Taylor - Eleusianian and Bacchic Mysteries.pdf - Platonic Philosophy

"82 Bacchic Mysteries.the Mysteries is disposed by Proclus inTheology of Plato, book iy. The perfectiverite [TsAstYj, tel-ete],"der the initiation [|jiu7]ai,says he, "precedes in ormuesis], and initiation, the final apocalypse, epopteia."yap, TJ [xsv TS^STTJ TTJC |iuas(oc, aonrj sAt the same time it is proper toobserve that the whole business of initiationwas distributed into five parts, as we areinformed by Theon of Smyrna,in Mathematica,who thus elegantly compares philosophyto these mystic rites ": Again," says he,u philosophy may be called the initiation intotruesacred ceremonies, and the instructionin genuine Mysteries;for there are fiveparts of initiation : the first of which is theprevious purification ;for neither are theMysteries communicated to all who arewilling to receive them ;but there are certain persons who are prevented by the voiceof the crier [xvjpoi, Jcerux], such as thosewho possess impure hands and an inarticulate voice ;since it is necessarythat suchas are not expelled from the Mysteries* Theology of Plato, book iv. p. 220.