Despoina

Despoina
Despoina
	Arion (twin), several paternal half-siblings and several maternal half-siblings

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Despoina or Despoena (

Arion.^[2] Surviving sources refer to her exclusively under the title Despoina ("the Mistress," cognate of "Despot") alongside her mother Demeter, as her real name could not be revealed to anyone except those initiated into her mysteries and was consequently lost with the extinction of the Eleusinian religion.^[3] Writing during the second century A.D., Pausanias spoke of Demeter as having two daughters; Kore being born first, before Despoina was born, with Zeus being the father of Kore and Poseidon as the father of Despoina. Pausanias made it clear that Kore is Persephone

, although he did not reveal Despoina's proper name.

In the myth, Poseidon saw Demeter and desired her. To avoid him, she took her archaic form of a

Erinys (raging).^[4]

Etymology

The first element of the name Des-poina is derived from the

PIE form *pot-nih_a-, "mistress", "lady", "wife", is the feminine counterpart to *pótis, "husband"; cf. Latin hospēs, "host", Sanskrit páti-, "master", "husband", fem. pátnī-, "lady", "wife".^[6] The Greek female equivalent for despotēs was despoina "lady, queen, mistress," source of the fem. proper name Despina. ^[5]

(Etymologically the "mistress of the house".)

Related attested forms, written in the

PIE *dems-méh₂tēr, meaning "mother of the house".^[9] In Modern Greek

the title "despoinis" (δεσποινίς) means "Miss", literally "little mistress", and can be used to address young ladies and waitresses, amongst others.

Cult of Despoina

The cult of Despoina was significant in the history of ancient Greek mystery religions in Lycosoura, which belonged to a stratum of an earlier religion in Arcadia.^[10] Evidently, the religious beliefs of the first Greek-speaking people who entered the region were mixed with the beliefs of the indigenous population. The figure of a goddess of nature, birth, and death was dominant in both Minoan and Mycenean cults during the Bronze Age.^[11] Wanax was her male companion (paredros) in the Mycenean cult, and usually, this title was applied to the god Poseidon as king of the sea.^[12]

In the myth of the isolated land of

Arcadian goddesses, Demeter and Despoina (later Persephone), were closely related to the springs and the animals, and especially, to the goddess Artemis (Potnia Theron: "The mistress of the animals"), who was the first nymph.^[18]

On a marble relief at

Mycenean frescoes and gold rings.^[21]^[22] Most of the temples were built near springs, and in some of them there is evidence of an eternal flame. At Lycosura, a fire burned in front of the temple of Pan, the goat god.^[23] The megaron of Eleusis is quite similar to the "megaron" of Despoina at Lycosura.^[24]

Sanctuary at Lycosura

Perspective reconstruction of the temple of Despoina: the acrolithic statues of Demeter (L) and Despoina (R) are visible at the scale in the cella

Despoina was worshipped in a

mystery religions. In Arcadia Poseidon was closely related to the pair of Arcadian great goddesses identified as Demeter and Kore. ^[25]

She was known by the additional epithet of Despoine among the general population, just as they surnamed Demeter's daughter by Zeus as Kore (the maiden).^[26]^[27]

Women who worshiped at the site had to adhere to a dress code that prohibited participants from wearing black or purple, possibly because those colours were worn by priestesses.^[28]

Origins

In the

Karl Kerenyi asserted that the cult was a continuation of a Minoan goddess, and that her name recalls the Minoan-Mycenaean goddess 𐀅𐁆𐀪𐀵𐀍𐄀𐀡𐀴𐀛𐀊, da-pu₂-ri-to-jo,po-ti-ni-ja, i.e. the unnamable "Mistress of the Labyrinth" at Knossos.^[30]^[31]

Epithet

"Despoina" was an epithet for several goddesses, especially

Queens" referred to in various Linear B inscriptions.^[34] At Olympia they were called Despoinai (Δέσποιναι).^[35]

The epithet, Despoina, is possibly related to the Mycenean title, "potnia" (po-ti-ni-ja), that usually referred to goddesses. Some theories suggest that this could be the translation of a similar title of

Aegean mother goddess.^[37]

Archaeology

At the time of a visit to the sanctuary at Lycosura by

Severan period in the early third century, appear to depict a statue from the cult group.^[38]

There is a museum at the archaeological site called the

National Archaeological Museum of Athens. The most significant artifact among its collection is the veil of Despoina, displaying a complex decorative program, probably representative of the types of embroidered woven materials created by contemporary artists. Also displayed are the heads of Artemis, Demeter, Anytos

, and a Tritoness, from the throne in the sanctuary.

Elements of the cult sculptural group in the National Archaeological Museum of Athens

From L-R: Artemis, Demeter, Veil of Despoina, Anytus, Tritoness from the throne

Legacy

Despina, a satellite of Neptune, was named after the goddess Despoina.

Notes

Explanatory notes

^ A Mycenaean word more directly related to despoina would be the possible theonym 𐀈𐀡𐀲, do-po-ta, provided that the latter is indeed to be read as a form of despotes.

Citations

^ Avery, Catherine B., ed. (1962). New Century Classical Handbook. New York: Appleton-Century-Crofts. p. 390.
^ Pausanias, 8.25.7, 8.42.1.
^ Pausanias, 8.37.9
^ Pausanias, 8.25.5–6
^ ^a ^b Harper, Douglas. "despot". Online Etymology Dictionary.
^ J. P. Mallory, J. P.; Adams, D. Q. (2006). The Oxford Introduction to Proto-Indo-European and the Proto-Indo-European World. Oxford University Press. pp. 207, 505.
^ Mylonas 1966, p. 159
^ Mycenean Linear B [1]
^ Frisk, Griechisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, Entry 1271
ISBN 9781108015455
.

^ B.Dietriech (2004):The origins of the Greek religion Bristol Phoenix Press pp. 181-185

^ Dietrich, pp. 181-185

^ F.Schachermeyer: Poseidon und die Entstehung des Griechischen Gotter glaubens :Nilsson p 444

^ J.Grimm ,"Deutsche Mythologie", S..105 f, III S 142f: Nilsson,"Geschicte", Vol I, p.450

^ Nilsson,"Geschicte", Vol I, p.238

Earth
, who bears plants and beasts" :Kerenyi, The Gods of the Greeks, 1951:185

^ B. Dietriech (2004): The origins of the Greek religion. Bristol Phoenix Press. pp. 65-66

^ M.Nilsson (1967) Die Geschichte der Griechische Religion Vol I, pp. 479-480

^ Pausanias :8.25, 4 -8.42 -8.37

^ Nilsson, Vol I, p.479

^ Martin Robertson (1959). La peinture Grecque. Edition d'art Albert Skira. Genève p.31, National Archaeological Museum of Athens, No. 2665

^ "procession of daemons in front of a goddess on a gold ring from Tiryns" Martin Nilsson (1967) Vol I, p. 293

^ Nilsson, Vol I p.478

^ Burkert, p. 285.

^ ^a ^b Nilsson, Geschichte, Vol I, p.448

^ Pausanias 8.37.1,8.38.2

^ Reconstruction of interior of Sanctuary of Despoina

ISBN 978-1-315-62142-5
.

Karl Kerenyi
(1967). Eleusis. Archetypal image of mother and daughter. Princeton University Press. p 31f
^ Found on the Kn Gg 702 tablet.

Kerenyi
, pp. 89-90.

^ Hathorn, p. 13.

^ Hard, p. 102.

ISBN 0-521-08558-6

^ Pausanias (1903). "5.15.4". Pausaniae Graeciae Descriptio (in Greek). In 3 volumes. Leipzig: Teubner. At the Perseus Project.

^ Chadwick: The Mycenean world P.92

W. Kohlhammer
, Stuttgart

^ Jost (1985) Sanctuaires et cultes d'Arcadie. Paris

General and cited references

ISBN 0-674-36281-0
.

Hard, Robin, The Routledge Handbook of Greek Mythology: Based on H.J. Rose's "Handbook of Greek Mythology", Psychology Press, 2004.
ISBN 978-0-415-18636-0. Google Books
.

Hathorn, Richmond Yancey, Crowell's handbook of classical drama, Thomas Y. Crowell Company (1967).

ISBN 0-691-09863-8
.

Mylonas, George Emmanuel (1966). Mycenae and the Mycenaean Age. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.
ISBN 9780691035239
.

Pausanias, Pausanias Description of Greece with an English Translation by W.H.S. Jones, Litt.D., and H.A. Ormerod, M.A., in 4 Volumes. Cambridge, Massachusetts, Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd. 1918. Online version at the Perseus Digital Library.

Smith, William; Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology, London (1873). "Despoena"

External links

Theoi Project - "Despoine"

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Despoina&oldid=1186146987"

[9] A Mycenaean word more directly related to despoina would be the possible theonym 𐀈𐀡𐀲, do-po-ta, provided that the latter is indeed to be read as a form of despotes.

[1] Avery, Catherine B., ed. (1962). New Century Classical Handbook. New York: Appleton-Century-Crofts. p. 390.

[2] Pausanias, 8.25.7, 8.42.1.

[3] Pausanias, 8.37.9

[4] Pausanias, 8.25.5–6

[despot-5] Harper, Douglas. "despot". Online Etymology Dictionary.

[6] J. P. Mallory, J. P.; Adams, D. Q. (2006). The Oxford Introduction to Proto-Indo-European and the Proto-Indo-European World. Oxford University Press. pp. 207, 505.

[7] Mylonas 1966, p. 159

[8] Mycenean Linear B [1]

[10] Frisk, Griechisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, Entry 1271

[11] ISBN 9781108015455
.

[12] B.Dietriech (2004):The origins of the Greek religion Bristol Phoenix Press pp. 181-185

[13] Dietrich, pp. 181-185

[14] F.Schachermeyer: Poseidon und die Entstehung des Griechischen Gotter glaubens :Nilsson p 444

[15] J.Grimm ,"Deutsche Mythologie", S..105 f, III S 142f: Nilsson,"Geschicte", Vol I, p.450

[16] Nilsson,"Geschicte", Vol I, p.238

[17] Earth
, who bears plants and beasts" :Kerenyi, The Gods of the Greeks, 1951:185

[18] B. Dietriech (2004): The origins of the Greek religion. Bristol Phoenix Press. pp. 65-66

[19] M.Nilsson (1967) Die Geschichte der Griechische Religion Vol I, pp. 479-480

[20] Pausanias :8.25, 4 -8.42 -8.37

[21] Nilsson, Vol I, p.479

[22] Martin Robertson (1959). La peinture Grecque. Edition d'art Albert Skira. Genève p.31, National Archaeological Museum of Athens, No. 2665

[23] "procession of daemons in front of a goddess on a gold ring from Tiryns" Martin Nilsson (1967) Vol I, p. 293

[24] Nilsson, Vol I p.478

[25] Burkert, p. 285.

[Nilsson448-26] Nilsson, Geschichte, Vol I, p.448

[27] Pausanias 8.37.1,8.38.2

[28] Reconstruction of interior of Sanctuary of Despoina

[29] ISBN 978-1-315-62142-5
.

[30] Karl Kerenyi
(1967). Eleusis. Archetypal image of mother and daughter. Princeton University Press. p 31f

[31] Found on the Kn Gg 702 tablet.

[32] Kerenyi
, pp. 89-90.

[33] Hathorn, p. 13.

[34] Hard, p. 102.

[35] ISBN 0-521-08558-6

[36] Pausanias (1903). "5.15.4". Pausaniae Graeciae Descriptio (in Greek). In 3 volumes. Leipzig: Teubner. At the Perseus Project.

[37] Chadwick: The Mycenean world P.92

[38] W. Kohlhammer
, Stuttgart

[39] Jost (1985) Sanctuaires et cultes d'Arcadie. Paris

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