Page "Persephone" Paragraph 81

The primitive myths of isolated Arcadia seem to be related with the first Greek-speaking people who came from the north-east during the bronze age.

Despoina, ( the mistress ) the goddess of the Arcadian mysteries, is the daughter of Demeter and Poseidon Hippios ( horse ), who represents the river spirit of the underworld that appears as a horse as often happens in northern-European folklore.

He pursues the mare-Demeter and from the union she bears the horse Arion and a daughter who originally had the form or the shape of a mare.

The two goddesses were not clearly separated and they were closely connected with the springs and the animals.

They were related with the god of rivers and springs ; Poseidon and especially with Artemis, the Mistress of the Animals who was the first nymph.

According to the Greek tradition a hunt-goddess preceded the harvest goddess.

In Arcadia Demeter and Persephone were often called Despoinai ( Δέσποιναι, " the mistresses ") in historical times.

They are the two Great Goddesses of the Arcadian cults, and evidently they come from a more primitive religion.

The Greek god Poseidon probably substituted the companion ( Paredros, Πάρεδρος ) of the Minoan Great goddess.