§5.69.1ἀμφισβητοῦσι δὲ περὶ τῆς εὑρέσεως τοῦ καρποῦ τούτου πολλοί, τὴν θεὸν φάμενοι παρʼ αὑτοῖς πρώτοις ὀφθῆναι καὶ τὴν τούτου φύσιν τε καὶ χρῆσιν καταδεῖξαι.
However, many dispute concerning the discovery of this crop, claiming that the goddess appeared first among them and showed both its nature and its use.
Αἰγύπτιοι μὲν γὰρ λέγουσι τήν τε Δήμητραν καὶ τὴν Ἶσιν τὴν αὐτὴν εἶναι, καὶ εἰς Αἴγυπτον ἐνεγκεῖν τὸ σπέρμα πρώτην, ἀρδεύοντος μὲν εὐκαίρως τὰ πεδία τοῦ Νείλου ποταμοῦ, ταῖς δʼ ὥραις ἄριστα τῆς χώρας ταύτης κεκραμένης.
For the Egyptians say that Demeter and Isis are the same, and that she was the first to bring the seed into Egypt, while the Nile River irrigated the plains at the opportune time and the seasons of this country were most excellently tempered.
§5.69.2τοὺς δʼ Ἀθηναίους, καίπερ ἀποφαινομένους τὴν εὕρεσιν τοῦ καρποῦ τούτου γεγενημένην παρʼ αὑτοῖς, ὅμως μαρτυρεῖν αὐτὸν ἑτέρωθεν κεκομισμένον εἰς τὴν Ἀττικήν· τὸν γὰρ τόπον τὸν ἐξ ἀρχῆς δεξάμενον τὴν δωρεὰν ταύτην Ἐλευσῖνα προσαγορεύειν ἀπὸ τοῦ παρʼ ἑτέρων ἐλθεῖν τὸ σπέρμα τοῦ σίτου κομισθέν.
And the Athenians, although declaring that the discovery of this crop took place among themselves, nevertheless testify that it was brought into Attica from elsewhere; for they call the place which from the beginning received this gift Eleusis, from the fact that the seed of the grain came having been brought from others.
§5.69.3οἱ δὲ Σικελιῶται, νῆσον ἱερὰν Δήμητρος καὶ Κόρης οἰκοῦντες, εἰκὸς εἶναί φασι τὴν δωρεὰν ταύτην πρώτοις τοῖς τὴν προσφιλεστάτην χώραν νεμομένοις δοθῆναι· ἄτοπον μὲν γὰρ ὑπάρχειν εὐκαρποτάτην αὐτὴν ὡς ἰδίαν ποιῆσαι, τῆς δʼ εὐεργεσίας ὡς μηδὲν προσηκούσῃ μηδʼ ἐσχάτῃ μεταδοῦναι, καὶ ταῦτʼ ἐν αὐτῇ τὴν οἴκησιν ἔχουσαν, εἴπερ καὶ τῆς Κόρης τὴν ἁρπαγὴν ἐν τῇ νήσῳ ταύτῃ γεγονέναι συμπεφώνηται.
On the other hand, the Siceliots, inhabiting the island sacred to Demeter and Core, say it is reasonable that this gift was given first to those who inhabit the country dearest to her; for it would be strange for her to make this most fertile island her own, but to share its benefit as if she were in no way related to it or only as the last resort, and this despite having her dwelling in it, if indeed it is agreed that the abduction of Core also took place on this island.
εἶναι δὲ καὶ τὴν χώραν οἰκειοτάτην τούτοις τοῖς καρποῖς, ἐν ᾗ καὶ τὸν ποιητὴν λέγειν
"ἀλλὰ τά γʼ ἄσπαρτα καὶ ἀνήροτα πάντα φύονται, πυροὶ καὶ κριθαί. " §5.69.4περὶ μὲν οὖν Δήμητρος τοιαῦτα μυθολογοῦσι.
They say also that the country is most suited to these crops, in which also the poet says: "but all these grow unsown and unplowed, wheat and barley." Concerning Demeter, then, they relate such myths.
τῶν δʼ ἄλλων θεῶν τῶν ἐκ Κρόνου καὶ Ῥέας γενομένων φασὶν οἱ Κρῆτες Ποσειδῶνα μὲν πρῶτον χρήσασθαι ταῖς κατὰ θάλατταν ἐργασίαις καὶ στόλους συστήσασθαι, παραδόντος αὐτῷ τὴν ἡγεμονίαν ταύτην τοῦ Κρόνου· διὸ καὶ παραδίδοσθαι τοῖς ἐπιγινομένοις τοῦτον κύριον ὑπάρχειν τῶν κατὰ θάλατταν πραττομένων καὶ θυσίαις ὑπὸ τῶν ναυτιλλομένων τιμᾶσθαι.
But of the other gods born of Cronus and Rhea, the Cretans say that Poseidon was the first to engage in activities of the sea and to assemble fleets, Cronus having handed over this dominion to him; for which reason it has been handed down to posterity that he is the lord of things done at sea and is honored with sacrifices by those who sail.
προσάπτουσι δʼ αὐτῷ καὶ τὸ τοὺς ἵππους δαμάσαι πρῶτον καὶ τὴν ἐπιστήμην καταδεῖξαι τὴν περὶ τὴν ἱππικήν, ἀφʼ ἧς ἵππιον αὐτὸν ὠνομάσθαι.
They also attribute to him the first taming of horses and the introduction of the knowledge concerning horsemanship, from which he was named Hippios.
§5.69.5τὸν δʼ Ἅιδην λέγεται τὰ περὶ τὰς ταφὰς καὶ τὰς ἐκφορὰς καὶ τιμὰς τῶν τεθνεώτων καταδεῖξαι, τὸν πρὸ τοῦ χρόνον μηδεμιᾶς οὔσης ἐπιμελείας περὶ αὐτούς· διὸ καὶ τῶν τετελευτηκότων ὁ θεὸς οὗτος παρείληπται κυριεύειν, ἀπονεμηθείσης τὸ παλαιὸν αὐτῷ τῆς τούτων ἀρχῆς καὶ φροντίδος.
And of Hades, it is said that he introduced the matters concerning burials, funerals, and honors for the dead, since before that time there was no care for them; for which reason this god has been understood to rule over the departed, the dominion and care of them having been assigned to him of old.