Taylor - Eleusianian and Bacchic Mysteries.pdf - Platonic Philosophy

164 Eleusinian andnamely, the fixed or inerratic sphere, andthe seven planets, assuming a different body,and employing different faculties in each ;and becomes connected with the sublunaryworld and a terrene body, as the ninth, andmost abject gradation of her descent.Hencethe first day of initiation into these mysticrites was called agurmos, i. e. according toHesychius, ekklesia et rcav TO aysLpojisvov,an assembly, and all collecting together :and this with the greatest propriety ; for,according to Pythagoras, "the people ofdreams are souls collected together in theGralaxy.*ATJJIO^s ovcipcovy,aat f }tr/ai,a aovayeaftai cpvpiv eic, TOViiav.f And from this partsouls first begin to descend. Afterof the heavensthis, thesoul falls from the tropic of Cancer into theplanet Saturn ;and to this the second dayof initiation was consecrated, which theycalled AXaSs [loatat, ["to the sea, ye initiated ones !"]because, says Meursius, on that*Only persons taking a view solely external will suppose thegalaxy to be literally the milky belt of stars in the sky.t Cave of the Nymphs.