Demeter, Demeter, How Does Your Garden Grow? Quiz

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. As Demeter leads you into her garden, you pass two trees - one a linden tree and the other an oak tree. Demeter tells you that these trees were once the elderly couple, Baucis and Philemon, who were granted their wish of dying together as thanks for their hospitality to the gods. What two gods transformed this couple?

Answer: Zeus and Hermes

The story goes that the gods, Zeus and Hermes, were visiting Earth and, in their human forms, were seeking shelter for the night. Nobody would accept them, but Baucis and Philemon did. Baucis and Philemon were old and poor and, despite their lack of luxuries, tried their best to welcome the gods and provide them with food.

When the gods revealed their true forms, the elderly couple was shocked. Due to the general hostility of the village, the gods destroyed it with a flood, but maintained the cottage of Baucis and Philemon, which was turned into a temple. The elderly couple told the gods that neither wanted to live without the other and so they wanted to die together when death did come. When they did die, they were turned to an oak and a linden tree. It is claimed that the two trees grew out of one trunk, to symbolise the couple's devotion to one another.

2. Demeter now offers you a glass of wine made from the grapes which grow in her garden. She tells you that these are the finest grapes, given to her by Dionysus, god of wine. Demeter also says that you are not to tell Hera about the origins of the wine. Why is this?

Answer: Dionysus is the offspring of Zeus and another woman

Dionysus was born to Semele (a mortal) and Zeus. Hera disguised herself as Semele's nurse and began to put doubts in her head about Zeus being the true father of Dionysus. Seeking confirmation, Semele begged Zeus to appear to her. However, Zeus' presence was too much for the mortal, who turned to ash at the sight of the god.

Dionysus was put into the care of the nymphs and later married Ariadne, whom he met on the island of Naxos.

3. Demeter now leads you to a delicate-looking red flower. She explains that this flower was born from the blood of Adonis after nectar was poured onto it by his admirer, Aphrodite. What type of flower is this?

Answer: An anemone

The reason for Aphrodite's love for Adonis was that she accidentally struck herself with the arrow of her son, Eros.

Aphrodite warned Adonis to stay away from wild beasts, which she hated. However, Adonis did not listen and attempted to hunt a wild boar (which some accounts say was sent by Artemis). The wild boar charged at Adonis, who was not fast enough and so was killed.

This occurred just after Aphrodite had left her mortal lover. Halfway back to Mount Olympus, she became aware of the news and turned around her swan-drawn chariot. She poured nectar onto the blood of Adonis, from which sprung the anemone.

4. At the bottom of the garden, you spot a huge black poplar. You are told by Demeter that this tree was once a woman, who was transformed by the angry nymph, Lotis. What was this woman's name?

Answer: Dryope

When on their way to the bank of a river, Dryope and her sister, Iole, were gathering flowers. Dryope laid down her baby so as to pick some striking purple petals from a lotus plant. However, the sisters discovered that the plant was actually the nymph, Lotis, in disguise after noticing the blood that ran from the torn petals.

Angered, Lotis turned Dryope into a black poplar (although some accounts say that it was a lotus tree). She tried to run, but was rooted to the spot and she felt her skin begin to stiffen as it turned to bark. She asked her sister to tell her son who she was when he grew up, and to visit her and play in her shade.

5. Whilst she sprinkles it with water, Demeter tells you that this next flower sprung from the blood of Hyacinthus, the male lover of Apollo. Who threw the discus which killed Hyacinthus?

Answer: Apollo

The death was accidental and Apollo was distraught when it occurred. Hyacinthus often accompanied Apollo on his many sporting activities. After Apollo had thrown a discus into the air, Hyacinthus prepared himself to retrieve it and throw it back. However, the youth was not aware of the path of the discus, which bounced on the ground and struck his forehead, causing him to die.

Despite the clear etymological link, many claim that the flower which sprung from Hycainthus' blood was not a true hyacinth, but rather a type of iris or pansy.

Some believe this flower to be the hyacinth. Other accounts say that the hyacinth was born out of the blood of Ajax, after losing the contest which was held to decide who should inherit the armour of Achilles.

In some versions of this story, it was the jealous wind god, Zephyrus, who was responsible for Hyacinthus' death.

6. Demeter now shows you her crystal clear pond, of which she is incredibly proud. You notice a flower which you take to be a daffodil by the edge of this pond. From which mythological figure was this flower born?

Answer: Narcissus

The daffodil is of the genus narcissus. The reason for it being by the crystal clear pond relates to the story of Narcissus, who fell in love with his own reflection which he saw in the surface of the water of a pond.

Before this, Narcissus was loved by the nymph, Echo. Echo had her voice taken away by Hera and could only speak when spoken to. She waited and waited for Narcissus to address her, but when she was able to converse with him, her love was not returned.

7. Demeter now points to a flower familiar to many and tells you that the mythological character from which it was formed was as static as the flower itself! This figure's name was Clytie and, whilst in her human form, she sat and watched Apollo cross the sky for many days. What type of flower are you looking at?

Answer: Sunflower

As well as regularly being classed as the god of the sun in both Greek and Roman mythology, Apollo was the deity of music, prophecy, medicine and archery.

Clytie was a water nymph who fell in love with Apollo and sat on a rock and watched him fly through the sky for nine days. On the ninth day she was turned into a sunflower, which shows the same quality of turning its head to face the sun (as the sun would have been drawn by the chariot of Apollo).

8. As you and Demeter saunter down her long and beautiful garden, you begin to hear the sound of a group of people talking. But as you get closer you realise that these aren't people at all! They are flowers. These flowers tell you of how a mythical king had the ears of a donkey. Which king was this?

Answer: King Midas

After getting rid of his ability to turn everything he touched to gold, Midas began to worship the god, Pan.

Midas judged Pan to be more musically talented than Apollo during a contest between the two Olympians. Apollo was enraged at this and so turned the ears of Midas into those of an ass.

Midas tried his best to keep his ears out of public sight. His barber, who was the only man who knew his secret, felt obliged to keep it. In order to prevent himself blurting it out whilst in the company of another person, the barber went up to a quiet hill and told the secret, burying the soil afterwards. Flowers then sprang from the soil and began to tell the secret of Midas' ears.

9. Upon seeing a ring of elm trees nearby, Demeter tells you that they mark the grave of the warrior, Protesilaus - the first Greek to die in the Trojan war. Which man killed Protesilaus?

Answer: Hector

Although the story of Protesilaus is rather obscure, this question may be made easier by the fact that all three other options (Achilles, Ajax and Nestor) fought in the Greek army and so were less likely to be the cause of the death of a fellow Greek (although Achilles was known for being rather volatile). Meanwhile, Hector was son of Priam and so fought in the Trojan army.

It was prophesied that the first man to step on the land of Troy once the war had begun would be the first to die. Hector made this prophecy come true.

Laodamia, upon hearing the news of her husband's death, demanded three hours of his company before he was taken. This was granted and Protesilaus was revived for three hours. Once her time was up, Laodamia died with her husband. The elm trees mark the spot of their burial.

10. Finally, at the end of Demeter's green, vibrant garden, you are shown a dead patch. Demeter tells you that a mighty oak tree once stood here and that it was sacred to her. Her voice is full of hate as she tells you of how an impious man spitefully hacked down this tree, killing the nymph within. What was the name of this man?

Answer: Erisichthon

Erisichthon hated the gods and ordered his men to chop down this mighty oak. His servant knew that this tree was sacred to Demeter and so refused to follow his orders in fear of what what happen to him. Erisichthon therefore took the axe himself and chopped down the tree, whilst killing his disobedient servant.

Nereids (sea nymphs), oreads (mountain nymphs) and naiads (fountain nymphs) were all immortal. Dryads were wood nymphs and were not immortal as they perished with the trees. Therefore, as Demeter lost her sacred tree, she also lost a wood nymph.

Demeter, in anger, sent an oread to Famine, who punished Erisichthon's impiety by giving him everlasting hunger. This curse eventually caused the death of Erisichthon, who ate himself after consuming all other available food.

Source: Author doublemm

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor CellarDoor before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.

Join Demeter, goddess of fertility, as she takes you through her gardens to see some plants which feature prominently in Greek and Roman mythology.

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