(), a king of Eleusis, and husband of Metaneira.
When Demeter, on her wanderings in search of her daughter, came to Eleusis, she stayed in the
house of Celeus. The goddess wished to make his son Demophon immortal, and, in order to
destroy his mortal parts, she put him at night into the fire; but Metaneira, ignorant of the
object, screamed aloud on seeing her child in the fire, and Demophon was destroyed by the
flames. Demeter, to make up for the loss, bestowed great favours upon Triptolemus, the other
son of Celeus. (TRIPTOLEMUS.) Celeus is described as the first priest of Demeter at Eleusis, and his
daughters as priestesses of the goddess. (Hom. Hym. in Dem. 101, &c.;