Demeter and Triptolemus

Triptolemus was sometimes identified with Demophon, the son of Celeus. The Argive story claims that he was the son of Trochilus who fled from Argos, reached Attica, and married an Eleusian wife. Yet, another source states that Triptolemus was the son of Ocean and Earth. There exist, in fact, noumerous accounts of his heitage (Beck).

After Persephonê's safe return, Zeus asked Demeter to stop destroying mankind. Demeter agreed and restored her blessings to the earth. Furthemore, she taught the art of agriculture to Triptolemus and instructed him to show humans what he had learned (Grant and Hazel 141). The Image on the left shows Triptolemus as he is about to leave.
Ovid says this:

Here she gave her fleet car to Triptolemus, and bade him scatter the seeds of grain she gave, part in the untilled earth and part in fields that had long lain fallow... "My country is far-famed Athens; Triptolemus, my name. Icame neither by ship over the sea, nor on foot by land; the air opened a path for me. I bring the gifts of Ceres, which, if you sprinkle them over your field, will give a fruitful harvest and food not wild" (Beck).

In order to fulfill his duty, Demeter borowed her dragon drawn chariot to Triptolemus which he needed to travel over the whole world. According to Powell, "the myth was a popular subject of Athenian art, giving support to Athen's claims to cultural supremacy" (241).

Conford agrues that the myth surrounding Triptolemus must have some truth about it even though "it is not true that agriculture was discovered at Eleusis". Conford believes that the myth reflects the redistribution of part of the seeds that get mixed with the sacred store at the "Metropolis of the Crops". The seeds were stored until harvest time and ,thus, made productive of spiritual blessing (164).

Apparently the building used for storage was opened three times a year: August 24, October 5, and November 8. The mundus was opened on August 24 to deposit the grain that would be used for the fall sowing. On October 5 And November 8, the mundus would be opened to take out the previously stored grain for the autumn sowing (Conford)

Be it as it may, after Triptolemus was done circeling the world, he returned to Eleusia where Celeus tried to kill him for impiety. Demeter undermined Celeus' mean act and punished him by making him give his entire kingdom to Triptolemus (Gant and Hazel 141).