Thesmophoria

THESMOPHORIA Başak Emir Journal of Ancient History and Archaeology, 01 January 2015, Vol.1(4) Thesmophoria is the most famous one in within the festivals that are organized for Goddess Demeter in the Greek world. The festival takes his name from one of the attributions of Demeter ‘Thesmophoros’. This festival was celebrated 3 days in grain planting period and according to Athens calendar, these 3 days are 11th, 12th and 13th days of Pynapsion (which fits with October and/or November).2 Thesmophoros is the “carriage of Thesmoi” and Thesmos means the ‘positioned’; in general it is an “act” or a “rule” and more specifically it means “act setter, act carrier, order provider”. This attribution to Demeter has been ascribed due to its role as the Goddess of marriage.3 Also, it has been thought that the word thesmophoria comes from the “thesmo-“ that means to deposit and “phor-” brought forth.4 Thesmophoria rituals have features related with rural and the underworld. Eleusis mysteries emerged as a practice of the cult legend of Kore’s abduction that is aroused from the first literary source of Demeter’sThesmophoria lasts three days, first days are called Anados, second is Nesteia and the last day is called Kaligeneia.5 In some other places the month Pyanopsiaon in which this feast is celebrated might be called Demetrios. In these months, Thesmophoria was celebrated in different times in different cities. For instance in Syracuse, Thesmophoria was celebrated for 10 days and they were starting their celebrations one month before than Athens. Besides the differences in between the celebration times, it is known that the feast was happening when the crops are given to earth.6In such a ritual related with earth and fertility there is no role for men. It is definitely forbidden to attend to this festival and even to dare it were having serious punishments. In this festival, privacy is crucial and there are legends telling that men who attended to these festivals without any permission were been castrated. For instance, there is a legend says that the King of Cyrene - Battos tried to attend these feats through wearing women dresses and therefore he was emasculated.8 It is also forbidden for men to listen any story about these festivals too. The festival is also elaborated with sexuality; phallus symbols and obscene jokes take place in this festival. Just like in Demeter Cult, swine sacrificing is very important in Thesmophoria Feast. The belief that swine shepherd Euboleus was there and taken to underworld with the Persephone in the abduction of hers by Hades, has been shown as a reason to that. Among the ancient Greek women, two of them are chosen to lead the group, providing the happenings of the rituals and to support the Demeter Priest. Additionally, these selected women have to bring 4 liters of barley, ear, barley meal, ear meal, dried fruits, and 3 liters wine, half liter olive oil and honey; and 1 liter white sesame and hash; cheese which should be more than 450 gr, 900 gr onion; one torch and lastly cash money. In addition, all of these should be prodded by their husbands.16 During the celebrations women do not put on their hairs flowers because of the myth of Persephone’s kidnapping while collecting flowers. Additionally, pomegranate, which is definitely forbidden to eat in Eleusis Mysteries, have a different meaning in Thesmophoria. Women are allowed to eat only pomegranate in their fasting times during the feast. Only touch the pomegranates that felt down to earth was forbidden because of the myth of the pomegranate tree emerged from the blood drops of Dionysus.17 thrashing softly each other with a whip made of Morton woolThe other was sacrificing the redemption sacrificial animal and lastly the dogma and Khalkis chase rituals depends on women chasing each other without knowing who chase whom. The first day of the camp was lasting with settling (Kathados & Anodos). The second day was the feasting day (Nesteia), and in the third and last day “Kalligeneia” was celebrated. Rituals in this camp are extremely secret likewise in Eleusis and the known facts about this topic are quite few. However, it has been thought that the main ceremony was happening during the re-opening the megarons -the deep pits in earth in which the swine were buried in the last ceremony- and taking out the bones of these pigs that had been sacrificed in the previous feast. These bones were putted onto Demeter’s altar and mixed with various cereal seeds.19 Second day was lasting with fasting as a requiem to separation, and third day was lasting with celebrations for reunion of the mother and the daughter reminds the phrase in the Eleusis Mysteries and the core of the rituals that is separation and reunion of Demeter and Kore-Persephone.2 Thesmophoria feasts were celebrated from Sicily to Anatolia, North Africa and the entire Greek world to the Black Sea with local adaptations. The written sources document it in Gambreion (Anatolia), Ephesus, Smyrna and Miletus.25 Demeter and the thesmophoria White, Kathryn Classicum, Jun 2013, Vol.39(1), p.3-12 Aristophanes. Birds. Lysistrata. Women at the Thesmophoria. Edited and translated by Jeffrey Henderson. Loeb Classical Library 179. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2000. p 444 Women at the Thesmophoria . In Women at the Thesmophoria the realism of the women created by Agathon and Euripides is a central element of the plot. Thus Euripides’ portrayal of women could be thought relevant to the women who inhabited the spectators’ own households. p467 Kinsman- The Courts wont be trying cases today and the Council isn;t in session either because it is the middle of the day of the Thesmophoria. p 497 euripides Will you please get going! Look, there’s the signal for the assembly at the Thesmophorium. As for me, I’m off. Meanwhile, critylla, mica, garland seller, Mania, and other Women enter from a side passage and move toward the chairs p 499 kinsman (to an imaginary maid) Come along this way, Thratta. Oh Thratta, look! The torches are burning, and such a crowd is moving up to the sanctuary through the smoke! O Twain Thesmophoroi, surpassingly lovely, grant that good luck attend me both coming here and going home again! Thratta, put down the box and take out the cake, so I can make an offering to the Twain Goddesses. Demeter, reverend Mistress mine, and Pherrephatta, 25 grant me plenty for plenty of sacrifices to you, and if not, grant at least that I get away with this! And may my daughter Pussy meet a man who’s rich but also childishly stupid, and may little Dick have brains and sense! Now where, where do I find a good seat for hearing everything the speakers say? You go away from here, Thratta; slaves aren’t allowed to listen to the speeches. critylla Observe ritual silence; ritual silence please! Offer your prayers to the Twain Thesmophorian Goddesses, to Wealth, to Calligeneia, to the Nurse of the Young, to Hermes and to the Graces, that this assembly and today’sconvocation be conducted in the finest and most excellent manner, to the great benefit to the city of Athens and with good fortune for you yourselves. And may she have the victory whose actions and whose counsel best serve the Athenian Commonwealth and the Women’s Commonwealth. Be this your prayer, and for yourselves all good things. Ié Paion, ié Paion, ié Paion! Cheers to us! p 501 chorus We say amen to that, and askthe race of gods to signaltheir pleasure at our prayers.Zeus of the grand name, and you with the golden lyrewho live on holy Delos; 26and you, almighty Maidenwith the gleaming eyes and golden spearpoint, 27who dwell in a city you fought for, 28 come this way!And you of the many names, slayer of beasts,seed of Leto of the golden eyes; 29and you, august master Poseidon,who rule the brine, quit nowthe fishy deepso lashable to frenzy;and you, daughters of marine Nereus;and you nymphs who range the mountains.May Apollo’s golden lyreresound in harmony with our prayers,and may we well born women of Athenshold a faultless meeting!critylla Pray to the Olympian gods and to the Olympian goddesses, to the Pythian gods and Pythian goddesses, to the Delian gods and Delian goddesses, and to the other gods as well. If anyone conspires in any way to harm the Women’s Commonwealth; or negotiates secretly with Euripides and the Medes in any way to the women’s harm; or contemplates either becoming a tyrant or abetting a tyrant’s installation; or denounces a woman who has passed off another’s child as her own; or is a mistress’ go-between slave who spills the beans to the master, or when sent on a mission brings back false messages; or is a lover who deceives a woman with lies or reneges on promised gifts; or is an old woman who gives gifts to a young lover; or is a courtesan who takes gifts from her boyfriend while cheating on him; or is a barman or barmaid who sells short pints or liters: put a curse on every such person, that they perish wretchedly and their families along with them! As for the rest of you, ask the gods to give you every blessing! p 511 garland seller I have come forward too, to make but a few remarks. This lady has cogently presented most of the charges; but I want to speak out about my own personal sufferings. My husband died in Cyprus, leaving me with five small children that I’ve had a struggle to feed by weaving garlands in the myrtle market. So until recently I managed to feed them p 555 chorus leader Well, let’s step forward and sing our own praises! We’d better, because each and every man has a host of bad things to say about the female race, claiming that we’re an utter bane to humanity and the source of all ills: disputes, quarrels, bitter factionalism, distress, war. Come on now, if we’re a bane, why do you marry us? If we’re truly a bane, why do you forbid us to leave the house or even get caught peeking out the window? Why do you want to keep such a careful guard on your bane? If the little woman goes out somewhere and you find her outdoors, you rage like lunatics instead of toasting the gods and giving thanks, as you would do if you’d truly found the bane of your household missing and couldn’t find it in the house. If we fall asleep at someone else’s house, worn out from enjoying ourselves, every husband makes the rounds of the couches lookingfor his bane. If we peek out of our bedroom windows, everyone tries to catch a glimpse of the bane; and if we duck back in from embarrassment, everyone’s all the more eager to catch a glimpse of the bane when it peeks out again. Thus it’s pretty clear that we’re far superior to you, and I’ve got a way to prove it. Let’s take a test to see which sex is worse. We say it’s you and you say it’s us. p575 chorus leader All right, now, let’s do a cheerful dance, as is the women’s custom here, when in the holy season we celebrate our solemn mysteries for the Twain Goddesses—the very ones Pauson, 68 too, honors by fasting, as he joins in our prayer tothem that from season to season such celebrations be often in his thoughts! chorus Let’s start our number:go light on your feet, form up a circleand all join hands;everyone mark the beat of the dance;step out with an agile foot!Our choreography should allow usto turn an eye in every direction.And all the while, everyone,for the race of Olympian godslift your voice in reverend songas the dance turns crazily.Anyone whoexpects that we, being women,will in this sanctuary utter abuseagainst men is mistaken.Now we should ratherapproach another novel taskby first halting the gracefulsteps of our circle dance.Step out singing for the God with the Lyre and for the Archeress,Artemis the Chaste Lady;hail, You who Work from Afar, 70and grant us victory! 71It’s right that we also sing for Hera,fulfiller of marriages,who partners us in all our dancesand holds the passkeys of wedlock.And I ask Hermes the Shepherdand Pan and his dear Nymphsto enjoy these dances of oursand smile generously upon them!So begin the double-timewith spirit, for the dance’s sake.Let’s get into it, ladies, as custom commands:we’re fasting anyway!Hey now, jump, swing around with a solid beat,let all your song peal out!This way, Lord Bacchus crowned with ivy,do personally be our leader:and with revels I will hymn you,who love the dance!Euius, you Noisemaker,son of Zeus and Semele,who enjoy the dancesof Nymphs at their charming songsas you ramble over the mountains—Euius, Euius, euoi!—striking up the dances all night long;and all around you their criesecho on Cithaeron,and the mountains shadywith dark leaves and the rockyvalleys reverberate.And all around you ivy tendrilstwine in lovely bloom.

THESMOPHORIA

Başak Emir

Journal of Ancient History and Archaeology, 01 January 2015, Vol.1(4)

Thesmophoria is the most famous one in within the festivals that are organized for Goddess Demeter in the Greek world. The festival takes his name from one of the attributions of Demeter ‘Thesmophoros’. This festival was celebrated 3 days in grain planting period and according to Athens calendar, these 3 days are 11th, 12th and 13th days of Pynapsion (which fits with October and/or November).2 Thesmophoros is the “carriage of Thesmoi” and Thesmos means the ‘positioned’; in general it is an “act” or a “rule” and more specifically it means “act setter, act carrier, order provider”. This attribution to Demeter has been ascribed due to its role as the Goddess of marriage.3 Also, it has been thought that the word thesmophoria comes from the “thesmo-“ that means to deposit and “phor-” brought forth.4 Thesmophoria rituals have features related with rural and the underworld. Eleusis mysteries emerged as a practice of the cult legend of Kore’s abduction that is aroused from the first literary source of Demeter’sThesmophoria lasts three days, first days are called Anados, second is Nesteia and the last day is called Kaligeneia.5 In some other places the month Pyanopsiaon in which this feast is celebrated might be called Demetrios. In these months, Thesmophoria was celebrated in different times in different cities. For instance in Syracuse, Thesmophoria was celebrated for 10 days and they were starting their celebrations one month before than Athens. Besides the differences in between the celebration times, it is known that the feast was happening when the crops are given to earth.6In such a ritual related with earth and fertility there is no role for men. It is definitely forbidden to attend to this festival and even to dare it were having serious punishments. In this festival, privacy is crucial and there are legends telling that men who attended to these festivals without any permission were been castrated. For instance, there is a legend says that the King of Cyrene - Battos tried to attend these feats through wearing women dresses and therefore he was emasculated.8 It is also forbidden for men to listen any story about these festivals too.

The festival is also elaborated with sexuality; phallus symbols and obscene jokes take place in this festival.

Just like in Demeter Cult, swine sacrificing is very important in Thesmophoria Feast. The belief that swine shepherd Euboleus was there and taken to underworld with the Persephone in the abduction of hers by Hades, has been shown as a reason to that.

Among the ancient Greek women, two of them are chosen to lead the group, providing the happenings of the rituals and to support the Demeter Priest. Additionally, these selected women have to bring 4 liters of barley, ear, barley meal, ear meal, dried fruits, and 3 liters wine, half liter olive oil and honey; and 1 liter white sesame and hash; cheese which should be more than 450 gr, 900 gr onion; one torch and lastly cash money. In addition, all of these should be prodded by their husbands.16 During the celebrations women do not put on their hairs flowers because of the myth of Persephone’s kidnapping while collecting flowers. Additionally, pomegranate, which is definitely forbidden to eat in Eleusis Mysteries, have a different meaning in Thesmophoria. Women are allowed to eat only pomegranate in their fasting times during the feast. Only touch the pomegranates that felt down to earth was forbidden because of the myth of the pomegranate tree emerged from the blood drops of Dionysus.17

thrashing softly each other with a whip made of Morton woolThe other was sacrificing the redemption sacrificial animal and lastly the dogma and Khalkis chase rituals depends on women chasing each other without knowing who chase whom.

The first day of the camp was lasting with settling (Kathados & Anodos). The second day was the feasting day (Nesteia), and in the third and last day “Kalligeneia” was celebrated. Rituals in this camp are extremely secret likewise in Eleusis and the known facts about this topic are quite few. However, it has been thought that the main ceremony was happening during the re-opening the megarons -the deep pits in earth in which the swine were buried in the last ceremony- and taking out the bones of these pigs that had been sacrificed in the previous feast. These bones were putted onto Demeter’s altar and mixed with various cereal seeds.19 Second day was lasting with fasting as a requiem to separation, and third day was lasting with celebrations for reunion of the mother and the daughter reminds the phrase in the Eleusis Mysteries and the core of the rituals that is separation and reunion of Demeter and Kore-Persephone.2

Thesmophoria feasts were celebrated from Sicily to Anatolia, North Africa and the entire Greek world to the Black Sea with local adaptations. The written sources document it in Gambreion (Anatolia), Ephesus, Smyrna and Miletus.25

Demeter and the thesmophoria

White, Kathryn

Classicum, Jun 2013, Vol.39(1), p.3-12

Aristophanes. Birds. Lysistrata. Women at the Thesmophoria. Edited and translated by Jeffrey Henderson. Loeb Classical Library 179. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2000.

p 444 Women at the Thesmophoria

. In Women at the Thesmophoria the realism of the women created by Agathon and Euripides is a central element of the plot. Thus Euripides’ portrayal of women could be thought relevant to the women who inhabited the spectators’ own households.

p467 Kinsman- The Courts wont be trying cases today and the Council isn;t in session either because it is the middle of the day of the Thesmophoria.

p 497 euripides

Will you please get going! Look, there’s the signal for the assembly at the Thesmophorium. As for me, I’m off.

Meanwhile, critylla, mica, garland seller, Mania, and other Women enter from a side passage and move toward the chairs

p 499 kinsman

(to an imaginary maid) Come along this way, Thratta. Oh Thratta, look! The torches are burning, and such a crowd is moving up to the sanctuary through the smoke! O Twain Thesmophoroi, surpassingly lovely, grant that good luck attend me both coming here and going home again! Thratta, put down the box and take out the cake, so I can make an offering to the Twain Goddesses. Demeter, reverend Mistress mine, and Pherrephatta, 25 grant me plenty for plenty of sacrifices to you, and if not, grant at least that I get away with this! And may my daughter Pussy meet a man who’s rich but also childishly stupid, and may little Dick have brains and sense! Now where, where do I find a good seat for hearing everything the speakers say? You go away from here, Thratta; slaves aren’t allowed to listen to the speeches.

critylla

Observe ritual silence; ritual silence please! Offer your prayers to the Twain Thesmophorian Goddesses, to Wealth, to Calligeneia, to the Nurse of the Young, to Hermes and to the Graces, that this assembly and today’sconvocation be conducted in the finest and most excellent manner, to the great benefit to the city of Athens and with good fortune for you yourselves. And may she have the victory whose actions and whose counsel best serve the Athenian Commonwealth and the Women’s Commonwealth. Be this your prayer, and for yourselves all good things. Ié Paion, ié Paion, ié Paion! Cheers to us!

p 501 chorus

We say amen to that, and askthe race of gods to signaltheir pleasure at our prayers.Zeus of the grand name, and you with the golden lyrewho live on holy Delos; 26and you, almighty Maidenwith the gleaming eyes and golden spearpoint, 27who dwell in a city you fought for, 28 come this way!And you of the many names, slayer of beasts,seed of Leto of the golden eyes; 29and you, august master Poseidon,who rule the brine, quit nowthe fishy deepso lashable to frenzy;and you, daughters of marine Nereus;and you nymphs who range the mountains.May Apollo’s golden lyreresound in harmony with our prayers,and may we well born women of Athenshold a faultless meeting!critylla

Pray to the Olympian gods and to the Olympian goddesses, to the Pythian gods and Pythian goddesses, to the Delian gods and Delian goddesses, and to the other gods as well. If anyone conspires in any way to harm the Women’s Commonwealth; or negotiates secretly with Euripides and the Medes in any way to the women’s harm; or contemplates either becoming a tyrant or abetting a tyrant’s installation; or denounces a woman who has passed off another’s child as her own; or is a mistress’ go-between slave who spills the beans to the master, or when sent on a mission brings back false messages; or is a lover who deceives a woman with lies or reneges on promised gifts; or is an old woman who gives gifts to a young lover; or is a courtesan who takes gifts from her boyfriend while cheating on him; or is a barman or barmaid who sells short pints or liters: put a curse on every such person, that they perish wretchedly and their families along with them! As for the rest of you, ask the gods to give you every blessing!

p 511 garland seller

I have come forward too, to make but a few remarks. This lady has cogently presented most of the charges; but I want to speak out about my own personal sufferings. My husband died in Cyprus, leaving me with five small children that I’ve had a struggle to feed by weaving garlands in the myrtle market. So until recently I managed to feed them

p 555

chorus leader

Well, let’s step forward and sing our own praises! We’d better, because each and every man has a host of bad things to say about the female race, claiming that we’re an utter bane to humanity and the source of all ills: disputes, quarrels, bitter factionalism, distress, war. Come on now, if we’re a bane, why do you marry us? If we’re truly a bane, why do you forbid us to leave the house or even get caught peeking out the window? Why do you want to keep such a careful guard on your bane? If the little woman goes out somewhere and you find her outdoors, you rage like lunatics instead of toasting the gods and giving thanks, as you would do if you’d truly found the bane of your household missing and couldn’t find it in the house. If we fall asleep at someone else’s house, worn out from enjoying ourselves, every husband makes the rounds of the couches lookingfor his bane. If we peek out of our bedroom windows, everyone tries to catch a glimpse of the bane; and if we duck back in from embarrassment, everyone’s all the more eager to catch a glimpse of the bane when it peeks out again. Thus it’s pretty clear that we’re far superior to you, and I’ve got a way to prove it. Let’s take a test to see which sex is worse. We say it’s you and you say it’s us.

p575

chorus leader

All right, now, let’s do a cheerful dance, as is the women’s custom here, when in the holy season we celebrate our solemn mysteries for the Twain Goddesses—the very ones Pauson, 68 too, honors by fasting, as he joins in our prayer tothem that from season to season such celebrations be often in his thoughts!

chorus

Let’s start our number:go light on your feet, form up a circleand all join hands;everyone mark the beat of the dance;step out with an agile foot!Our choreography should allow usto turn an eye in every direction.And all the while, everyone,for the race of Olympian godslift your voice in reverend songas the dance turns crazily.Anyone whoexpects that we, being women,will in this sanctuary utter abuseagainst men is mistaken.Now we should ratherapproach another novel taskby first halting the gracefulsteps of our circle dance.Step out singing for the God with the Lyre
and for the Archeress,Artemis the Chaste Lady;hail, You who Work from Afar, 70and grant us victory! 71It’s right that we also sing for Hera,fulfiller of marriages,who partners us in all our dancesand holds the passkeys of wedlock.And I ask Hermes the Shepherdand Pan and his dear Nymphsto enjoy these dances of oursand smile generously upon them!So begin the double-timewith spirit, for the dance’s sake.Let’s get into it, ladies, as custom commands:we’re fasting anyway!Hey now, jump, swing around with a solid beat,let all your song peal out!This way, Lord Bacchus crowned with ivy,do personally be our leader:and with revels I will hymn you,who love the dance!Euius, you Noisemaker,son of Zeus and Semele,who enjoy the dancesof Nymphs at their charming songsas you ramble over the mountains—Euius, Euius, euoi!—striking up the dances all night long;and all around you their criesecho on Cithaeron,and the mountains shadywith dark leaves and the rockyvalleys reverberate.And all around you ivy tendrilstwine in lovely bloom.

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