Name: _______________________________ Date: _____________________
English 12
Demeter & Dionysus: “Chapter 2: The Two Great Gods of Earth”
1. Read Paragraph 1 and the first sentence of Paragraph 2 (p. 48 or p. 53-54). Skip to Paragraph
7 (“It was natural that they…) and read through Paragraph 9 (p. 50 or p. 55-56). This is all
introductory material.
2. Demeter’s Story—Read Paragraphs 10-21 (p. 51-55 or p. 57-63). This is Demeter’s story.
Complete a sequence of events. Mine has approx. 24 boxes, but I could have been more succinct
and used 19-20 pretty easily!
3. Dionysus’ Story—Read Paragraphs 24-28 (p. 56-57 or p. 64-66). This is Dionysus’ story.
Complete a sequence of events. I used 10 boxes.
Demeter’s Story
Persephone
(Proserpine), maiden of
the spring, wanders off
to inspect enticing
narcissus
Hades rises through a
chasm in earth & grabs
her into chariot
Persephone is taken,
weeping, to Underworld
Demeter hears P’s cries
D looks for P and no one
will tell D the truth
D wanders for 9 days &
will not eat or drink
Sun finally tells D the
truth
D leaves Olympus and
dwells on earth,
disguised
Comes to Eleusis & sits
on wall
4 sisters approach & D
tells them she fled from
pirates
Sisters tell her to stay
put. They will ask their
mother & then take D
home with them
Metaneira (mother) is in
awe as D fills doorway
with divine radiance
D asks for barley water
with mint & hold
Demophoon
Dem. grows like god b/c
D anoints him daily
w/ambrosia & holds
him over fire at night
for immortal youth
M. sees this one night &
screams—D reveals
herself & tells them to
build temple there to
redeem themselves
D leaves. They build
temple & D comes back
to sit there, but wasting
with grief
Nothing grows that
year. Zeus sees & sends
various gods to appeal
to no effect
Zeus realizes Hades
must give P back. Sends
Hermes to tell Hades.
Hades implores P to eat
a pomegranate seed
before going
Zeus sends Rhea to
explain to D that Hades
shall have P for 1/3 year
& D shall have her 2/3
year
Zeus fell in love with
Theban princess,
Semele
Zeus tells S he’ll give her
anything she asks—
swears by Styx
S tells Zeus she wants to
see him in all his glory
Zeus knows Hera put
this idea in S’s head b/c
sight of Zeus will kill
mortal
It happens. S. dies, but
Zeus snatches child that
S is carrying & hides it in
his own side
After D is born, Hermes
carries him to Nysa
(hidden place) for
nymphs to care for him
D grows up & wanders,
teaching man about the
vine and mysteries of
his worship
As he approaches
Greece, pirates capture
him
Their bonds cannot hold
him & helmsman warns
that they should leave
him alone
D. turns into a lion and
all are turned into
dolphins, except
helmsman
D made fields rich again
& taught an Elusian
prince how to sow corn
& her sacred rites
Dionysus’ Story