Taylor - Eleusianian and Bacchic Mysteries.pdf - Platonic Philosophy

Bacchic Mysteries. 77Nor do I see how Virgil can be reconciledwith himself, who, a little before this, represents him as liberated from Hades. Theconjecture, therefore, of Hygimis is mostprobable, that Virgil in this particular committed an oversight, which, had he lived, hewould doubtless have detected, and amended.This is at least much more probable than theopinion of Dr. Warburton, that Theseus wasa living character, who once entered into theEleusinian Mysteries by force, for which hewas imprisoned upon earth, and afterwardpunished in the infernal realms. For if thiswas the case, why is not Hercules alsorepresented as in punishment? and thiswith much greater reason, since he actuallydragged Cerberus from Hades ;whereas thefabulous descent of Theseus was attendedwith no real, but only intentional, mischief.Not to mention that Virgil appears to bethe only writer of antiquity who condemnsthis hero to ,an eternity of pain.Nor is the secret meaningof the fablesconcerning the punishment of impure souls