two, that in the fable of Ceres and Proserpine, the descent of the whole rational soul is considered; and in that of Bacchus, the distribution and procession of that supreme part alone of our nature which we properly characterize by the appellation of intellect. In the composition of each we may discern the same traces of exalted wisdom and recondite theology; of a theology the most venerable of all others for its antiquity, and the most admirable for its excellence and reality: and in each every intelligent reader must be alternately excited to grief and indignation, to pity and contempt, at the barbarous mythological systems of the moderns: for in these we meet wit hnothing but folly and delusion; opinions founded either on fanaticism or atheism, inconceivably absurd and inextricably obscure, ridiculously vain and monstrously deformed, stupidly dull and contemptibly zealous, methodistically delirious, or historically dry; and, in one word such only as arrogance and ignorance could conceive, impiety propagate, and the vapid spirit of the moderns be induced to admit. APPENDIX. SINCE writing the above Dissertation, I have met with a curious Greek MS. of Psellus, on Dæmons, according to the opinion of the Greeks : του ψελλου τινα περι δαιμονων δοξάζουσιν Έλληνες : in the course of which he describes the machinery of the Eleusinian mysteries as follows: Α δε γε μυστηρια τουτων, οιον αυτίκα τα ελευ σινια, τον μυθικον υποκρίνεται δια μιγνυμενον τῇ δηοι, η τῇ δημητερα, και τη θυγατέρι ταυτής φερσεφαττῇ τῇ και κόρη. Επειδη δε εμελλον και αφροδίσιοι επι τη μύησει γίνεσθαι συμπλοκαί, αναδύεται πως η αφροδιτη απο τινων πεπλασμένων μηδέων πελαγιος. Ειτα δε γαμήλιος επι τη κορη υμεναίος. Και επαίουσιν οι τελούμενοι, εκ τυμπανου εφαγον, εκ κύμβαλων επίον, εκιρνοφορησα (lege εκερνοφορησα) υπο τον παστον εισεδυν. Υποκρίνεται δε και τας δηους ωδίνας. Ικετηριαι γουν αυτίκα δηους. Και χολης ποσις, και καρδιαλγιαι. Εφ' οις και τραγοσκελες μίμημα παθαινομενον περί τοις διδυμοις· οτι περ ο ζευς δικας αποτιννυς της βίας τη δημητερα τεράγου (lege τραγου) όρχεις αποτεμων, τῷ κόλπω ταυτής κατεθετο, ώσπερ δη και εαυτού. Επι πασιν αι του διονυσου τίμαι, και η κυστις, και τα πολυομβαλα ποπάνα, και οι τω σαβαζίω τελουμένοι, κλη δονες τε και μιμαλωνες, και τις ήχων λεβης θεσπρωτειος και δωδωναιον χαλκειον, και κορυβας αλλος και κούρης ετερος, δαιμονων μιμήματα. Εφ' οις η βαβωτους (lege η βαυβω τους) μήρους ανασυρομένη, και ο γυναικος κτεις, ουτω γαρ ονομάζουσι την αιδος αισχυνόμενοι. Και ούτως εν αισχρω την τελετην καταλύουσιν. i. e. "The mysteries of these dæmons," (for Psellus, being a Christian, considered the gods of the ancients as nothing more than evil dæmons,) "such as the Eleusinian mysteries, consisted in representing the fabulous narration of Jupiter mingling with Ceres and her daughter Proserpine. But as venereal connexions take place along with the initiation,' a marine Venus is represented rising from certain fictitious genital parts: afterwards the celebrated marriage of Proserpine (with Pluto) takes place; and those who are initiated sing, I have eat out of the drum, I have drank out of the cymbal, I have borne the mystic cup, I have entered into the bed. But the pregnant throes likewise of Ceres are represented: hence the supplications of Ceres are exhibited; her drinking of bile, and the pains of her heart. After this, an image with the thighs of a goat makes its appearance, and which at the same time suffers vehemently about the testicles because Jupiter, in order to expiate the crime of the violence which he offered to Ceres, is represented as cutting off the testicles of a goat, and placing them on the bosom of Ceres, as likewise on his own bosom. But after all this, the honours of Bacchus succeed; the Cista, and the cakes with many bosses, like those of a shield. Likewise the mysteries of Sabazius, divinations, and the priestesses of Bacchus; a certain sound of the Thesprotian kettle; the Dodonæan brass; another Corybas, and another Proserpine, who are resemblances of Dæmons. After these succeed the uncovering the thighs of Baubo, and a woman's comb; for thus, through shame, they denominate the privities of a woman. And thus, in the indecent, they finish the initiation." From this curious passage, it appears that the Eleusinian mysteries comprehended those of almost all the gods; and this ac i. e. a representation of them. count will not only throw light on the relation of the mysteries given by Clemens Alexandrinus, but likewise be elucidated by it in several particulars. I would willingly unfold to the reader the mystic meaning of the whole of this machinery, but this cannot be accomplished by any one, without at least the possession of all the Platonic manuscripts which are extant. This acquisition, which I should infinitely prize above the wealth of the Indies, will, I hope, speedily and fortunately be mine, and then I shall be no less anxious to communicate this arcane information, than the liberal reader will be to receive it. I shall only therefore observe, that the mutual communication of energies among the gods was called by ancient theologists epos yapos, a sacred marriage; concerning which Proclus, in the second book of his MS. Commentary on the Parmenides, admirably remarks as follows; TauTny de тyy xoivwviav, ποτε μεν εν τοις συστοιχοις ορωσι θεοις (οι θεολογοι) και καλουσι γαμον ηρας και διος, ουρανου και γης, κρονου και ρεας· ποτε δε των καταδεεστε ρων προς τα κρειττω, και καλουσι γαμον διος και δημητρας· ποτε δε και εμπαλιν των κρειττονων προς τα υφειμένα, και λεγουσι διος και κορης γαμον. Επειδη των θεων αλλαι μεν εισιν αι προς τα συστοιχα κοινωνιαι, αλλαι δε αι προς τα προ αυτων αλλαι δε αι προς τα μετα ταυτα Και δει την εκαστης ιδιοτητα κατανοειν και μεταγειν απο των θεων επι τα ειδη την τοιαυτην διαπλοκήν i. e. « Theologists at one time considered this communion of the gods in divinities co-ordinate with each other; and then they called it the marriage of Jupiter and Juno, of Heaven and Earth, of Saturn and Rhea : but at another time, they considered it as subsisting between subordinate and superior divinities; and then they called it the marriage of Jupiter and Ceres: but at another time, on the contrary, they beheld it as subsisting between superior and subordinate divinities; and then they called it the marriage of Jupiter and Proserpine. For in the gods there is one kind of communion between such as are of a co-ordinate nature; another between the subordinate and the supreme; and another again between the supreme and the subordinate. And it is.necessary to understand the idiom of each, and to transfer a conjunction of this kind from the gods to the communion of ideas with each other." And in lib. i. in Tim. p. 16, he observes : και το την αυτην (supple θεαν) ετεροις η τον αυτον θεον πλειοσι συζευγνυσθαι, λαβοις αν εκ των μυστικών λόγων, και των εν απορρητοίς AyoμEva Er gauwv. i. e. "And that the same goddess is con 486 On the Eleusinian and Bacchic Mysteries. joined with other gods, or the same god with many goddesses, may be collected from the mystic discourses, and those marriages which are called in the mysteries Sacred Marriages Thus far the divine Proclus; from the first of which passages the reader may perceive how adultery and rapes, as represented in the machinery of the mysteries, are to be understood when applied to the gods; and that they mean nothing more than a communication of divine energies, either between a superior and subordinate, or subordinate and superior, divinity. I only add, that the apparent indecency of these exhibitions was, as I have already observed, exclusive of its mystic meaning, designed as a remedy for the passions of the soul and hence mystic ceremonies were very properly called axea, medicines, by the obscure and noble Heraclitus." |