Triptolemus
| Triptolemus | |
|---|---|
Triptolemus and Persephone, tondo of a red-figure Attic cup, ca. 470 BC–460 BC | |
| Abode | Eleusis, Elysium, Hades |
| Mount | Dragon-drawn chariot |
| Parents | Oceanus and Gaia, or Celeus and Metanira |
Triptolemus /ˌtrɪpˈtɒlɪməs/ (Ancient Greek: Τριπτόλεμος, romanized: Triptólemos, lit. 'Tripartite warrior'), also known as Buzyges (Ancient Greek: Βουζύγης, romanized: Bouzýgēs, lit. 'Bull-hitcher'), was a hero of Eleusis in Greek mythology, central to the Eleusinian Mysteries and is worshipped as the inventor and patron of agriculture. Triptolemus is credited with being the first to sow seed for cultivation after being taught by Demeter and is credited for the use of oxen and the plough. Xenophon claims that Peloponnesus was the first place Triptolemus shared Demeter's agricultural gift while Pausanias claims the Rharium plane near Eleusis was the first place to be sown for crops.
Triptolemus is depicted as a young man with a branch or diadem placed in his hair, usually sitting on his chariot, adorned with serpents. His attributes include a plate of grain, a pair of wheat or barley ears and a scepter.