ARRETOS
KOURA
|
The
Ineffable Maiden
|
The official name, used most often at Eleusis, meaning she was beyond understanding
in human terms, a being of utter perfection and bliss. Sort of a "She-Whose-Name-Cannot-Be-Spoken"
type of title.
|
AUXESIA
|
Goddess
of Growth
|
Unknown
origins
|
AVERNA
|
Of
the Shades
|
A
completely Latin title, similar to Infernal One
|
|
BRIMO |
The
Strong One
|
From
"brime" [ Βριμη ] meaning "strong",
rather than from "bremo" [ Βρεμω
]
meaning "raging", as so many people think. The second, "Bremo",
is a title given to Demeter during the time of the Abduction. "Brimo"
relates to "Brimos", Persephone's child by Hades (the first of
several names the child had throughout his life). At Eleusis
during the Great Mysteries, the priests and priestesses showed a great
fire in the center hall, and a form of Persephone holding the child would
appear as they cried out "Brimo has brought forth Brimos".
(The fiery appearance smacks a bit of Disney as well, doesn't it?)
|
CHTHONIA
|
She
of the Underworld
|
A title shared with Hecate
|
|
DESPOINA |
The
Mistress
|
To
represent her postion as Queen Mistress of the Underworld. A much later
story says Demeter, while searching for Persephone, was ravished by Poseidon
in the form of a horse and she bore a daughter named Despoina. But as
this was already a title given to Persephone, it is yet another mistaken
identity
|
|
ENERTERA
THEA |
Goddess
of the Netherworld
|
Unknown
origins.
|
|
EPAINE |
The
Awesome Dreaded One
|
For
those who feared the goddess of death as much as the god
|
|
EUKELETERIA |
She
that Lulls or Soothes
|
For
those smart enough to know NOT to fear her
|
KARPOPHOROS
|
Fruit
bearing
|
Unknown
origins.
|
|
KER
THANATOIO |
Goddess
of Death and Doom
|
Unknown
origins.
|
|
MEGALA
THEA
|
The
Great and Mighty Goddess
|
One of the titles shared with
Demeter at Eleusis.
|
|
MELIBOEA |
She
who cries sweet as honey
|
Often
mistranslated as meaning "sweet-voiced", but that word is "meligerus".
"Boea" means "to cry out aloud", so therefore "Meliboea"
is more likely referring to the noises one would make while locked in
a rather heated embrace -- in other words, not a name the average person
would call Persephone, but in fact a pet name Hades gave her... isn't
he sweet?
|
|
MELITODES |
The
Honey Sweet One
|
The
dead often called Persephone this name when appealing to her mercy, though
one wonders if Hades didn't call her that as well…
|
PERIKALLES
|
All
Beauteous
|
Unknown
origins
|
POTNIA
|
The
Queen Mistress
|
Unknown
origins
|
|
PRAXIDIKE |
The
Exacter of Justice
|
This
shows that she shared the throne and powers equally with her husband.
This title is quite old, and therefore a direct contradiction to those
who claim she was helpless and kept captive
|
PROTOGENESTATOS
|
The
Firstborn
|
Simply
a reference to being Demeter's first child
|
THELEIA
THEA
|
The
soft delicate Goddess
|
Unknown
origins
|
THESMOPHOROS
|
The
Law Giver
|
A
title shared with Demeter at Eleusis, but also used in her Underworld
aspect
|
|
SESARA |
Laughing
Goddess
|
From
"sairos" meaning "to draw back the lips, to grin, to
smile", and further from "seseros" meaning "smiling,
laughing". This is an extremely old title given to her, and one
of the best arguments that she was not an unhappy wife.
|
SOTEIRA
|
The
Saviour
|
Unknown origins
|
|
TA
THEA |
The
Goddesses, The Two
|
Used
strictly for Demeter and Persephone in tandem, at Eleusis
|