Travel Diary and Lecture Notes: Eleusis!
The freeway follows the route of the old Sacred Way to Eleusis, fourteen miles through refineries, quarries, and a run-down factory town surrounding the ancient sanctuary. It is so small to have held something to great, even with the added fountains (long gone), stone courtyard, walls and gates added by the Romans.
Outside the gates, the foundations of a temple of Artemis and Poseidon -- strange bedfellows! -- remind me of Chris' words that the cults did not always follow the familiar patterns of myth. Poppies, verbena, and little yellow flowers sprout in profusion between cut stones and spill out into a meadow that Persephone no doubt appreciates.
(Read on...)
Also in this Section:
Lecture notes on the Myths of Demeter and Persephone
Re-telling of the Demeter/Persephone myth (slightly revised)
Recommended links on Eleusis
Photo gallery
Lecture notes on the Eleusinian Mysteries and Thesmophoria
Outside the gates, the foundations of a temple of Artemis and Poseidon -- strange bedfellows! -- remind me of Chris' words that the cults did not always follow the familiar patterns of myth. Poppies, verbena, and little yellow flowers sprout in profusion between cut stones and spill out into a meadow that Persephone no doubt appreciates.
(Read on...)
Also in this Section:
Lecture notes on the Myths of Demeter and Persephone
Re-telling of the Demeter/Persephone myth (slightly revised)
Recommended links on Eleusis
Photo gallery
Lecture notes on the Eleusinian Mysteries and Thesmophoria