[Greek] According to the ancient authors Despoina was the daughter of Demeter and Poseidon, worshipped at Arcadia in the Peloponnesus. Pausanias gave us a mythical story, which was known by the people of Thelpousa and Figalea. They said, that the event happened, when Demeter came to Arcadia, looking for her lost daughter Persephone. When Poseidon pursued her, the goddess turned herself into a mare and hid herself between the herds, but unfortunately Poseidon discovered her trick. He changed himself into the form of a stallion and begot upon her a daughter and later on even a famous mythical steed sprouted of her body. Demeter was very angry, but later on when her hate passed, she bathed and purified herself in the river Ladon. For this reason she was worshipped at Thelpousa in Arcadia as Demeter Erinys (in Greek éríxo, "to quarrel"; in Arcadian erinyein, "to hate") and as Demeter Louisia (in Greek loúo, "to bathe", "to purify"). After Demeter gave birth to her daughter, no one was permitted...
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