, with most of them holding an animal in front of their torso or a basket over their head.

In addition, a bronze tablet from the late Archaic Period (c. 500 BC) that was found on Mount Lykaion is recent evidence about sacrifices and festivals sacred for Zeus Lykaios, who – according to a local myth – was born and brought up on it. J. Heinrichs examined the tablet and postulates that the cult of Despoina may have originated in the 6th century BC. This is based on the connection he draws between the name of the goddess Despoina and Kachila, whose presence according to the scholar is evidenced by the appearance of a goddess on some coins from Arcadia dating to the 5th century BC. Furthermore, J. Heinrichs hypothesises that Kachila’s name is also mentioned in the tablet and that she was Despoina in her youth who was venerated with Zeus Lykaios.

In Arcadia, the cult of Demeter and Despοina at Lykosura, where the mysteries in honour of the goddess Despοina were held, was considered one of the most important mystery cults. The cult group of Lykosura, apart from Anytos, is accompanied by attributes related to the secret ceremony during the initiation process and the myth about Despoina in Arcadia. Considering the available descriptions by Pausanias and archaeological findings, it can be surmised that the attributes accompanying the goddesses were as follows: Artemis was depicted with a torch and snakes, Demeter with a torch and Despoina with a scepter and the mystiké kíste. The preserved head and part of the torso of Demeter and some garments, in particular the decorated garment of Despoina, contribute to our understanding of how the goddesses were dressed and they can also lead us to interpret the mystery cult in Lykosura. The secret character of the Lykosura cult is similarly corroborated by the Tritonesses, the marine figures that decorated the throne of Demeter and Despoina. The female figures are depicted carrying the mystikaí kístai, or secret baskets, over their heads, symbolising the religious regulations. These figures could be also characterised as “Kistophorai” in a way.

The figure of Demeter, the mother of Despoina, is depicted as a seated woman, clad in a girded chiton, while a long-folded veil also covers her head. Demeter is depicted holding a long torch, a characteristic attribute of the goddess. With her left hand, she leans on Despoina’s shoulder, while her head turns towards her daughter. The connection between mother and daughter is also evident in this cult group, as in Eleusis. The fact that the two deities are sharing the throne indicates the significance of their collective worship in Lykosura. Unfortunately, Despoina’s head was not discovered during the excavations. However, the discovery of parts of her torso, her garments, and her attributes allows for the reconstruction of the figure.

The divine figure holds the scepter in her left hand and the mystiké kíste in her right. Despoina is responsible for maintaining the secrecy of the rituals, reminding of Persephone's role in Eleusinian mysteries . The goddesses are not identical, but they share common characteristics. The decorated garment rendered in relief has been extensively studied by scholars as a symbol of the cult practices in the sanctuary. The various topics depicted in relief by the garment represent the multifaceted character of the cult. Other findings from the same area, such as terracotta snakes, also confirm the link between the Mysteries of Despoina and the underworld.

According to the inscription from the 3rd century BC, dedicated to the goddess Despoina, purple, flower-coloured or black clothing was not permitted for dedication. Consequently, visitors to the sanctuary were prohibited from wearing these colours or garments with these decorations.

The preserved decorated marble garment from the Lykosura group, discovered in the cella of the temple of Despoina and depicted in relief, also suggests such a religious interpretation. The fragment is exhibited in the Hellenic National Archaeological Museum of Athens, and it is 1.13 m high. It is divided into zones depicting figures and ornaments. The various zones illustrate different topics related to Despoina’s cult and rituals in the sanctuary. Consequently, we observe ornaments, eagles and thunderbolts, olive leaves and fruits, Tritons, Nereids, dolphins and a kétos from the zone of the ‘marine thiasos’. Furthermore, in the lower part of the garment, Nikai are depicted carrying censers. At the bottom of the garment, we see the so-called 'Animal zone'. This zone features figures, some of whom are depicted on animal masks, and they are leading a dance ritual procession probably before the initiation to the mysteries.

The eagles and thunderbolts, for example, in the second zone of the upper part of the garment attest to the presence of Zeus in Arcadia. Zeus was the most venerated god on Mount Lykaion, and it is known from ancient sources that his cult was widespread in the Peloponnese. The hypothesis that mythical connections between Zeus-Demeter-Persephone, and Poseidon-Demeter-Despoina, are reflected in the representation of Zeus' as well as Poseidon's symbols on the garment is also conceivable.

In the central zone, the figure of the Nikai, depicted as a flying figure holding censers as cult objects, can be related to the ritual procession during the teleté at Lykosura. The zone allows for a variety of iconographic interpretations, as it dominates the garment and emphasises its religious character. The Nikai, who also represent the victory of life, nature and its vegetation at Lykosura, are related to Demeter and Despoina as the goddesses of nature and fertility. A similar religious characterisation can be observed in Eleusis. Demeter and Persephone represent the power of nature and the happiness derived from its regrowth. If we accept that Despoina, the daughter of Poseidon and another daughter of Demeter, was also connected to the underworld as Persephone, then the presence of the Nikai on the garment symbolises the life and rebuilding of nature. As daughter and mother, whose relationship to Megale Meter was undoubtedly strong, they were responsible for the fertility of the land and its fruits.

The human beings depicted on the bottom of the garment, who accompanied the goddesses at Lykosura, depicted as animal-headed figures, can also be paralleled with the myth of Demeter and Despoina. For example, the equine masks are closely connected to the cult of Poseidon Hippios at Lykosura. The ritual dance contributed to a deeper connection to the divine, both mental and psychic.

kids is a big word considering that other than triton they only had another child which is rhode (depending on your version but shh )

also that just made me want to doodle some of poseidon children so um here you go

Otherwise, the Arcadian religious system is the sum of the local pantheons which had specific traits in common. One often finds here the same deities as elsewhere in Greece, but the epithets that are ostensibly the most banal sometimes cover a distinctively Arcadian treatment (Athena Poliatis, Apollo Agyieus, Poseidon Hippios). Other, more distinctive epithets preserve the memory of old local deities (Athena Alea, Demeter Erinys). Others again are to be related to the Arcadians’ principal preoccupations: agricultural and pastoral activities (and hence the weather and the mechanisms of fertility and fecundity); religious life (Polybius reminds us of the Arcadians’ reputation for piety, 4.20.1); and the political history of the region, which gave rise to some new creations (Megalai Theai, Zeus Philios)...

The Arcadian mythical universe offers the same impression: an affirmation of a strong religious identity contrasts with the commonplace nature of some themes… It flourishes in the myths of transformation into animals: Zeus transforms Lykaon into a wolf, Poseidon and Demeter change themselves into horses… Among the gods of the country, metamorphosis demonstrates a very strong bond and affinity with the animal world. There is no other part of Greece where the relationship of the divine with animals expresses itself so spontaneously in myth, not to mention cult image. However, the Arcadian religious system did not develop in a vacuum, and the goddesses of Eleusis, for example, found their place in the cities’ pantheons.

But the Despoina of Lykosoura, who holds Eleusinian objects in her hands, was worshiped in orgiastic rites with animal costumes. In this regard, she is particularly representative of the distinctive face of Arcadian religion.”

While checking on Instagram I discovered a author named Greer Nadeau is making a "queer retelling of Daphne and Apollo". Not sure what to think about it

There's a brazilian author named Michelle Castelli who made a book about Despoina, judging by the cover she will be a winter goddess