ELEUSINIAN MYSTERIES Boedromion 14-23 (September-October)

Sanctuary of Demeter at Eleusis

Sanctuary of Demeter at Eleusis

ELEUSINIAN MYSTERIES DAY Two days prior to Mysteries, Athenian ephebes escort "the holy things" (ta hiera) in closed baskets or chests (kistai) from Telesterion in Eleusis to Eleusinion in Athens.

ELEUSINIAN MYSTERIES DAY 1 Agurmos (Gathering) Initiates (mystai) assemble at Eleusinion. After purification, mystai admitted into sanctuary.

ELEUSINIAN MYSTERIES DAY 2 Halade Mystai! (“To the sea, initiates!”) Pompê of mystai to Phaleron. Mystês sacrifies and scatters ashes of piglet. Mystai bathe in sea, put on new clothes, bind heads with myrtle wreaths. Pompê back to Athens, where another sacrifice is held.

ELEUSINIAN MYSTERIES DAY 4 Pompê Ta hiera from Eleusinion returned to Telesterion in Eleusis in 20 km pompê along Sacred Way: •statue of Dionysos •wagon with hiera •priests, mystai, magis-trates, government officials, citizens ordered by tribe and deme.

ELEUSINIAN MYSTERIES DAY 4 (cont.) Pompê Celebrants wear myrtle crowns, hold bunches of leaves (bakkhoi). As pompê crosses stream into Eleusis, it is subjected to aiskhrologia, sexual displays.

ELEUSINIAN MYSTERIES DAY 5-7 Sacrifice to Demeter and Korê within outer wall of Telesterion by previous year's initiates, who eat sacrificial meat. Entry of mystai into Telesterion. "I have fasted, I have drunk the kukeon, I have taken from the kistê and after working it have put it back in the kalathos.”

ELEUSINIAN MYSTERIES DAY 5-7 In Telesterion, viewing (epopteia) of hiera brought out of Anaktorion. "Blessed is he among earth-bound men, who has been privileged to see the mysteries. But he who has not been initiated into the sacred ritual and does not participate in them has no destiny, once he is dead, in the watery darkness.”

ELEUSINIAN MYSTERIES Day 8 Agurmos (Gathering) Festival celebrates close of Mysteries.

Eleusinian Testimonia Blessed is he among earth-bound men, who has been privileged to see the mysteries. But he who has not been initiated into the sacred ritual and does not participate in them has no destiny, once he is dead, in the watery darkness. (Hymn to Demeter 480-482) Greatly prosperous is he among mortal men whom these goddesses love. Immediately they send Ploutos to the hearth in his house, Ploutos who gives abundance to mortals. (Hymn to Demeter 486-489) Blessed is he who goes under the earth after seeing these things. He knows the consum-mation of life; he knows its Zeus-given beginnings. (Pindar fr. 137) Thrice blessed of mortals are those who go to Hades after beholding these rites. To them alone it is given to live here; to others everything there is evil. (Sophokles fr. 837) Initiates do not need to understand anything; rather, they undergo an experience and a disposition — becoming, that is, deserving. (Aristotle fr. 15)

Eleusinian Testimonia Then [at the point of death] it [the soul] suffers something like what whose who participate in the great initiations [teletai] suffer. Hence even the word “dying” [teleutan] resembles the word “to be initiated” [teleutein], and one act is like the other. First of all there are wanderings and wearisome rushings about and journeys unending through the darkness, then before the very end all the terrors — fright and trembling and sweating and amazement. But then one encounters an extraordinary light, and pure regions and meadows offer welcome with voices and dances and majesties of sacred sounds and holy sights. There the fully initiated one, now free and set loose, enjoys the rite, crowned, and consorts with holy and pure men… —Plutarch (1st century CE) fr. 178