Demophon

Family: Eleusinians · Role: child of Metanira · First appears: Apollodorus, Library 1.5

🌐 Also appears in: Greek Tragedy — The Same Myth, Three Voices (as Demophon)

Demophon is an Eleusinian child of Metanira and Celeus, and the sibling of Triptolemus. Demeter received him to nurse and sought to make him immortal, while Praxithea watched; at Eleusis, after finding him in the fire, she cried out, and “the babe was consumed by the fire and the goddess revealed herself.”

In another account, Demophon is the son of Phaedra and Theseus, and the sibling of Acamas. In the land of the Thracian Bisaltians, Phyllis fell in love with him and married him, receiving the kingdom as her dowry; she accompanied him as far as the Nine Roads, then called down curses on him and killed herself.

Relationship record

Life events

• Demophon was consumed by fire, prompting Demeter to reveal herself.(Apollodorus, Library 1.5 · 📍 Eleusis)
  • With: Demeter Praxithea
  • “But as Demophon — for that was the child's name— grew marvelously by day, Praxithea watched, and discovering him buried in the fire she cried out; wherefore the babe was consumed by the fire and the goddess revealed herself.”
• Phyllis married Demophon, whose marriage was accompanied by her father's gift of the kingdom.(Apollodorus, Epitome 6 · 📍 the land of the Thracian Bisaltians)
  • With: Phyllis
  • “there Phyllis, the king's daughter, falling in love with him, was given him in marriage by her father with the kingdom for her dower.”

Apollodorus, Library 1.5

• parent: Metanira “But Metanira, wife of Celeus, had a child and Demeter received it to nurse, and wishing to make it immortal she set the babe of nights on the fire and stripped off its mortal flesh. But as Demophon — for that was the child's name— grew marvelously by day, Praxithea watched”
• guardian: Demeter “But Metanira, wife of Celeus, had a child and Demeter received it to nurse”
• with Praxithea (Praxithea watched over Demophon and discovered him in the fire.) “But as Demophon — for that was the child's name— grew marvelously by day, Praxithea watched, and discovering him buried in the fire she cried out”
• parent: Celeus “But Metanira, wife of Celeus, had a child and Demeter received it to nurse”
• siblings with Triptolemus “But as Demophon — for that was the child's name— grew marvelously by day, Praxithea watched, and discovering him buried in the fire she cried out; wherefore the babe was consumed by the fire and the goddess revealed herself. But for Triptolemus, the elder of Metanira's children”

Apollodorus, Epitome 1

• parent: Phaedra “Phaedra, after she had borne two children, Acamas and Demophon, to Theseus”
• parent: Theseus “Phaedra, after she had borne two children, Acamas and Demophon, to Theseus”

Apollodorus, Epitome 5

• siblings with Acamas “Demophon and Acamas, the sons of Theseus;”

Apollodorus, Epitome 6

• married with Phyllis “Phyllis, the king's daughter, falling in love with him, was given him in marriage by her father with the kingdom for her dower”
• with Phyllis (interaction) “Phyllis called down curses on Demophon and killed herself”
• with Phyllis (Phyllis accompanied Demophon on his departure.) “Phyllis accompanied him as far as what are called the Nine Roads”
• courtship with Phyllis “Phyllis, the king's daughter, falling in love with him, was given him in marriage by her father”

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Extracted from the original text of Greek Mythology. Made with Rho MD.