Taylor - Eleusianian and Bacchic Mysteries.pdf - Platonic Philosophy

"204 Bacchic Mysteries.the Thyrsus itself, which was used in theBacchic procession, as it was a reed full ofknots, is an apt symbol of the diffusion of thehigher nature into the sensible world.Andagreeable to this, Olympiodorus on the Phcedoobserves,that the Thyrsus * is a symbol ofa forming anew of the material and partedsubstance from its scattered condition ;andthat on this account it is a Titanic plant.This it was customary to extend before Bacchus instead of his paternal scepter; andthrough this they called him down into ourpartial nature.sus-bearers ;in a Thyrsus or reed ;Indeed, the Titans are Thyrand Prometheus concealed fireafter which he is considered as bringing celestial light into generation, or leading the soul into the body, orcalling forth the divine illumination, thewhole being ungenerated, into generated existence.Hence Socrates calls the multitudeThyrsus-bearers Orphically, as living according to a Titanic life." f(hi 6 vap#Y^ oo|ji(3oXov*The word thyrsus, it will be seen, is here translated frompxh^,a rod or ferula.