Celeus

Celeus was the king of Eleusis in Greek mythology, the husband of Metanira and the father of Demophon and, in most accounts, of Triptolemus. He and his family took in the goddess Demeter when she came to Eleusis, disguised as an old woman, in search of her daughter Persephone, and he built her temple there. The story is told most fully in the Homeric Hymn to Demeter.

Celeus in the Homeric Hymn to Demeter

King of Eleusis

The Hymn says that Celeus was then ruler (koiranos) of fragrant Eleusis (Homeric Hymn to Demeter 96–97). Demeter, grieving, sat down by the Maiden Well near the road. There the four daughters of Celeus came to draw water in bronze pitchers: Callidice, Cleisidice, lovely Demo and Callithoe, the eldest. The old woman told them her name was Doso and asked for work as a nurse or housekeeper, and they led her to their mother Metanira (Homeric Hymn to Demeter 98–183). Pausanias, quoting the poet Pamphos, says the same: the daughters of Celeus took her from the well to their mother, who gave her the care of her son (Pausanias 1.39.1). Pausanias elsewhere names the daughters differently, as Diogenia, Pammerope and Saesara, citing Pamphos and Homer, and says that they and Eumolpus were the first ministers of the Two Goddesses (Pausanias 1.38.3).

Demophon and Demeter

Metanira, the wife of Celeus, put her late-born son Demophon in Demeter’s care. The boy grew like a god, because the goddess anointed him with ambrosia and each night hid him in the fire to burn away his mortality. When Metanira saw it and cried out, Demeter threw the child to the ground, revealed her divine form and announced that the boy would now die, though he would have undying honour (Homeric Hymn to Demeter 219–264). She ordered the Eleusinians to build her a temple and altar (Homeric Hymn to Demeter 265–274).

The Temple and the Mysteries

Celeus called the people to an assembly and told them to build a temple and an altar to Demeter on a hill; they obeyed, and the goddess settled in the temple (Homeric Hymn to Demeter 296–304). When the earth had been made to bear grain again, Demeter showed the kings who governed Eleusis – Triptolemus, Diocles, Eumolpus and Celeus, “leader of the people” – how to perform her rites and taught them her mysteries (Homeric Hymn to Demeter 473–479). The poet adds that the man who has seen them is blessed. Celeus is thus one of the first men to receive the rites later known as the Eleusinian Mysteries.

Celeus and Triptolemus

In the Hymn, Triptolemus is named separately among the princes who learned the rites. Later writers make him Celeus’ son: Apollodorus calls Triptolemus the elder of Metanira’s children, and says Demeter made him a chariot drawn by winged dragons and gave him wheat to sow the whole inhabited earth (Apollodorus, Library 1.5.1–2). Pausanias also says that the Athenians knew Triptolemus as the son of Celeus, the first to sow seed, though the Argives told a different story of his birth (Pausanias 1.14.2–3).

Other Versions

Ovid tells the story differently. In the Fasti, Celeus is a poor old countryman who comes back from the forest with acorns and dry wood for his fire. His little daughter is driving two goats home, and his small son is ill in the cradle. He invites Ceres in; the goddess heals the sick boy, who is Triptolemus, with a kiss, and at midnight she lays him in the fire, but his mother wakes and screams. Ceres says the boy will be mortal but will be the first to plough and sow (Ovid, Fasti 4.507–560). According to Pausanias, a Phliasian tradition makes Dysaules the brother of Celeus and the founder of the mysteries at Phlius (Pausanias 2.14.2).

Celeus Sources

The principal source is the Homeric Hymn to Demeter (96–274, 296–304, 473–479). Other passages: Apollodorus, Library 1.5.1–2; Pausanias 1.14.2–3, 1.38.3, 1.39.1 and 2.14.2; Ovid, Fasti 4.507–560.

See Also: Demeter, Metanira, Demophon, Triptolemus, Persephone, Eleusinian Mysteries