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Article THE ANCIENT MYSTERIES.—If. (Continued f ... ← Page 5 of 8 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Ancient Mysteries.—If. (Continued F ...
These several symbolic attributes , the lucid round , the snakes , the ears of corn , and the sistrum , or timbrel , represent the tutelary deities of the Hecatsean , Bacchic ^ Eleusinian , and Isiac mysteries
and the black pallco , or cloak , in which she was enveloped , embroidered with a silver moon and stars , denotes the time at which the mysteries were celebrated , viz ., the dead of night , which was so constant and inseparable a circumstance , that the author calls initiation noctis societas . In her speech to Lucius , she says : —
4 4 Lo , I am here , Lucius , moved by thy prayers—I , Nature , the parent of all things , the mistress of all the elements , the first ofFspring of ages , the chief of trie gods , the queen of the spirits of the regions below , the first of the inhabitants of heaven , the uniform resemblance of gods and goddesses—I , jvho sway at my will the luminous heights of the heavens , thehealthful
breezes of the deep , and the dreary silence of the infernal realms—whose only divinity the whole orb of earth , under a manifold form , Avith varying mode of prayer , under numerous titles , Avorship , venerate , adore . And me , their queen , the Egyptians , learned in ancient lore , approaching me with rites holy and perfect , invoke by my true name—Isis . "
This was exactly adapted to the design of the mysteries ; and preparatory to "the communication of the aTroppnra . It had likewise this use , viz . to show that the polytheism of the pagans consisted only in giving the Supreme God different names , merely expressive
of his various attributes . The words " JEgyptii ceremoniis me prorsus percolentes" Warburton observes , insinuate that all mysterious worship came first from Egypt , the Egyptians having penetrated furthest into the nature of the gods- —as 'the calling her who represents the mysteries in general , rerum natura Parens ^ shows plainly what Avere the aTroppY ) T ( L of them all .
Parent Na-ture then reveals to Lucius the means of his restoration . Her festival was to be on the following day , when there was to be a procession of her votaries . The priest who conducted it , would have a chaplet of roses in his hand , which had the virtue to restore him to his former shape- But , as breaking through a habit of vice is of all things the most difficult , she adds an encouragement to her promises
saying— - " And do not dread any of my commands as arduous . For at this very same moment at Avhich I am present with you , I am being present with him also , ordering my priest , in a dream , to do those things Avhich are to ensue . "
This was in allusion to the teaching of the mysteries ., that the assistance of heaven was always present to reward the efforts of virtue . But , in return for the favour of restoring him from his brutal shape to his original form , i . e ., of reforming his morale by initation , she tells him she expects the service of his whole life ( and this the mysteries required ); nor should his service go unrewarded , for he should have a place in Elysium hereafter ( and this , too , the mysteries promised ) She enjoins him—11 Carefully remember , and lay up in your inmost soul , that the whole
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Ancient Mysteries.—If. (Continued F ...
These several symbolic attributes , the lucid round , the snakes , the ears of corn , and the sistrum , or timbrel , represent the tutelary deities of the Hecatsean , Bacchic ^ Eleusinian , and Isiac mysteries
and the black pallco , or cloak , in which she was enveloped , embroidered with a silver moon and stars , denotes the time at which the mysteries were celebrated , viz ., the dead of night , which was so constant and inseparable a circumstance , that the author calls initiation noctis societas . In her speech to Lucius , she says : —
4 4 Lo , I am here , Lucius , moved by thy prayers—I , Nature , the parent of all things , the mistress of all the elements , the first ofFspring of ages , the chief of trie gods , the queen of the spirits of the regions below , the first of the inhabitants of heaven , the uniform resemblance of gods and goddesses—I , jvho sway at my will the luminous heights of the heavens , thehealthful
breezes of the deep , and the dreary silence of the infernal realms—whose only divinity the whole orb of earth , under a manifold form , Avith varying mode of prayer , under numerous titles , Avorship , venerate , adore . And me , their queen , the Egyptians , learned in ancient lore , approaching me with rites holy and perfect , invoke by my true name—Isis . "
This was exactly adapted to the design of the mysteries ; and preparatory to "the communication of the aTroppnra . It had likewise this use , viz . to show that the polytheism of the pagans consisted only in giving the Supreme God different names , merely expressive
of his various attributes . The words " JEgyptii ceremoniis me prorsus percolentes" Warburton observes , insinuate that all mysterious worship came first from Egypt , the Egyptians having penetrated furthest into the nature of the gods- —as 'the calling her who represents the mysteries in general , rerum natura Parens ^ shows plainly what Avere the aTroppY ) T ( L of them all .
Parent Na-ture then reveals to Lucius the means of his restoration . Her festival was to be on the following day , when there was to be a procession of her votaries . The priest who conducted it , would have a chaplet of roses in his hand , which had the virtue to restore him to his former shape- But , as breaking through a habit of vice is of all things the most difficult , she adds an encouragement to her promises
saying— - " And do not dread any of my commands as arduous . For at this very same moment at Avhich I am present with you , I am being present with him also , ordering my priest , in a dream , to do those things Avhich are to ensue . "
This was in allusion to the teaching of the mysteries ., that the assistance of heaven was always present to reward the efforts of virtue . But , in return for the favour of restoring him from his brutal shape to his original form , i . e ., of reforming his morale by initation , she tells him she expects the service of his whole life ( and this the mysteries required ); nor should his service go unrewarded , for he should have a place in Elysium hereafter ( and this , too , the mysteries promised ) She enjoins him—11 Carefully remember , and lay up in your inmost soul , that the whole