- published: 25 Dec 2012
- views: 1484
Baubo (Greek: Βαυβώ) is an old woman in Greek mythology who jested with Demeter when she was mourning the loss of her daughter Persephone.
In his Greek Myths, Robert Graves writes that Demeter (in disguise) was the guest of King Celeus in Eleusis. The lame daughter of the King, Iambe, "tried to console Demeter with comically lascivious verses, and a dry nurse, old Baubo, persuaded her to drink barley-water by a jest: she groaned as if in great travail and, unexpectedly, produced from beneath her skirt Demeter's own son Iacchus, who leapt into his mother's arms and kissed her." Graves writes, "Iambe and Baubo personify the obscene songs, in iambic metre, which were sung to relieve emotional tension at the Eleusinian Mysteries; but Iambe, Demeter, and Baubo form the familiar triad of maiden, nymph, and crone. Old nurses in Greek myth nearly always stand for the goddess as crone."
The following excerpt is taken from Clement of Alexandria's Exhortation to the Greeks
"Baubo, having received Demeter as a guest, offers her a draught of wine and meal. She declines to take it, being unwilling to drink on account of her mourning. Baubo is deeply hurt, thinking she has been slighted, and thereupon uncovers her secret parts and exhibits them to the goddess. Demeter is pleased at the sight, and now at least receives the draught, – delighted by the spectacle! These are the secret mysteries of the Athenians! These are also the subjects of Orpheus’ poems. I will quote you the very lines of Orpheus, in order that you may have the originator of the mysteries as witness of their shamelessness:"
Wie wöhr't met nem Breef,
en dämm nix als de Sonn sching.
vierundzwanzich karötijem, pure Aujust
met Horizonte wolkelos un blau-blau,
einem janz ohne Bitterkeit,
janz ohne Frust.
Vun einem, dä uptank
endämm'e sich omluhrt
en rosa Brill ahn,
alles opsauch wie 'ne Schwamm.
Ich däät es janz jähn ens versööke,
ob ich sujet övverhaup noch kann.
Ne Breef voll Feijebäum, Zypresse un Pin'je,
nem Huus wie'n Mexiko.
Huh bovven om Birch,
zahnlose Hirte, die schon janz fröh am Morje
all Schoofe'n Zeeje verfluche
un'ner winzije Kirch,
die'n schwazze Oma blitzeblank hällt
un et nie ussjonn löht:
Dat ewije Leech.
Bunte Stöck am Strand,
wo Färv met omjerührt wood,
öm Boote ahnzomohle un'nem Fescherjeseech.
Dä Breef jing ahn dich un ahn die,
vun der'sch su off sing,
die niemals met der Meute bellt,
die suvill anders als suvill andre,
die nix versprich un trotzdem alles hällt.