The Greek myth of Demeter's revenge - Iseult Gillespie

Dig into the Greek myth of Mestra and her father King Erysichthon, who angered the gods and was cursed with insatiable hunger.
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Mestra, princess of Thessaly, was far from home. She had watched her father, King Erysichthon, plunge into a ruin of his own making. Now, to save himself, he’d sold his own daughter to the highest bidder. But Mestra refused to accept this fate and began to plan her escape. Iseult Gillespie shares the Greek myth of Mestra's bid for freedom.
Lesson by Iseult Gillespie, directed by Vitalii Nebelskyi, and action creative agency.
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Thank you so much to our patrons for your support! Without you this video would not be possible! Fernando A. Endo, Helen Lee, pam morgan, sarim haq, Gerardo Castro, Michel-Ange Hortegat, Enes Kirimi, Amaury BISIAUX, ND, Samyogita Hardikar, Vanessa Graulich, Vandana Gunwani, Abdulmohsin Almadi, AJ Lyon, Geoffrey Bultitude, Mi Mi, Thomas Rothert, Brian Elieson, Oge O, Weronika Falkowska, Nevin Spoljaric, Sid Chanpuriya, Anoop Varghese, David Yastremski, Noah Webb, Roberto Chena, Oliver Koo, Luke Pisano, Andrea Gordon, Aleksandar Donev, Nicole Klau Ibarra, Jesse Lira, Ezekiel Raui, Petr Vacek, Dennis, Olivia Fu, Kari Teffeau, Cindy Lai, Rajath Durgada Manjunath, Dan Nguyen, Chin Beng Tan, Tom Boman, Karen Warner, Iryna Panasiuk, Aaron Torres, Eric Braun, Sonja Worzewski, Michael Clement, Adam Berry and Ghaith Tarawneh.

[@dakshanbalaramesh]

I'm a simple man; I see a TED-ED Video on Greek Mythology, I click

[@seanluzdeluna8153]

Me as well.

[@Crouchy232323]

We're just men, innocent men

[@thanurs]

Word

[@HowieRafter-js8hp]

how did you know that

[@dr.unventor]

Real

[@AlbertM170]

This is by far the friendliest version of this myth that I've heard. The most gruesome had Maestra being turned into a donkey instead of being gifted shape-shifting power. She went back to her father, who recognised that the donkey was his child, but was so mad from his endless hunger that he ate her alive. And I also remember that Demeter had sent the nymph instead of going herself cause the goddess of agriculture and the goddess of hunger and famine were polar opposites to such an extent that they physically could not be in or near each other's presence. I still love this myth so much.

[@1itta]

You'd think seeing a bleeding tree that spoke would be a sign for him to NOT cut the tree but to each their own 🤷🏾‍♀️

[@justahorse2020]

A common trope in Greek myth is the hubris of humans, which is why the man thought himself of greater importance than that of the sacred grove that belonged to the goddess. You could see it as an implicit sign of many other things too. The way he treated the tree, disregarded Demeter's authority and lastly how he exploits his daughter until the very end. It's one of the few moralist myths where the lesson is to show respect to the women in your life (something that reportedly didn't happen a lot in Greek society at the time). There's also the cautionary tale to daughters that bet too hard on being loyal and dutiful to their fathers, but the lesson there only hits hard enough on the version of the tale in which cannibalism happens.

[@littlehills739]

@@justahorse2020 thank you i was looking for comment explaining this

[@apara2005]

😂😂😂

[@SkyGuardianHelmet]

What if he thought it was just Red sap and not blood like dragon's blood tree🤔 I most people nowadays would also think of it as red sap not blood and maybe check if they didn't accidentally cut an animal inside the tree's burrow

[@minhalhaider4729]

You'd think seeing global climate and ecological crises would be a sign for humans to NOT continue in the ways that are destroying the earth but well...

[@aliasfakename3159]

What I wanna know is how did he keep finding buyers after Mestra made a habit of slipping away. "Don't buy from that guy. He's selling the Greek version of Houdini."

[@CalebCalixFernandez]

This version is more light-hearted than the one I had read before. His hunger became so strong that he completely consumed himself.

[@awesomesauce-kg9xn]

Damn Thats pretty metal

[@unfairdare2022]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/oZXVhYSieNGVZpo. that's all i gotta say.

[@waylin6161]

He did try to repent

[@JennyDai-mt3fb]

I read it that he ran back into the forest and pleaded to Demeter but she refused to respond and he started to eat his limbs.By morning,there was nothing left

[@danz9268]

mf turned into a blackhole 💀

[@arjunsalvi09]

I'm watching this video on an empty stomach, and realise that Demeter's revenge was torture

[@jamiegreenberg8476]

"the more he ate the hungrier he became" ah, a teenager

[@Firepuma27]

Or when its that time of the month

[@user-ob4sq6fi3s]

And to think that Demeter is considered a relatively friendly, placid goddess. Imagine what the likes of Hera would have done to that guy 😬

[@imyself7334]

i would've enjoyed the seen. I mean the dude had it coming

[@user-ob4sq6fi3s]

@@imyself7334 for certain

[@NBluth]

I mean, Demeter nearly froze the entire mortal world when her daughter went missing, I wouldn't call her friendly

[@user-ob4sq6fi3s]

@@NBluth yeah, but she did so out of grief. Not out of anger, jealousy and pettiness like Hera would

[@pathoesr7872]

​@user-ob4sq6fi3s OSPs amazing take was that Greek gods were considered more as a reflection of what was true. Hera being the goddess of marriage is going to be pissed af being married to a cheater like Zeus, because that's what happens. She takes marriage vows seriously. Except divorce isn't a thing, and she can't directly retaliate against him (because he has more power than her) so she acts out in anyway she can.

[@LumityFan555]

I love it when Ted Ed makes mythology videos

[@seanluzdeluna8153]

Me too bro.

[@MacedonianHero]

Mythology = where all religions go to die.

[@totalfree8740]

​@@MacedonianHeroCorrection Where all are remembered.

[@sleepyjoe9267]

They changed the myth to inject their jewish agenda into it.

[@ThinksFarToMuch]

Myths are not stories that are simply untrue, rather they tell us something about ourselves and the societies we live in.

[@stiffori]

This story in particular tells that if you can become anything, become a fisherman

[@sleepyjoe9267]

They changed the myth to inject their jewish agenda into it.

[@ChappalMarungi]

Absolutely, also I relate with your username

[@chethanburre6016]

They are simply untrue

[@SintoCarrera]

Although in this case it is simply untrue. Thanks for the insightful comment

[@eswarimoorthy5254]

TedEd animators never disappoints

[@spacepatricia6268]

That's true

[@leejw2003]

What a wonderful masterpiece

[@sleepyjoe9267]

They changed the myth to inject their jewish agenda into it.

[@dhirajksharma_]

Don't forget the narrators ❤

[@KnightsofGaming2016]

I remember this story but this is the more family friendly version. The version I first knew about had the king run back to the forest where it all began and devour himself until he ate himself out of existence. Suffice to say, I prefer this version a lot better. I think he also tried to eat his daughter in that darker version of the story too...

[@J1P2K]

In some versions, he did eat her.

[@maxandlily6074]

How could he eat himself out of existence if his mouth is still on his face?

[@theshadowking3198]

@@maxandlily6074 🤷‍♂️

[@martinswift]

​@@maxandlily6074 Exactly. How come there is such an unexplained process in this story that begins with a magical bleeding tree that's home to a wood nymph? It's as if the story is only allegorical and practical details don't matter.

[@sahasrakondapalli50]

Wait wait wait, I stopped watching cause I knew this myth involved him eating himself.

[@answer5092]

I feel like the endless hunger is a metaphor for addiction. Addictions are horrible illnesses for everyone involved (except food sellers), but it's slightly comforting to know that, at least, even people from thousands of years ago can relate to that suffering.

[@MarkJohnson-hh3ul]

On top of that, it shows the power of codependency

[@Morrneyo]

I've loved the King Erysichthon myth ever since I was a child. It's so cruel and bizarre. In the book I read, Erysichthon ate up his body, leaving just a bunch of teeth.

[@maxandlily6074]

Do the teeth move?

[@mennamomtaz7511]

I've been in love with Iseult's voice for 5 years now. In addition to my love for the myth's videos in particular. Thanks TED

[@KingsleyIII]

Read the credits. Iseult Gillespie is the writer, not the narrator. The narrator's name is Susan Zimmerman.

[@mennamomtaz7511]

@@KingsleyIII Thanks a lot for the correction. Now I'm love with both of them 😅❤️

[@lucybee7498]

I think that this story captures the essence of addiction and the havoc that it can wreak on families.

[@Trollimo]

nice intepretation! For me it was more about the king being "hungry" for material goods, so he was cursed with being literally hungry until he died from hunger lol

[@YouveBeenMegged]

This is actually one of my favorite Greek myths, glad you chose it for this video!

[@J1P2K]

Why hasn't this guy appeared in the Percy Jackson series. He is a perfect villain. He could in an all you can eat buffet, forcing people to bring him more food or risk being eaten alive.

[@3lizabethrose]

Percy tells his story in Percy Jackson’s Greek Gods

[@J1P2K]

@@3lizabethrose Have not got to read it yet, but you just gave me SERIOUS reason to do so.

[@SirsasthNigam.]

Persephone , Demeter and Hades talking on this= amazing

[@calmvibes101]

TED Ed's myths, a timeless delight, With tales that spark imagination's flight.

[@prateekmandadi5081]

This was more a story of Mestra than that of Demeter's revenge.

[@ayanpal1]

Yet another beautiful video! Thanks for sharing TEDEd!

[@omarsalem1219]

Yay it's been a while since we got a myth video

[@paramgalib040]

Your mythology series is my favorite, Ted-Ed ❤

[@peterthepanda]

I remember this story from Percy Jackson's Greek Gods (with some variation from this video). 😅

[@GothPaoki]

I think you confuse it with the story of tantalus who fed his kids to the gods to make a point

[@arvinroidoatienza7082]

​@@GothPaokiah no Percy actually narrated it but Demeter instead rages on Erich and Hunger doesnt appear

[@Sandpiperart]

YES

[@ajaygopal2208]

the animation styles and colors from TED-Ed are consistently unique and so beautiful!

[@5678aaa]

I love Greek mythology!! Thanks for uploading myths :))!!

[@Deluvander]

This is me just on a daily basis. Cursed with endless hunger. 😂😂😂

[@L17_8]

Jesus loves you ❤️Please turn to him and repent and receive Salvation before it's too late. The end times written about in the Bible are already happening in the world. Jesus is the son of God and he died for our sins on the cross and God raised him from the dead on the third day. Jesus is waiting for you with open arms but time is running out. Please repent and turn to him before it is too late. Accept Jesus into your heart and invite him to be Lord and saviour of your life and confess and believe that Jesus is Lord, that he died for your sins on the cross and that God raised him from the dead. Confess that you are a sinner in need of God's Grace and ask God to forgive you for all your sins through Jesus. Jesus loves you. Nothing can compare to how he loves you. When he hung on that cross, he thought of you. As they tore open his back, he thought of your prayer time with him. As the thorns dug into his head, he thought of you spending time in the word of God. As the spears went into his side, he imagined embracing you in heaven.

[@Makaneek5060]

This you? kzbin.info/www/bejne/iV67dnyElsygl7c

[@prateekmandadi5081]

aren't we all 😭😢

[@thatarticfoxkid3653]

u don't eat ur limbs like he did

[@Passion84GodAlways]

Thank you for this! 😊

[@TheVoiceOfReason93]

In Ovid's retelling of the story, Mestra returned to her father as a donkey after being transformed into one by the gods to escape being sold into slavery, only for her father to eat her in her transformed state just to sate his hunger (don't worry, the gods helped her escape again). Erysichthon crawled back to the grove where he spurned Demeter begging for forgiveness, and when that was not given, he ate himself in his hunger until there was nothing was left of him on Earth by morning.

[@Climeow]

if i were to argue with this person I would get hit with so much Greek myths to the point where it offends my ancestors

[@Sigma_Male_Anti_Female]

Your race must be Turkish.

[@nithibhat]

Ted Ed never fails to amuse viewers with their animation and captivating narration! 👏👌

[@Dartairsupergudra]

I love the ted ed greek mythology videos so much i think i’ve watched them all like 6 times

[@ItxAsher]

I absolutely love your mythology videos

[@romance6933]

Do you know how badly I want A Dragon-drawn Chariot!?!?

[@GothPaoki]

Hubris and Greek myths are a standard pair.

[@sahityaappala]

It would be AMAZINGGG if TED-ED made videos of Indian mythology in the same fashion !!!!

[@oldcowbb]

waking up from a feasting dream with insatiable hunger is so relatable

[@NoteBard]

"I know from grass, and your behind bears a strong familial resemblance" Was suggested this video after watching OSP do theirs, both great vids!

[@mecahhannah]

❤Awesome as always thanks

[@louisphilippe5666]

I remember reading this myth about this foul Thessalian monarch by way of Stephen Fry. But I don't remember that the female character had a happy ending. This is amazing!

[@gailaltschwager7377]

Thank you!

[@anabanana1314]

I am greek but surprisingly never heard about this myth before. I don't know how I missed it, but I am certainly glad this video was my introduction to it, I am always here for TED-ED's retelling of greek myths!

[@nej.1190]

out of all the cool things she could have turned into to escape her captor she choose a fishermen... 👀

[@fatamiurquiza270]

The legendary Ted ed Has done it again my fellow Greek mythology lovers 😇

[@joanhoffman3702]

I have read many myths from around the world, and I have never heard of this one before! How delightful to encounter a new one (to me).

[@aldhieu.a.teodocio8796]

The version I had watched was more gruesome. The channel might be familiar with folks but this one is also a good version. Glad Mestra has been freed. Shape-shifting sounds awesome!

[@poulomi__hari]

This is fascinating that a culture thousands of years ago, believed that trees also have life. Plant life was discovered only a few hundred years ago.

[@louissanchez6864]

One lesson i could take from this is that she was free right from the beginning it was only her choice the brings the illusion she was caged.

[@allenzhou3051]

Myths are not stories that are untrue, rather they are stories that don’t fit neatly into the historical record. -Extra History

[@MathewSan_]

Great video 👍

[@stdew07]

The animation work is excellent 👌🏼

[@sherlock1854]

Okay, another great story before the day ends.❤

[@kirbymarchbarcena]

Wow, the story was deeper than I though.

[@ThrillSeeker3524]

This video made me hungry. I hope Demeter takes pity.

[@khoihn]

Actually, the goddess of famine/starvation's real name was Limos (Greek for starvation)

[@user-ii7xc1ry3x]

I was expecting something related to Persephone tbh. This was a nice one too

[@khemanig2]

I love TED-Ed videos and I've never heard of this myth before!

[@isabellaa.5364]

never been this early. it's like getting a newspaper hot off the press lol

[@BlazerPandaI]

I honestly think no one has explained the feeling better than this, thank you

[@thatshrian]

I see TedEd. I clicked. I'm satisfied.

[@Mario_Mimic]

Something about having a hunger that becomes more ravenous as you eat is deeply unsettling to me.

[@abimukeshs8229]

That's really a good representation of those Greek mythology...

[@gissellerose7508]

Animation from Ted Ed is always spectacular ✨️ 👌

[@raahulm1624]

Let go your earthly tether Enter the void Empty and become wind... Reminds me of that

[@alexanderveritas]

Whoa, it came out of the sky Landed just a little south of Moline Jody fell out of his tractor Couldn't b'lieve what he seen, oh Laid on the ground shook Fearin' for his life Then he ran all the way to town Screamin', "It came out of the sky"

[@171QA]

Great story.

[@Spherius]

Yes.

[@Ami5Jo]

@ted-ed I notice you haven't done a myth story about Apollo. Please do, love these, and also I really enjoy the ones that come from other ancient cultures.

[@asprywrites6327]

And you messed my head up 5:43 right here.

[@afterrecession]

lovely!

[@Demasx]

Huh, I never knew this particular myth!

[@king_vasuki2692]

I'm not sure if this is a different myth or variation, but I could recall that the king ate his daughter, when she was in the form of a animal. Though I could be wrong

[@ngtszwaianson5352]

1:34 one of the worst atrocities:deforestation

[@Sunflowersarepretty]

I love these stories along with the smooth animations ❤❤

[@icharus]

Dude needed that Ozempic

[@user-sn2oq4qt7b]

This story is very sad and still relevant to this day in most poor countries. Children being sold by their parents to help the family to get by not because of greed. The father obviously got food adiction its an illness now and should not be taken lightly.

[@chandanbhatt]

The story sounds a lot like aot king's fritz relationship with ymir and her daughters Maria,rose and Sina

[@zmnicvander]

I wonder how much we're reading into this story with our postmodernist gaze, and what was the original meaning and interpretation of this story. I immediately noted some keywords that clearly denoted a contemporary reinterpretation.

[@SuperAbd]

Best music

[@lel0uchvibritannia981]

In another version, he ate his daughter (but Poseidon intervened and turned her into a butterfly) while he ends up consuming himself out of existence

[@Graphomite]

"I need some lumber. Fell the most magnificent tree in the sacred grove." "But, sir, it's...sacred." "Yeah. I know. I need some sacred wood for my sacred hall." "Sir, the sacred oak is bleeding." "Good. That means it's healthy." "Now it's moaning." "Then put it out of its misery, man." "The wood nymphs are swearing that the gods will know of our heresy." "Then we better clear the forest while we can. Chop-chop." "Sir, you've consumed the city's entire yeild of crops." "Sell my daughter." "She ran away." "Send out a search party." "Literally everyone hates you." "Behead them." "Your child has returned to speak with you." "Sell her again." "She a man, tho?" "Sell my manchild." "But--" "Cut off my legs." "What?" "and cook them for me."

[@huynhtienat4445]

I like Ted Ed's work on Greek mythology. Coincidentally, I was reading about Ascalaphus (son of Acheron) being punished by Demeter

[@j.a.velarde5901]

Its so sad to see the Ancient Greeks portray the sins of the Father pass on to(or adversely affected) the children. There is truth to this, of course.

[@Ramingor]

I love you TED-Ed

[@user-jm9iw6mm9o]

This is the best night stuff

[@sciu_gabriel]

This sounds like a great plot for a rouge-like

[@damie9412]

Nice

[@jagirl966]

In some versions, she returns to her father in the form of a donkey, but cannot shapeshift, so can't return to human form. He recognizes her and says, "I'm sorry, but I need more" before devouring her.

[@arthaiser]

to be fair to Erysichthon, if you are cursed by a god, whatever bad things you do after the curse or because of the curse are not really on you, they are on the god who cursed you. imagine zeus curses someone to be a man eating monster, then that someone starts eating men and somebody slays him. nobody would put fault at the poor soul that was transformed into the monster, the blame would be on zeus. and sure you could spin it by saying that the man in question was transformed because he offended zeus by sacrificing only 2 goats to zeus when he had 3, but whatever the reason for the curse is, is still the gods doing.

[@777hairo]

What a devoted daughter 😢 she should find her freedom instead of keep helping that horrible of a father

[@videogollumer]

The story really isn't about her; Ted-Ed just MADE it about her for this video. The actual story is about Erysichthon, who btw is just plain a horrible person overall.

[@briansands2824]

Did this guy have the same thing as Tararre?

[@Indigo_Shard]

I will never not love these mythology videos and this is the first time I've ever heard of a mountain nymph. It's very cool. You know what comment section tell me a type of nymph and what nymph you would want to be for no reason just fun.

[@howardlanus8610]

In some versions, the king actually eats himself into oblivion, right down to the mouth so that nothing is left for Mestra to discover.

[@BoatSoccerPlayer]

The king should be pitied, as anyone should, for suffering a fate worse than death

[@ronmontoya3673]

😊😊😊😊😊😊 Marami akong natutunan dito

[@smallspace7]

that hunger goddess 😯

[@DasGayatri]

Such a sad story!

[@videogollumer]

Sad? Most people find it disturbing; Erysichthon ate himself for crying out loud!

[@DasGayatri]

@@videogollumer Sad for the wretched daughter of that brute!

[@videogollumer]

@@DasGayatri Most versions have her getting a good ending

[@rainylight6268]

Sounds like it would be a myth behind willi pradi syndrome

[@ProfessorDreamer]

TED_Ed can you do a History On Trial of James Benedict Arnold.

[@jasonolyver6430]

we all have insatiable hunger, we just perpetually temporarily reduce it enough not to feel it.