Ceres, recognized in Roman mythology as the goddess of agriculture and harvest, wielded the power to bless humanity with bountiful crops, while her displeasure could lead to blight, drought, and famine. Typically depicted as a matronly figure, her symbols include the sickle, sheaves of grain, and the cornucopia. She aligns with Demeter, her Greek counterpart among the twelve Olympian deities.
Family Background
Ceres was born to the Titans Saturn and Ops, who correspond to Cronus and Rhea in Greek lore, and was both the sister and consort of Jupiter. After Jupiter’s victory over the Titans, he forced Saturn to regurgitate his siblings, including Ceres, Vesta, and Juno, along with brothers Neptune and Pluto. While Neptune ruled the oceans and Pluto presided over the Underworld, Ceres emerged as the goddess of agriculture.
Her relationships extended to both deities and mortals. Ceres’ daughter Proserpina (known as Persephone in Greek mythology), the goddess of spring’s growth, was conceived with Jupiter. Her union with Neptune produced Despoena, the goddess of the mysteries, and Arion, a horse gifted with speech. In an attempt to evade Neptune’s advances, Ceres transformed into a mare, but he took the form of a stallion, leading to Arion’s conception. Lastly, Plutus, the blind and lame god of wealth, was born of Ceres and the mortal Iasion.
Depiction and Attributes
Traditionally, Ceres is portrayed as a noble woman robed in flowing garments, often adorned with ears of wheat. Artistic representations are consistently characterized by her matronly form, wheat crown, grains, sickle, or a cornucopia. E. M. Berens described her as a dignified figure, “tall, matronly and majestic”. The Greek poet Homer described Demeter, her Greek equivalent, as the “Bringer of Seasons, Bestower of Splendid Gifts.” The Roman poet Ovid highlighted Ceres’ contributions to agriculture and society, stating that she was the first to teach the world about plowing and providing sustenance.
The Abduction of Proserpina
One day, while gathering flowers on Mount Aetna in Sicily, Proserpina caught the eye of Pluto. Mesmerized by her beauty, he attempted to seduce her, but after her rejection, resorted to abduction. The nymphs who accompanied Proserpina tried to intervene, but Pluto seized her, and they descended into the Underworld.
Realizing her daughter had not returned, Ceres embarked on an exhaustive search, neglecting her divine responsibilities. After nine days of fruitless searching, she encountered Hecate, who directed her to Helios, the sun god. Helios revealed that Jupiter had sanctioned Proserpina’s marriage to Pluto, leading Ceres to abandon Olympus in her grief.
Ceres in Eleusis
In Eleusis, Ceres, disguised as an elderly woman, was taken in by the daughters of King Celeus. They brought her to their palace where she was appointed as the nurse for their son, Demophoon. Ceres nurtured him with divine nectar, aspiring to grant him immortality. However, when the queen discovered her son in the flames meant to aid his transformation and reprimanded Ceres, the goddess revealed her true identity.
Furious with the queen’s reaction, Ceres vowed that the child’s immortality would be forfeited. In a Homeric Hymn, she implored that a grand altar be constructed in her honor.
Reunification with Proserpina
Ceres then continued her search until she found Proserpina’s girdle in the river Cyane. As she grieved, she heard Arethusa, a nymph, reveal that she had encountered Proserpina in the Underworld. With deep despair, Ceres decided to petition Jupiter to return her daughter, mindful that Pluto might never permit the reunion.
Jupiter, responding to the desperation of his subjects due to Ceres’ absence and the resulting famine, intervened. He sent Mercury to negotiate with Pluto, who allowed Proserpina to return, under the condition that she had not consumed anything in the Underworld. However, it was revealed that Proserpina had eaten three pomegranate seeds, leading to a compromise where she would spend three months each year with Pluto, causing the cycle of seasons with her absence leading to winter’s barrenness.
Darker Tales of Ceres
The emotional depth of Ceres during the abduction saga was amplified in stories where her wrath manifested. In the case of Tantalus, after he insulted the gods and served his son, the gods resurrected Pelops, but Ceres was tricked into consuming part of him. Tantalus was condemned to eternal thirst and hunger in Tartarus as punishment.
Similarly, Erysichthon faced retribution for chopping down Ceres’ sacred trees, leading to a curse of insatiable hunger, which ultimately resulted in his self-destruction.
Veneration and Influence
Ceres was worshiped through various festivals and temples across Greece and Italy, most notably during the Eleusinian Mysteries, which celebrated the bond between her and Proserpina, honoring their roles in agriculture and fertility. She was also associated with the Lesser Mysteries and other rituals such as the Thesmophoria and Cerealia.
The legacy of Ceres endures in the English term “cereal,” derived from her name, and in celestial nomenclature, as a dwarf planet in the asteroid belt bears her name.
