be found in the note below. Clemens connects with Themis a somewhat similar representation." These representations were never considered by the ancients as licentious exhibitions. They were not intended to provoke lust on the contrary, the initiated were obliged, during the days that the ceremonies lasted, to keep themselves pure from all venereal connexions. They had a symbolical and an historical import. They were taken along with the mysteries from Egypt. In that country, Osiris, according to Plutarch, was considered as the cause of generation.3 This idea is connected with bis history. Typhon, Plutarch tells us, when he tore the body of Osiris to pieces, threw his generative member into the Nile: Isis, who could not find this part of her husband, made an image of it and caused it to be worshipped, and instituted the rites of the Phallus; and hence, he tells us, were attributed to Osiris the first spermatic power, and the cause of generation.+ Thus we find that all the Phallic rites, as well as those of Priapus, originated from these mysteries: for Priapus was the same as Dionysus.5 Exactly the same history of the Phallus is connected with Dionysus, the Grecian Osiris, as torn to pieces by the Titans. Herodotus seems to suppose that the Bacchic rites were altered in their introduction into Greece, and that Phoenician 1 Α δε γε μυστηρια τουτων, οἷον αυτικα τα Ελευσινια, τον μυθικον ὑποκρίνεται Δια μιγνύμενον τῇ Δηοι, η τη Δημητερι, και τη θυγατερι ταυτης Φερσεφαττῃ τῇ και Κορῃ. Επειδη δε εμελλον και αφροδισιοι επι τη μνησει γινεσθαι συμπλοκαι, αναδύεται πως ἡ Αφροδίτη απο τινων πεπλασμενων μηδεων πελαγιος. Ειτα δε γαμηλιος επι τη Κορῃ ὑμεναιος. Και επαδουσιν οἱ τελούμενοι, εκ τυμπανου έφαγον, εκ κυμβαλων επιον, εκερνοφορησα ύπο τον παστον εισεδυν. Υποκρίνεται δε και τας Δηους ωδίνας. Ικετηριαι γουν αυτικα Δηους. Και χολης ποσις, και καρδιαλγιαι.—Επι πασιν αἱ του Διονυσου τιμαί, και ἡ κύστις, και τα πολυομφαλα ποπανα, και οἱ τῳ Σαβαζιῳ τελουμενοι, κληδονες τε και μιμαλωνες, και τις ηχων λεβης Θεσπρωτειος και Δωδωναιον χαλκειον, και Κορυβας αλλος και Κουρης έτερος, δαιμονων μιμηματα. Εφ ̓ οἷς ἡ Βαυβω τους μηρους ανασυρόμενη, και ὁ γυναικος κτεις, ούτω γαρ ονομαζουσι την αιδω αισχυνόμενοι. Psellus, Ms. τινα περι δαιμονων δοξάζουσιν Έλληνες. 2 Και προσετι της Θεμιδος τα αποῤῥητα συμβολα, ορίγανον, λυχνος, ξιφος, κτεις γυναικειος ὁ εστιν, ευφημως και μυστικώς ειπειν, μοριον γυναικειον. Protrept. p. 24. 3 Οἱ γαρ σοφωτεροι των ἱερεων-Οσιριν μεν ἁπλως άπασην την υγροποιον αρχην και δυναμιν, αιτιαν γενέσεως και σπερματος ουσιαν νομίζοντες. Plutarch. de ls. et Os. p. 269. 4 Και γαρ ὁ προστιθεμενος τῳ μυθῳ λογος, ὡς του Οσίριδος ὁ Τυφων το αιδοιον έβριψεν εις τον ποταμον, ἡ δ ̓ Ισις ουχ εύρεν, αλλ' εμφερες αγαλμα θεμενη και κατασκευάσασα, τιμαν και φαλληφορείν εταξεν, ενταυθα γε παραχωρει διδασκων, ὅτι το γονιμον και το σπερματικον του θείου πρωτον εσχεν ύλην την ὑγροτητα, και δι' υγροτητος ενεκράθη τοις πεφύκασι μετεχειν γενέσεως. Plut. ibid. p. 270. See Synesius de Providentia. 5 Παρ' ενιοις δε, ὁ αυτος εστι τῳ Διονυσῳ. Schol. in Theocrit. Id. α'. ν. 21.-Τιμαται παρα Λαμψακηνοις ὁ Πρίαπος, αυτος ων τῳ Διονυσῳ, εξ επιθετου καλουμενος οὕτως, ὡς θριαμβος και Διθυραμβος. Athenæus, Deipnosophist. lib. i. fables were mixed with the worship that Melampus brought Ως φερετ' αμπέλαγος πουλυν χρονον αμφι δε λευκος 3 4 And we find from the account of Lucian before cited, that the Byblian women offered their chastity to Aphrodite, just as the ladies of Chaldea sacrificed theirs in honor of the Babylonian Mylitta. The same custom was prevalent at Carthage. But Venus, as Libera, was the same as Proserpine. And thus Porphyry, after showing that the art of weaving was symbolical of the descent of the soul into the body, and that the body is as it were a vest for the soul, adds, “ thus also in Orpheus, Proserpine, who presides over all seminal powers, is introduced weaving." And Demeter also is represented peculiarly as a generative principle." 1 Herodotus, lib. ii. p. 122. 2 See Villoison, Anecdota Græca, tom. i. p. 13. 3 Hesiod. Theogon. v. 188. 4 Cui gloriæ Punicarum fæminarum, ut ex comparatione turpius appareat, dedecus subnectam. Siccæ enim fanum est Veneris, in quod se matronæ conferebant; atque inde procedentes ad quæstum, dotes corporis injuria contrahebant, honesta nimirum tam inhonesto vinculo conjugia juncturæ. Val. Max. lib. ii. c. 6. extern. exemp. 15.-The same practice existed in Cyprus, where the Punic and Syrian rices were prevalent. Mos erat Cypriis, virgines ante nuptias statutis diebus, dotalem pecuniam quæsituras, in quæstum ad littus maris mittere, pro reliqua pudicitia libamenta Veneri soluturas. Justin. Histor. lib. xviii. c. 5. • Ούτω και παρα τῳ Ορφει ἡ Κορη, ήπερ εστι παντος του σπειρομένου έφορος, ἱστουργουσα παραδίδοται. Porphyr. de Antro Nymphar. p. 259.—And so Proclus : Και γαρ άπτεσθαι των περιφορων ὁ Σωκρατης ελέγε, και εν Κρατύλφ, την εγκοσμιον Κορην, την τω Πλουτωνι συνουσαν, και πασαν την γενεσιν επιτροπευουσαν, ἅπτεσθαι της φερομενης ουσίας ετίθετο. In Platon. Theolog. lib. vi. c. 24. p. 411. 6 Της γε μην ζωογονικης εξαρχει μεν ἡ Δημητηρ, όλως απογεννωσα παντα εγκοσμιον ζωην, την τε νοεραν, και την ψυχικήν, και την αχωριστον του σώματος. Proclus in Platon. Theolog. lib. vi. c. 22. p. 403. Δηοι παμμητειρα, θεα, πολυωνυμε δαιμον, The arcane exhibitions of the mysteries, then, were symbolical of generation, as introduced into the world by these divinities. And Jamblichus represents the Phallic rites, and the obscene discourses, as so many allusions to the generative power as derived from the gods. All these indecent exhibitions in the mysteries, the history of Ceres and Baubo, are represented as secondary consequences of the rape of Proserpine, as the Phallic worship was a secondary consequence of the fall of Osiris, or Dionysus. Generation was introduced when Proserpine was ravished out of Paradise. Now I consider that when two traditions amongst two different people are similar to one another, and they can easily have been derived from one common source, we may be allowed to suppose that they are both of one origin. If, therefore, it can be shown, that notions that have any connexion with these originated out of the Mosaic history of the fall, we can scarcely doubt, when we review the other proofs of identity between the two histories, that the more arcane parts of the fable of Ceres and Proserpine, as well as all the rest, were intended originally to record Eve's transgression. It appears to have been the opinion of our poet Milton, that the eating of the forbidden fruit introduced into the world carnal Just. But that false fruit Far other operation first display'd, Par. Lost, Book ix. But the Rabbinical writers, who have preserved to us the popular notions and traditions of the Jews, went still further: they imagined that all generation was introduced by the fall. I will instance a few. "Aben Ezra," says one account, “said, 1 Orph. Hymn. xl. Δημητρος. 2 Τα δε εν τοις καθέκαστα έπιόντες, την μεν των φαλλων στασιν της γονιμου δυναμεως σύνθημα τι φαμεν, και ταυτην προσκαλείσθαι νομιζομεν εις την γενεσιουργιαν του κοσμου διοπερ δη τα πολλα τῳ ηρι καθιερούται, ότε δη και ὁ πας κόσμος δεχετ ται απο των θεων της γενέσεως όλης την απογεννησιν· τας δ' αισχρολογίας της περι την ύλην στερησεως των καλων, και της προτερον ασχημοσύνης των μελλόντων διακοσμείσθαι ἡγουμαι το ενδειγμα παραδεχεσθαι, άπερ οντα ενδεη του κοσμείσθαι, εφιε ται τοσουτον μαλλον, ὅσῳ πλεον καταγινώσκει της περι ταυτα απρεπειας. Jamblichus, de Mysteriis, sect. i. c. 11. p. 21. Ed. Gale. I that Adam was full of wisdom, for God had hidden nothing from him of one thing, however, he was ignorant, that was copulation." And Aben Ezra himself tells us, that "the tree of knowlege produced venereal desire; and thence it was that Adam and his wife covered their secret parts." And Abarbanetis had a similar idea,3 The Greeks represented the seduction of Proserpine as a venereal congress, and she became the wife of Pluto. And a rabbinical writer has asserted, that the serpent intended no other than that Adam should first eat of the fruit and die, and that he should take Eve to wife.4 And a more modern writer imagines, that God had destined Eve to be the mother of the human race, to conceive her own offspring, not by carnal copulation, and in the manner of brutes, nor at the will of the man, but from God or the obumbration of the Holy Spirit alone, in the same manner as the Saviour was conceived; that is, the virginity of the mother remaining pure, and the womb closed, she should produce without pain; and that she was created superior to man. The notions of the rabbinical writers on this subject are innumerable; but enough has been adduced for my purpose. Some believed that God had created Adam originally androgynous, or an hermaphrodite, with the parts of both sexes. Others thought that he was made double, consisting of a man and woman joined together; and that when God is said to have taken the rib from Adam's side, it is signified that he divided the female side from him. According to others, he was a man before and a woman behind. Some כהבן עזרא על וה כי אדם מלא רעתהיה כי השם לא יצוה לאשר אין דעת לו רק 1 דעת טוב ורע ברבר אה' לברו לא ידע ע"כי וה הדבר אח' שלא דע ר"ל חמשגלי Aben Ezra dicit, quod homo fuerit sapientia plenus, nam Deus nihil præciperet ei, qui omnia scientia curet; unicam vero rem ignoraverit, coitum nempe. Mekor Chajim. fol. 1. col. 1. עץ הדעת יוליד תאוה המשגל ועל כן כסו האדם ואשתו ערותם וכו .c& 2 Arbor scientia peperit concupiscentiam veneream, atque inde obtexerunt Adam ejusque uxor verenda sua, &c. Aben Ezra, ad Gen. iii. 6. 3 Abarbanetis, fol. . אדם שיאכל הוא תחלה ותשא את חוא : אתה לא כה כוונת אלא שימות Tu, o serpens, nil aliud intendisti, quam ut moreretur Adam, ipseque primum comederet, tu vero Evam in uxorem duceres. R. Isaac. ben Arama. 5 Deum ex suo beneplacito Evam creavisse, destinavisseque, ut esset totius humanitatis futura mater, suam conceptura prolem, non quidem ex copula carnali, ac brutorum more, neque ex concupiscentia carnis, aut voluntate viri, sed ex Deo sive ex obumbratione solius S. Spiritus, per modum quo concepta sit et nata humanitas, in qua et per quam regenerari oportet omnes salvandos; id est, manente matris virginitate integra, et utero clauso, peperisset absque dolore; eratque Eva constituta supra virum. Johan, Baptist. von Helmont, ap. Chemnitium de Arbore Scient. Boni et Mali, p. 37. 6 See the writers cited in Bartoloccius, Bibliotheca Rabbin. in verb. 7. writers have supposed that Adam and Eve were created without any generative members at all; but that these burst forth like excrescences when they tasted of the fatal fruit. But almost all are agreed that generation was a consequence of the fall and, indeed, this may easily be conjectured from the very words of Moses; for Adam appears not to have known Eve till after that event. 2 And here, by the way, I must not forget a very remarkable similitude between a particular of the Mosaical record and a notion of Plato. Satan, according to the former, seduced Eve by the promise of superior wisdom and knowlege.' And the serpent itself, under which Satan was concealed, is characterised as the most subtle and cunning of all the beasts which God had created ;3 or, according to the Arabic version, the wisest.4 Now Plato and Proclus characterise Pluto as the supplier of wisdom to the soul. But if I were inclined to adduce such instances as this, they are innumerable, and have been miany of them observed by other writers, who do not appear to have had the least idea of applying the same mode of explanation to the mysteries as the present. I will just adduce one passage in illustration, from Christie's "Disquisition on Etruscan Vases," p. 62. "But a more striking instance," he observes, may be noticed on a vase, plate xciv. iu the third volume of D'Hancarville's Collection." The painting of this, as far as it concerns Pan and Celmis, I have already explained: the remaining part also deserves notice. A naked male then approaches a tree, the trunk of which is embraced by two serpents, in the same way as the mundane egg is embraced by the 1 ויאמר הנחש אל-האשה ביום אכלכם ממנו ונפקחו עיניכם והייתם כאלהים ידעי y." And the serpent said unto the woman, in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good from evil." ותרא האשה כי טוב העץ למאכל וכי תאוה הוא לעינים ונחמד העץ .5 .Gen. iii .להשכיל ותקח מפריו ותאכל ותתן גם לאישה עמה ויאכל "And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.' iii. 6. 2 "ny wise, prudent, ready-witted.—In a bad sense, quick-witted, cunning, subtle, sharp." Parkhurst. 3 Gen. iii. 1. * See the Arabic version as given in No. LXXIX. Class. Journ. p. 68. not. 7. The והנחש וחויא הוה חכים לביש מכל חיות ברא דעבד י אלהים-Jerusalem Targum has Sed serpens erat sapiens ad malum præ omnibus bestiis agri, quas fecerat Dominus Deus. 5 Και εστιν ὡς γε εκ του λόγου τουτου) ὁ Θεος οὗτος τελεος σοφιστης τε και μέγας ευεργετης των παρ' αυτῷ, ὡς γε και τοις ενθαδε τοσαυτα αγαθα ανιησιν. Plato, Cratylus, p. 265 F.-Επει και δ μεν Πλουτων, σοφιας εστι χορηγος, και νου ταις ψυχαις, κατα τον εν Κρατύλῳ Σωκράτην. Proclus in Platon. Theolog. lib. vi. c. 11. p. 371. |