Taylor - Eleusianian and Bacchic Mysteries.pdf - Platonic Philosophy

172 Bacchic Mysteries.to appease the sorrows of Ceres, but withoutany effect, she, at length, changed her arts,and determined to try if she could not exhilarate, by prodigies (or out-of-the-way expedients),a mind which she was not able toallure by earnest endeavors. For this purpose she uncovered that part of her body bywhich the female sex produces children andderives the appellation of woman.* This shecaused to assume a purer appearance, and asmoothness such as isparts of a stripling child.to the afflictedgoddess, and,those attempts which arefound in the privateShe then returnsin the midst ofusually employedto alleviate distress, she uncovers herself,and exhibits her secret parts; upon whichthe goddess fixed her eyes, and was divertedwith the novel method of mitigating the anguish of sorrow; and afterward, becomingmore cheerful through laughter, she assuagesher thirst with the mingled potion which shehad before despised."Thus far Arnobius;and the same narration is epitomized byClemens Alexandrinus, who is very indignant], gune, woman, from foovo?, goimos, Latin cunnus.