Taylor - Eleusianian and Bacchic Mysteries.pdf - Platonic Philosophy

Bacchic Mysteries. 95This must not be understood as if the soulin the regions of felicity retained any affection for material concerns, or was engaged inthe trifling pursuits of the everyday corporeal life but that when; separated fromgeneration, and the world s life, she is constantly engaged in employments proper to thehigher spiritual nature ;either in divine contests of the most exalted wisdom in ; formingthe responsive dance of refined imaginations; in tuning the sacred lyre of mysticpiety to strains of divine fury and ineffabledelight in; giving free scope to the splendidand winged powers of the soul; or innourishing the higher intellect with the substantial banquets of intelligible [spiritual]food. Nor is it without reason that theriver Eridanus isrepresented as flowingthrough these delightful abodes; and is atthese men had for chariots and arms, the same passion for rearing glossy steeds, follow them reposing beneath the earth. Lo !also he views others, on the right and left, feasting on the grass,and singing in chorus the joyful paeon, amid a fragrant grove oflaurel; whence from above the greatest river Eridanus rollsthrough the woods."A peeon was chanted to Apollo at Delphi every seventh day.