Iacchus iakkhos greek god of the ritual cry of the. The ritual behavior of initiates within the eleusinian mysteries offer some clues to their mystical experiences. Finally, someone wrote a simple, straightforward explanation of what the eleusian mysteries were and how they were celebrated. The eleusinian mysteries are one of the most compelling and. The eleusinian mysteries and rites project gutenberg. Jan 18, 2012 the rites of eleusis, or the eleusinian mysteries, were the secret rituals of the mystery school of eleusis and were observed regularly from c. Iacchus was the torch bearer of the procession from eleusinion to eleusis on the sixth day of the greater mysteries, sometimes regarded as the herald of the divine child of the goddess, born in the underworld, and sometimes as the child itself. Bronze age eleusis and the origins of the eleusinian mysteries. Mysteries the virgin mother bears the savior for mankind. Iacchus iakxos, the solemn name of the mystic bacchus at athens and eleusis. In ancient greek religion and mythology, iacchus also iacchos, iakchos was a minor deity, of some cultic importance, particularly at athens and eleusis in connection with the eleusinian mysteries. Triptolemus the word means three plowings was the founder of the eleusinian mysteries, and was presented by ceres with her car drawn by winged dragons, in which he distributed seed grain all over the world. The eleusinian mysteries and rites by dudley wright.
Nov 25, 2014 dan attrell gives a lecture on the subject of the eleusinian mysteries, a secret cult which endured over a thousand years, and into which most classical athenians had been formally initiated. About the author georgia petridou is a lecturer in ancient greek history at the. The first three chapters of this book were read by. For more than one thousand years, people from every corner of the grecoroman world sought the hope for a blessed afterlife through initiation into the mysteries of demeter and kore at eleusis. Eleusinian mysteries, most famous of the secret religious rites of ancient greece. The rites of eleusis, or the eleusinian mysteries, were the secret rituals of the mystery school of eleusis and were observed regularly from c. Our topic is the eleusinian mysteries, perhaps one of the bestknown mystery cults of all time. Rosicrucian digest eleusis the rosicrucian order, amorc. Iacchus, minor deity associated with the eleusinian mysteries, the best known of the ancient greek mystery religions. My purpose is to cleanse them first by purification. This is the seventh in a series of thematic issues of the rosicrucian digest exploring sources that have contributed to the rosicrucian tradition.
Eleusinian mysteries, at the initiation of which, impious and wicked persons are warned by the voice of the herald from approaching the rites. The most important mystery cult of the ancient world was that connected with the sanctuary of demeter eleusinia on a hillside outside eleusis, about fourteen miles northwest of athens. Eleusinian mysteries, at the initiation of which, impious and wicked. Mar 16, 2012 terence mckenna unfolds various theories about the secret psychedelic celebrations of the eleusinian mysteries. Incorrect book the list contains an incorrect book please specify the title of the book. Barstow, the prehistoric goddess, in the book of the goddess, ed. The eleusinian mysteries were the greatest of all ancient greek religious festivals. Mark the rites of eleusis, or the eleusinian mysteries, were the secret rituals of the mystery school of eleusis and were observed regularly from c. The legend which formed the basis of the mysteries of eleusis, presence at and participation in which demanded an elaborate form or ceremony of initiation, was as follows. The phrygian bacchus was looked upon in the eleusinian mysteries as a child, and as such he is described as the son of demeter deo or calligeneia and zeus, and as the brother of cora, that is, the male cora or corus. The eleusinian mysteries as the hours of daylight are slowly getting less as the sun pulls itself away from the earth, i am reminded of the greek myth of the descent of kore maiden into the underworld and the wandering of demeter, her mother, which caused the land to go barren. The rites of eleusis, or the eleusinian mysteries, were the secret rituals of the mystery school. Oct 29, 2016 the end of the mysteries during the fifth and fourth centuries bc, the eleusinian mysteries quickly assumed the status of the most important and widely attended mystery cult in the greekspeaking world, a position kept throughout antiquity until the emperor theodosius issued edicts against mystery cults in the late fourth century ce.
Eleusis was just one of many mystery centers that flourished throughout the greek and grecoroman world. The mysteries were also bound up with the lunar and solar cycleswith the dying of the sun in winter and the rebirth of the light in the birth of the son. He also had a keen interest in psychic and supernatural phenomena, and wrote many articles and books on vampires, poltergeists, the afterlife, and resurrection. The eleusinian mysteries and other mystery religions. Of all the mysteries celebrated in ancient times, these were held to be the ones of greatest importance. To the eleusinian philosophers, birch into the physical world was death in the fullest sense of the word, and the only true birth was that of the spiritual soul of man rising out of the womb of his own fleshly nature. Their basis was an old agrarian cult, and there is some evidence that they were derived. The eleusinian mysteries were initiation ceremonies.
Translation by sasha chaitow paper presented at the 7th esoteric quest conference on the mysteries and philosophies of antiquity, samothrace, september 2008. During the procession that started in eleusis, iacchus was the torch bearer and was thought to be the one who carries the child of the goddess. Eleusis was the site of the eleusinian mysteries, or the mysteries of demeter and kore, which became popular in the greek speaking world as early as 600 bc, attracted initiates during roman empire before declining midlate 4th century ad. In addition to being able to access the rosicrucian digest online, you may also participate in the rosicrucian digest discussion group on facebook. When looking for information on the subject, the reader should take it for granted that no book, antiquated or modern, will give them the secrets of the eleusinian mysteries. Apr 04, 2017 the mysteries were thus one way that the ancients came to grips with the idea of death. Shouts of iacchus, identified as dionysus, the avatar of excitement and. Nov 16, 2019 the eleusinian mysteries, held each year at eleusis, greece, fourteen miles northwest of athens, were so important to the greeks that, until the arrival of the romans, the sacred way the road from athens to eleusis was the only road, not a goat path, in all of central greece. The history of ancient greeces most famous religious rites looks at some of the ancient greeks most important religious practices. Eleusis was a religious cult of ancient greece, situated about twenty kilometres north west of athens near the isthmus of corinth.
Along with pictures depicting important people, places, and events, you will learn about the eleusinian mysteries like never before. Details of the mysteries are sketchy due primarily to the fact that they were secret rites and could not be told to noninitiates. Other writers mention the autumn equinox as the starting date and certainly the full moon nearest the autumn equinox, what we call the harvest moon, would be an appropriate time to celebrate the mysteries of the grain and its transformation. Jan 14, 2015 eleusis was a deme of athens and most famous for its annual festival of the mysteries in honour of demeter and persephone. Inappropriate the list including its title or description facilitates illegal activity, or contains hate speech or ad hominem attacks on a fellow goodreads member or author. The rites and cultic worships and beliefs were kept secret, and initiation rites united the worshipper with god including promises of divine power and rewards in life after death.
Jun 30, 2015 the discussion of the origins of the eleusinian mysteries is complemented with discussions of the theology of demeter and an update on the state of research in the archaeology of eleusis from the bronze age to the end of antiquity. Spam or selfpromotional the list is spam or selfpromotional. The late 1stcentury bc geographer strabo called him the leaderinchief or founder of the mysteries. The end of the mysteries during the fifth and fourth centuries bc, the eleusinian mysteries quickly assumed the status of the most important and widely attended mystery cult in the greekspeaking world, a position kept throughout antiquity until the emperor theodosius issued edicts against mystery cults in the late fourth century ce. Iacchus was also regarded as the son of zeus and demeter or sometimes as. The orphic iacchus was held to have a twofold personality comprising male and female aspects, the female of which was called misa. A dictionary of greek and roman biography and mythology.
Burkert describes the mysteries as a form of personal religion, depending on a private decision, and aiming at some form of salvation through closeness to the divine. Iacchus, the secret god of the mysteries, is standing on her right, in the urn, herakles is also. Iacchus was the personification of the shouting and the enthusiasm which. Dan attrell gives a lecture on the subject of the eleusinian mysteries, a secret cult which endured over a thousand years, and into which most classical athenians had been formally initiated. The mysteries probably ceased to be celebrated in 396 a. According to the myth told in the homeric hymn to demeter, the earth goddess demeter q. Today we are going to briefly discuss the site, the history and mythology of ancient eleusis pronounced elefsis, a site that was sacred for thousands of years right through the period of the roman empire, and which was where the eleusinian mysteries took place. Living within preelectric, primarily agricultural communites, the people rose with the sun and slept when. The eleusinian mysteries began on the 15th day of the greek lunar month of boedromion and ended nine days later. There was a statue of iacchus, kept in a temple at athens. Eleusis lies some fourteen miles west of athens, by the blue waters of the aegean and at the extreme end of a pleasant, verdant valley known from time immemorial as the thriasian plain fig.
Ive read countless other books on the subject that drone on and on about vague symbolism or describe in excruciatingly dry detail about the famous people who were initiated into them, but nver one that explains it in such simple and easy terms. The eleusinian mysteries were a series of rituals celebrated regularly in the city of eleusis, which was not that far from athens, greece. We know that from the 6th century bce, the ceremonies were held twice a year. Eleusinian mysteries wikimili, the best wikipedia reader. In greek mythology, iacchus also iacchos, iakchos greek. Of all the mysteries, the eleusinian is the most famous, as well as being amongst the most mysterious. In antiquity itself and in our memory of antiquity, the eleusinian mysteries stand out as the oldest and most venerable mystery cult. On the day preceding the commencement of the mysteries, iacchus name was invoked with the names of the earth goddess demeter and her daughter kore persephone during the p. Their basis was an old agrarian cult, and there is some evidence. The eleusinian mysteries of demeter and persephone jstor. Bibliography related content books cite this work license. The mysteries were thus one way that the ancients came to grips with the idea of death.
In this context, he was considered to be the son of zeus and demeter. The site was also an important fortress protecting attica and held several other important festivals, notably the thesmophoria, the subject and title of a comedy play by aristophanes. The phrygian bacchus was looked upon in the eleusinian mysteries as a child, and as such he is described as the son of demeter deo or calligeneia and zeus, and as the brother of cora, that is. In the classical period, from as early as 1700 bce, right up until the roman empire, eleusis was the site of the eleusinian mysteries. The eleusinian mysteries are a beautiful example of the spiritual nature of the motherdaughter archetype. Ancient origins articles related to eleusinian mysteries in the sections of history, archaeology, human origins, unexplained, artifacts, ancient places and myths and legends. Iacchus was depicted as a young man holding the twin torches of the mysteries. Suetonius nero xxxiv oceans unpolluted tide aeschylus, the persians, 577 iphigenia. During the procession that started in eleusis, iacchus was the torch bearer and was thought to. Mysteries preliminaries heracles and the lesser mysteries the greater mysteries. Iacchus was a daimon attendant of the ancient greek goddess demeter and the leaderinchief of the eleusinian mysteries. Eleusis is not just an ancient religious site and sanctuary.
Terence mckenna unfolds various theories about the secret psychedelic celebrations of the eleusinian mysteries. Not only have they never stopped being a part of our spiritual quest, but they are still strong and healthy today, although perhaps not as obvious as they once were, but probably just as profitable. Another major difference between the eleusinian mysteries and traditional beliefs was the focus at eleusis upon the worshiper. He was the god of the ritual cry of joy of the initiates procession. Iacchus project gutenberg selfpublishing ebooks read. He includes an examination of the ritual of the mysteries when and how they are carried out the rites of initiation and their mystical significance. The eleusinian mysteries lasted for well over a millennium and had countless initiates. Elysian, eleusinian it is an ironic testimony to the loyalty of the initiates that there is little, if any agreement, on exactly what the inner meaning of the eleusian mysteries was. Jun 14, 2018 today we are going to briefly discuss the site, the history and mythology of ancient eleusis pronounced elefsis, a site that was sacred for thousands of years right through the period of the roman empire, and which was where the eleusinian mysteries took place. Throughout the greek world and later, the roman world, the eleusinian mysteries were one of the most important religious festivals. Arnobius of sicca, the seven books of arnobius adversus gentes, translated by archibald hamilton bryce and hugh. Almost subconsciously, the initiates acted out the experiences of demeter and persephone contained within religious myth. Carl gustave jung and his disciple erich neumann have set forth archetypes of the psyche, and introduced their study.
Divulging the eleusinian mysteries lecture youtube. The psychedelic eleusinian mysteries of ancient greece. In the eleusinian mysteries and rites dudley wright explains the core mythology of demeter and the many stories born of her myth. The soul is dead that slumbers, says longfellow, and in this he strikes the keynote of the eleusinian mysteries. These were sacred rituals revolving around demeter mother goddess. Egyptian origin of the eleusinian mysteries should not be dismissed out of hand, and there are some who have no difficulty with this view. Iacchus is a name given to the god dionysus when he participated in the eleusinian mysteries, in greek mythology. The famous mysteries of demeter and persephone held at eleusis are just that, a mystery, as the initiated were forbidden from revealing any of the details of the ceremonies involved.
Dimitris lyacos in the second book of the poena damni trilogy with the. It is acknowledged that their basis was an old agrarian cult which probably goes back to the mycenean. Dudley wright 18681949 in addition to his works on freemasonry, wright also published articles and books on various religious, theosophical, spiritual and esoteric traditions. Archaeological description occupies a large part of the book, and a caveat may be. The eleusinian mysteries and rites i the eleusinian legend. Despite the tremendous popularity of the eleusinian mysteries, their. Though the author eventually concedes this point, much of the press relating to the book might give you the opposite impression. In these respects their practice differs from that observed at eleusis. Free audio book that you can download in mp3, ipod and itunes format for your portable audio player.
Frances is has had essays to over 20 publications and is the author of three books as well as having contributed to numerous anthologies. During the procession that started in eleusis, iacchus was the torch bearer and was thought to be the one who carries the child of the goddess demeter. Iacchus was one of the deities, along with demeter and kore, worshipped as part of the eleusinian mysteries. They are the most famous of the secret religious rites of ancient greece. The homeric hymn to demeter, composed before athenian control between 650 and 550 bce. The mysteries celebrated the story of demeter and persephone but, as the initiated. Eleusis and the eleusinian mysteries by george emmanuel mylonas. Eleusis and the eleusinian mysteries by george emmanuel.