![]() ![]() In the middle of the temple cellar there was a big sculptural group created by the sculptor Damophon from Messene, the remains of it are presently in the collection of the Archaeological Museum of Athens. The altars of both goddesses - Despoena and Demeter - were placed in front of the Dorian temple of Despoena. There was also a small desk with an inscription of local rites. The entrance of this sacred place was built as a stoa, ornamented with reliefs from white marble. Pausanias gives a description of this sacred place at Lycosoura, a temple built in 180 BCE, of which only ruins remain. Her father Poseidon received the surname Hippios ("of the Horses").ĭespoena was worshiped at an important sanctuary at Lycosoura on the foot of the mountain Lycaon, west of the town Megalopolis. The Arcadians called her Despoena ("Misstress"), while her mother was named by them familiarly as Deo. After Demeter gave birth to her daughter, no one was permitted to pronounce her name if he was not initiated. ![]() For this reason she was worshiped at Thelpousa in Arcadia as Demeter Erinys (Greek éríxo, "to quarrel" Arcadian erinyein, "to hate") and as Demeter Louisia (Greek loúo, "to bathe," "to purify"). Poseidon discovered her trick and changed himself into a stallion and begot upon her a daughter, Despoena, and the divine horse Arion.ĭemeter was initially furious but when her hatred subsided, she bathed and purified herself in the river Ladon. There, Poseidon pursued her and the goddess turned herself into a mare and hid herself among the horses of a local king. They said that Demeter came to Arcadia, looking for her lost daughter Persephone. Pausanias gives us a mythical story which was known by the people of Thelpousa and Figalea. "Misstress." According to the ancient authors, Despoena was the daughter of Demeter and Poseidon, worshiped at Arcadia in the Peloponnese.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |