The Homeric Hymn to Demeter

Dear Classical Wisdom Reader,

While everyone has heard of the Iliad and the Odyssey, far fewer are aware of the Homeric Hymn to Demeter... and yet its influence throughout the ancient times and beyond are extensive. From Virgil and Ovid to Gothe and Tennyson, understanding this fundamental text unlocks some of the great works of all time.

The Homeric Hymn to Demeter recounts Persephone’s abduction by Hades, ruler of the Dead, and her cyclical return to join her mother, Demeter, the grain goddess. Told from the mother’s viewpoint, it is one of the most beautiful and moving stories in Greek literature, and the earliest literary version of the myth behind the popular mystery religion, the Eleusinian Mysteries.

Join Diane J. Rayor, Professor Emerita of Classics at Grand Valley State University/Michigan to discuss this epic poem and its preservation throughout history.

Taking place August 28th at Noon EST.

Can’t join us live? Register in advance for the recording.

Featuring:

Diane J. Rayor, Professor Emerita of Classics at Grand Valley State University/Michigan, translates Greek poetry and drama, including Sappho: A New Translation of the Complete Works; Homeric Hymns: A Translation, with Introduction and Notes; Euripides’ Medea; Sophocles’ Antigone; Sappho’s Lyre: Archaic Lyric and Women Poets of Ancient Greece; and Callimachus (with S. Lombardo). Her tragedy translations have been performed in Australia, Canada, Singapore, UK, and USA.

In addition, No Reply Press, private press of Griffin Gonzales, is publishing a handcrafted, limited edition of the Homeric Hymn to Demeter, translated by Diane J Rayor (by permission of the University of California Press), coming out in 2025.

I hope you can join us!

All the best,

Anya Leonard

Founder and DirectorClassical Wisdom