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down on the whole world as he sped through the air。 In gratitude for the priceless boon many Greek cities long continued to send the first…fruits of their barley and wheat harvests as thank…offerings to the Two Goddesses； Demeter and Persephone； at Eleusis； where subterranean granaries were built to store the overflowing contributions。 Theocritus tells how in the island of Cos； in the sweet…scented summer time； the farmer brought the first…fruits of the harvest to Demeter who had filled his threshingfloor with barley； and whose rustic image held sheaves and poppies in her hands。 Many of the epithets bestowed by the ancients on Demeter mark her intimate association with the corn in the clearest manner。
How deeply implanted in the mind of the ancient Greeks was this faith in Demeter as goddess of the corn may be judged by the circumstance that the faith actually persisted among their Christian descendants at her old sanctuary of Eleusis down to the beginning of the nineteenth century。 For when the English traveller Dodwell revisited Eleusis； the inhabitants lamented to him the loss of a colossal image of Demeter； which was carried off by Clarke in 1802 and presented to the University of Cambridge； where it still remains。 In my first journey to Greece； says Dodwell； this protecting deity was in its full glory； situated in the centre of a threshing…floor； amongst the ruins of her temple。 The villagers were impressed with a persuasion that their rich harvests were the effect of her bounty； and since her removal； their abundance； as they assured me； has disappeared。 Thus we see the Corn Goddess Demeter standing on the threshing…floor of Eleusis and dispensing corn to her worshippers in the nineteenth century of the Christian era； precisely as her image stood and dispensed corn to her worshippers on the threshing…floor of Cos in the days of Theocritus。 And just as the people of Eleusis in the nineteenth century attributed the diminution of their harvests to the loss of the image of Demeter； so in antiquity the Sicilians； a corn…growing people devoted to the worship of the two Corn Goddesses； lamented that the crops of many towns had perished because the unscrupulous Roman governor Verres had impiously carried off the image of Demeter from her famous temple at Henna。 Could we ask for a clearer proof that Demeter was indeed the goddess of the corn than this belief； held by the Greeks down to modern times； that the corn…crops depended on her presence and bounty and perished when her image was removed？
On the whole； then； if； ignoring theories； we adhere to the evidence of the ancients themselves in regard to the rites of Eleusis； we shall probably incline to agree with the most learned of ancient antiquaries； the Roman Varro； who； to quote Augustine's report of his opinion； interpreted the whole of the Eleusinian mysteries as relating to the corn which Ceres （Demeter） had discovered； and to Proserpine （Persephone）； whom Pluto had carried off from her。 And Proserpine herself he said； signifies the fecundity of the seeds； the failure of which at a certain time had caused the earth to mourn for barrenness； and therefore had given rise to the opinion that the daughter of Ceres； that is； fecundity itself； had been ravished by Pluto and detained in the nether world； and when the dearth had been publicly mourned and fecundity had returned once more； there was gladness at the return of Proserpine and solemn rites were instituted accordingly。 After that he says； continues Augustine； reporting Varro； that many things were taught in her mysteries which had no reference but to the discovery of the corn。
Thus far I have for the most part assumed an identity of nature between Demeter and Persephone； the divine mother and daughter personifying the corn in its double aspect of the seed…corn of last year and the ripe ears of this； and this view of the substantial unity of mother and daughter is borne out by their portraits in Greek art； which are often so alike as to be indistinguishable。 Such a close resemblance between the artistic types of Demeter and Persephone militates decidedly against the view that the two goddesses are mythical embodiments of two things so different and so easily distinguishable from each other as the earth and the vegetation which springs from it。 Had Greek artists accepted that view of Demeter and Persephone； they could surely have devised types of them which would have brought out the deep distinction between the goddesses。 And if Demeter did not personify the earth； can there be any reasonable doubt that； like her daughter； she personified the corn which was so commonly called by her name from the time of Homer downwards？ The essential identity of mother and daughter is suggested； not only by the close resemblance of their artistic types； but also by the official title of the Two Goddesses which was regularly applied to them in the great sanctuary at Eleusis without any specification of their individual attributes and titles； as if their separate individualities had almost merged in a single divine substance。
Surveying the evidence as a whole； we are fairly entitled to conclude that in the mind of the ordinary Greek the two goddesses were essentially personifications of the corn； and that in this germ the whole efflorescence of their religion finds implicitly its explanation。 But to maintain this is not to deny that in the long course of religious evolution high moral and spiritual conceptions were grafted on this simple original stock and blossomed out into fairer flowers than the bloom of the barley and the wheat。 Above all； the thought of the seed buried in the earth in order to spring up to new and higher life readily suggested a comparison with human destiny； and strengthened the hope that for man too the grave may be but the beginning of a better and happier existence in some brighter world unknown。 This simple and natural reflection seems perfectly sufficient to explain the association of the Corn Goddess at Eleusis with the mystery of death and the hope of a blissful immortality。 For that the ancients regarded initiation in the Eleusinian mysteries as a key to unlock the gates of Paradise appears to be proved by the allusions which well…informed writers among them drop to the happiness in store for the initiated hereafter。 No doubt it is easy for us to discern the flimsiness of the logical foundation on which such high hopes were built。 But drowning men clutch at straws； and we need not wonder that the Greeks； like ourselves； with death before them and a great love of life in their hearts； should not have stopped to weigh with too nice a hand the arguments that told for and against the prospect of human immortality。 The reasoning that satisfied Saint Paul and has brought comfort to untold thousands of sorrowing Christians； standing by the deathbed or the open grave of their loved ones； was good enough to pass muster with ancient pagans； when they too bowed their heads under the burden of grief； and； with the taper of life burning low in the socket； looked forward into the darkness of the unknown。 Therefore we do no indignity to the myth of Demeter and Persephoneone of the few myths in which the sunshine and