> [[ginevra]]. "Indo-European poetics, mythology, and folktale in the Homeric Hymn to Demeter. Ὑλοτόμος, ὑποτάμνον, and a new interpretation for lines 227-230 and the Demophon episode [Homeric phraseology; myths of Demeter, the Norse god Baldr, and the Vedic Sun-god; the folktale type ATU410 "Sleeping Beauty"]". in [[porro-barbantani2019eds]]. > [academia.edu](https://www.academia.edu/38815944/) > [pdf](ginevra2019-demeter.pdf) ## Abstract > In the Homeric Hymn to Demeter (lines 227–30 ), Demeter promises to protect the prince of Eleusis, Demophon, from three dangers, namely ἐπηλυσίη ‘witchcraft’, ὑλοτόμος ‘the one who/which cuts wood’, and ὑποτάμνον ‘that which cuts under’. By employing an interdisciplinary approach combining philology, linguistics, comparative mythology, and folktale studies, the paper argues for ὑλοτόμος and ὑποτάμνον as poetic terms for [AXE] or [METAL], as well as for a new reading of Demeter’s speech in HDem. 227–30 as a promise to make Demophon invulnerable. The interpretation of ὑλοτόμος ‘the one who/which cuts wood’ as a compositional kenning for [AXE] or [METAL] is supported by phraseological parallels in Archaic Greek epic poetry (inter alia, Il. 23.114 ὑλοτόμους πελέκεας “wood cutting axes”) and in other IE poetic traditions (Vedic abhī́d […] paraśúr yáthā vánam “splitting them like an axe a tree”; Old Norse gýgr […] skógs “ogress of the wood”, i.e. [AXE]). The analysis of ὑποτάμνον ‘that which cuts under’ as a poetic term for [AXE] or [METAL] finds support in Homeric phraseology (inter alia, Od. 23.204 […] ταμὼν ὕπο πυθμέν᾿ ἐλαίης “cutting under the trunk of the olive”) and in the lexicon of the Septuaginta (ὑποτομεύς ‘the one which cuts under’, translating Hebr. magezērah ‘axe’). Demeter’s speech in HDem. 227–30 must thus be interpreted as a promise to protect Demophon from both enchantments (ἐπηλυσίη) and axes or metal weapons in general (ὑλοτόμος, ὑποτάμνον), i.e. invulnerable, as these are the two main causes of death for a Greek epic hero. This reading of the passage finds support in the ritual undertaken by Demeter in HDem. 236–39 with the aim of making Demophon immortal and in the goddess’ admission of her own intentions in HDem. 259–62. The interpretation of HDem. 227–30 as a promise of invulnerability fits into a system of parallels between the Demophon episode, the Norse myth of Baldr’s death and the Vedic mythical narratives on the Sun’s abnormal birth and wounding. The features shared by these three traditions allow for the reconstruction of an inherited mythical theme in which, after concerns arise for the safety of a protagonist characterized by a non-ordinary (late or premature) birth and an (actual and/or onomastic) association with [LIGHT], an unsuccessful attempt is made to ensure his well-being, often by making him invulnerable to anything that may hurt[... view full abstract](https://www.academia.edu/38815944/)