Triptolemus
Family: Attica · Role: son of Celeus; sower of corn · First appears: Book 1 · Chapter 14
In Book 1, Chapter 14, Trochilus fled Argos for Attica and settled in Eleusis, where he had Eubules and Triptolemus. The account names Celeus as Triptolemus’s father, while another version gives Ocean and Earth, Dysaules, or Rharus; it also calls Cercyon his brother. Demeter taught Triptolemus and Eubules to sow corn after they told her about her daughter’s abduction, and in Book 2, Chapter 14, she showed Triptolemus, Diocles, Eumolpus, and Celeus how to perform her rites and mysteries.
In Book 7, Chapter 18, Eumelus received corn and instruction from Triptolemus, then built Aroe. After Antheas tried to sow with Triptolemus’s dragons and died falling from the chariot, Eumelus and Triptolemus built Anthea and named it after him. In Book 8, Chapter 4, Arcas learned sowing corn from Triptolemus.
Relationship record
Life events
- Trochilus fled Argos, married in Eleusis, and had Eubules and Triptolemus.(Book 1 · Chapter 14 · 📍 Argos)
- With: Trochilus Agenor (enemy of Trochilus) Eubules
- “Trochilus the initiating priest fled they say from Argos in consequence of the hatred of Agenor, and came to Attica, and there married a wife from Eleusis, and had children by her, Eubules and Triptolemus.”
- Demeter taught Eubules and Triptolemus how to sow corn.(Book 1 · Chapter 14)
- Demeter taught Triptolemus, Diocles, Eumolpus, and Celeus the performance of her rites and mysteries.(Book 2 · Chapter 14)
- Eumelus built Aroe after receiving corn and agricultural instructions from Triptolemus.(Book 7 · Chapter 18 · 📍 Aroe)
- With: Eumelus
- “And when Triptolemus came from Attica Eumelus received from him corn to sow, and under his instructions built a town called Aroe”
- Antheas tried to sow corn using Triptolemus’s dragons and died falling from the chariot.(Book 7 · Chapter 18)
- With: Antheas
- “And when Triptolemus had gone to sleep they say Antheas, the son of Eumelus, yoked the dragons to the chariot of Triptolemus, and tried himself to sow corn: but he died by falling out of the chariot.”
- Eumelus and Triptolemus built Anthea and named it after Antheas.(Book 7 · Chapter 18 · 📍 Anthea)
Book 1 · Chapter 14
- parent: Trochilus (Trochilus is the named parent; the mother is unnamed.) “there married a wife from Eleusis, and had children by her, Eubules and Triptolemus”
- parent: Celeus “Triptolemus, the son of Celeus”
- parent: Ocean (Genealogy attributed to Musæus.) “that Triptolemus was the son of Ocean and Earth”
- parent: Earth (Genealogy attributed to Musæus.) “that Triptolemus was the son of Ocean and Earth”
- parent: Dysaules (Genealogy attributed to Orpheus.) “that Dysaules was the father of Eubules and Triptolemus”
- mentor: Demeter “that Dysaules was the father of Eubules and Triptolemus, and that Demeter taught them how to sow corn”
- siblings with Cercyon “Cercyon and Triptolemus were brothers”
- parent: Rharus (Genealogy stated by Chœrilus.) “the father of Triptolemus was Rharus”
Book 2 · Chapter 14
- mentor: Demeter “where in his list of those who were taught the mysteries by the goddess he ignores Dysaules. These are his lines. ‘She shewed Triptolemus, and Diocles tamer of horses, and powerful Eumolpus, and Celeus leader of the people, the due performance of her rights and mysteries.’”
Book 7 · Chapter 18
- with Eumelus (Triptolemus gave Eumelus corn and instructed him.) “And when Triptolemus came from Attica Eumelus received from him corn to sow, and under his instructions built a town called Aroe, which he so called from tilling the soil.”
- with Eumelus (They jointly built Anthea.) “And Triptolemus and Eumelus built in common the town Anthea, which they called after him.”
- pupil: Eumelus (Triptolemus instructed Eumelus.) “And when Triptolemus came from Attica Eumelus received from him corn to sow, and under his instructions built a town called Aroe, which he so called from tilling the soil.”
- with Antheas (Antheas used Triptolemus's chariot and attempted to sow corn.) “they say Antheas, the son of Eumelus, yoked the dragons to the chariot of Triptolemus, and tried himself to sow corn”
Book 8 · Chapter 4
- pupil: Arcas “And he introduced sowing corn being taught by Triptolemus”
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Extracted from the original text of Pausanias' Description of Greece. Made with Rho MD.