1. Discussion Questions for Hymn to Demeter 1.Who sanctions the abduction of Persephone? Why is this so poignant? 2.Who are the only two to witness Persephone’s abduction? 3.How does Demeter find out that Persephone has been abducted? 4.Demeter experiences a number of different emotions. How does she react to each one? How does she try to remedy the disappearance of her daughter? 5.This hymn captures some interaction between gods and mortals. Who is Metaneira? How does she react to/interact with Demeter? 6.How does Demeter’s absence from Olympus affect the mortal world? How does this in turn affect the gods? 7.How would you characterize Hades in this hymn? How would you describe Persephone’s relationship with him? 8.The strength of story-telling often lies in the details. Select a few passages that you think were particularly contributive to the emotional tone of the hymn.