Demeter lay with Iasion in a thrice-plowed field, and from their union were born Plutus, god of wealth, and Philomelos, inventor of the plough. Zeus struck Iasion dead with a thunderbolt for his presumption in lying with a goddess.
In Aristophanes' comedy Plutus, the citizen Chremylus brings the blinded Plutus to Asclepius's temple, where the healing god restores his sight through an overnight incubation ritual.
In Athenian art and cult, Eirene cradles the infant Plutus, most famously in Cephisodotus the Elder's statue (c. 370 BCE), representing peace as the source of prosperity.
Plutus and Triptolemus both appear alongside Demeter and Persephone in Eleusinian art and ritual, representing the agricultural blessings promised to initiates of the Mysteries.
Tyche and Plutus are paired in Greek cult and art, with Tyche depicted holding the infant Plutus to symbolize fortune as the bearer of material wealth.
We use cookies to understand how you use our site and improve your experience. Learn more