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☩ TEMPLE OF ZEUS ☩
The Festival Psalms · Psalm VII: The Psalm of Phthinoporine Isemeria · Sacra Cereris · Autumn Equinox
To Demeter and to Persephone, the Two Goddesses of Eleusis, for the Equinox of the Autumn, the season of the Greater Mysteries, when the Sun enters the Scales and the Maiden goes down
THE FESTIVAL PSALMS · PSALM VII · Ψαλμὸς τῆς Φθινοπωρινῆς Ἰσημερίας
author: High Priest Zevios Metathronos
72 passages · 36 to Demeter · 24 to Persephone · 12 to Persephone and Demeter · Homeric-Ionic hymnic cola · Ancient Greek, transliteration, English, in 3 columns
#How the Psalm Is Used
This Psalm belongs to Phthinoporine Isemeria · Sacra Cereris · Autumn Equinox: The Mysteries of the Two Goddesses and is sung within its Rite at the points the festival page marks. It may also be read on its own on the day, before the altar or under the sky, as a complete prayer. Within the Temple's practice a ritual is a direct theurgical act; the Psalm gathers the mind and turns it toward the Gods, and gives the Rite its voice.
Each passage stands in 3 columns, read down the page: the Ancient Greek, the transliteration and the English. The Ancient Greek is the text itself. The transliteration carries the sound, in the Modern Greek liturgical reading used throughout the Temple's rituals and its Ancient Hymn Library: ee as in see, oo as in moon, th as in thin, kh as in loch, v for beta, f for phi, every consonant sounded.
The English carries the sense. A Zevist who doesn't yet read Greek sings the English and speaks the Greek of the first and last line of each movement; a Zevist who does, sings the Greek and lets the English stand beside it.
In a gathering the Chorus carries the Greek and the assembly answers the last line of every passage in English. Alone, read it through without hurry; 72 passages take about 40 minutes spoken, and the Rite allows for it. The Psalm is composed in the hymnic register of the Homeric and Orphic Hymns, in epithets, vocatives and the formulas of κλῦθι and χαῖρε, and it draws its lines from the ancient sources named at the end of the page.
Where a line is quoted from antiquity, it's quoted exactly; where the Temple composes, it composes in the same tongue.
#The Key of the Psalm
| Movement | Greek title | English title | To | Passages | Isopsephy of the title |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I | Ἡ Ζήτησις | The Search | Demeter | 1 to 12 | 741 |
| II | Ἡ Ἔλευσις | The Coming to Eleusis | Demeter | 13 to 24 | 858 |
| III | Ἡ Πομπή | The Procession | Demeter | 25 to 36 | 286 |
| IV | Ἡ Κόρη | The Maiden | Persephone | 37 to 48 | 206 |
| V | Ἡ Νὺξ τῆς Τελετῆς | The Night of the Rite | Persephone | 49 to 60 | 1874 |
| VI | Ἡ Ἐλπὶς ἡ Ἡδίων | The Sweeter Hope | Persephone and Demeter | 61 to 72 | 1213 |
The Psalm holds 72 passages in 6 movements of 12 (36 to Demeter; 24 to Persephone; 12 to Persephone and Demeter). 72 is the number of the fifths of the circle: 72 × 5° = 360°, the wheel of the year drawn whole; 72 years are 1 degree of the precession of the equinoxes, 1 day of the Great Year. 12 is the number of the months and of the Olympians. The isopsephy of the Names in the Greek is counted, not guessed: ΔΗΜΗΤΗΡ = 468, ΠΕΡΣΕΦΟΝΗ = 1018, ΚΟΡΗ = 198.
The titles of the movements carry their own numbers in the table. The Psalm speaks in 2 voices at once: the plain voice of praise, which anyone may sing, and a veiled voice that names the stations of the inner rite in the order in which they're passed. The second voice isn't explained on this page. Those who have passed the stations will read it without help; those who haven't, lose nothing by singing the first.
#I · The Search · Ἡ Ζήτησις (Demeter)
| № | Ancient Greek | Transliteration | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Κλῦθι, Δήμητερ, Μῆτερ, ἐν τῷ μηνὶ Βοηδρομιῶνι, ὅτε τὰ Μυστήρια ἐτελεῖτο· ὁ Ἥλιος εἰς τὸν Ζυγὸν εἰσέρχεται, ἡ ἡμέρα ἴση τῇ νυκτί, καὶ ἀπὸ τῆς αὔριον τὸ σκότος αὔξεται· ἡ Κόρη καταβαίνει, καὶ σὺ τὰς δᾷδας αἴρεις, καὶ ἡμεῖς αὐτὰς μετὰ σοῦ αἴρομεν. | Kleethi, Deemeeter, Meeter, en to meeni Voeedromioni, ote ta Meesteeria eteleito· o Eelios eis ton Zeegon eiserkhetai, ee eemera isee tee neekti, kai apo tees avrion to skotos afxetai· ee Koree katavainei, kai see tas dadas aireis, kai eemeis aftas meta soo airomen. | Hear, Demeter, Mother, in the month of Boedromion, when the Mysteries were held; the Sun enters the Scales, the day stands equal to the night, and from tomorrow the dark gains; the Maiden goes down, and you take up the torches, and we take them up with you. |
| 2 | Ἔπαιζε σὺν ταῖς βαθυκόλποις Ὠκεανοῦ θυγατράσιν, ἄνθεα δρέπουσα ἐν τῷ μαλακῷ λειμῶνι, ῥόδα καὶ κρόκον καὶ ἴα, ἀγαλλίδας καὶ ὑάκινθον, καὶ τὸν νάρκισσον, ὃν ἡ Γῆ δόλον ἔφυσε τῇ κόρῃ, Διὸς βουλῇ, χαριζομένη τῷ Πολυδέκτῃ. | Epaize seen tais vatheekolpois Okeanoo theegatrasin, anthea drepoosa en to malako leimoni, roda kai krokon kai ia, agallidas kai eeakinthon, kai ton narkisson, on ee Gee dolon efeese tee koree, Dios voolee, kharizomenee to Poleedektee. | She was playing with the deep-bosomed daughters of Ocean, gathering flowers in the soft meadow, roses and crocus and violets, iris and hyacinth, and the narcissus, which Earth grew as a snare for the girl, by the will of Zeus, to please the Receiver of Many. |
| 3 | Ἑκατὸν κάρα ἐκ τῆς ῥίζης ἔφυ, καὶ ὁ πᾶς οὐρανὸς καὶ ἡ γῆ καὶ ἡ θάλασσα τῇ ὀδμῇ ἐγέλα· ἀμφοτέρας τὰς χεῖρας πρὸς τὸ καλὸν ἄθυρμα ἐξέτεινε, καὶ ἡ εὐρυάγυια χθὼν ἐχάνε ἐν τῷ Νυσίῳ πεδίῳ, καὶ ὁ Ἄναξ, ὁ Πολυδέγμων, σὺν τοῖς ἀθανάτοις ἵπποις ἐξέθορε, ὁ πολυώνυμος Κρόνου παῖς. | Ekaton kara ek tees rizees efee, kai o pas ooranos kai ee gee kai ee thalassa tee odmee egela· amfoteras tas kheiras pros to kalon atheerma exeteine, kai ee evreeageeia khthon ekhane en to Neesio pedio, kai o Anax, o Poleedegmon, seen tois athanatois ippois exethore, o poleeoneemos Kronoo pais. | 100 heads grew from its root, and the whole sky and earth and sea laughed at its smell; she reached out both hands for the lovely toy, and the wide-pathed earth gaped on the Nysian plain, and the Lord, the Receiver of Many, sprang out with his immortal horses, the many-named son of Kronos. |
| 4 | Ἥρπασε καὶ ἀπήγαγε κλαίουσαν ἐν τῷ χρυσέῳ ἅρματι, ἡ δὲ ὀξείᾳ φωνῇ πρὸς τὸν πατέρα ἐβόησε, τὸν ὕπατον καὶ ἄριστον· ἀλλ' οὐδεὶς τῶν ἀθανάτων οὐδὲ τῶν θνητῶν ἀνθρώπων ἤκουσε, πλὴν Ἑκάτης ἐν τῷ ἄντρῳ, καὶ Ἡλίου. | Eerpase kai apeegage klaioosan en to khreeseo armati, ee de oxeia fonee pros ton patera evoeese, ton eepaton kai ariston· all' oodeis ton athanaton oode ton thneeton anthropon eekoose, pleen Ekatees en to antro, kai Eelioo. | He caught her up and carried her away weeping in the golden chariot, and she cried out with a shrill voice to her father, the highest and best; but no one of the immortals or of mortal men heard her, except Hekate in her cave, and Helios. |
| 5 | Τὰ ὄρη καὶ τὰ βάθη τῆς θαλάσσης τὴν ἀθάνατον φωνὴν αὐτῆς ἀντήχησαν, καὶ ἡ μήτηρ ἤκουσεν· ὀξὺ ἄχος τὴν καρδίαν αὐτῆς ἔλαβε, καὶ τὸ κρήδεμνον ἐπὶ τῆς κόμης ἔρρηξε καὶ κυάνεον κάλυμμα ἐπὶ τῶν ὤμων ἔβαλε, καὶ ὡς ὄρνις ὑπὲρ γῆν καὶ θάλασσαν ἔδραμε, ζητοῦσα. | Ta oree kai ta vathee tees thalassees teen athanaton foneen aftees anteekheesan, kai ee meeteer eekoosen· oxee akhos teen kardian aftees elave, kai to kreedemnon epi tees komees erreexe kai keeaneon kaleemma epi ton omon evale, kai os ornis eeper geen kai thalassan edrame, zeetoosa. | The mountains and the depths of the sea echoed her immortal voice, and her mother heard; sharp grief seized her heart, and she tore the veil on her hair and threw a dark cloak over her shoulders, and rushed like a bird over land and sea, searching. |
| 6 | Ἐννέα ἡμέρας ἡ πότνια Δηὼ τὴν γῆν περιήρχετο δᾷδας καιομένας ἐν ταῖς χερσὶν ἔχουσα, καὶ οὔτε ἀμβροσίας οὔτε νέκταρος ἡδέος ἐν τῷ πένθει ἐγεύσατο, οὔτε ἐλούσατο· τῇ δεκάτῃ Ἑκάτη αὐτῇ σὺν δᾳδὶ ἀπήντησε, καὶ ὁμοῦ πρὸς Ἥλιον ἦλθον. | Ennea eemeras ee potnia Deeo teen geen perieerkheto dadas kaiomenas en tais khersin ekhoosa, kai oote amvrosias oote nektaros eedeos en to penthei egefsato, oote eloosato· tee dekatee Ekatee aftee seen dadi apeenteese, kai omoo pros Eelion eelthon. | 9 days the Lady Deo wandered the earth with burning torches in her hands, and didn't taste ambrosia or sweet nectar in her grief, and didn't bathe; on the 10th Hekate met her with a torch, and together they went to Helios. |
| 7 | Ἥλιος, ὁ πάντα ὁρῶν, αὐτῇ εἶπε· Ζεὺς αὐτὴν τῷ ἀδελφῷ ἔδωκε γυναῖκα εἶναι, καὶ Ἀϊδωνεὺς οὐκ ἀεικὴς γαμβρὸς ἐν ἀθανάτοις, ὁ ἀδελφὸς τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτῆς, ὁ τοῦ τρίτου μέρους τοῦ κόσμου κρατῶν· καὶ τὸ πένθος τῆς Μητρὸς ὀργὴ ἐγένετο. | Eelios, o panta oron, aftee eipe· Zevs afteen to adelfo edoke geenaika einai, kai Aidonevs ook aeikees gamvros en athanatois, o adelfos too patros aftees, o too tritoo meroos too kosmoo kraton· kai to penthos tees Meetros orgee egeneto. | Helios, who sees all, told her: Zeus gave her to his brother to be his wife, and Aidoneus is no unworthy husband among the immortals, the brother of her father, who rules a third of the world; and the Mother's grief became wrath. |
| 8 | Ἔλιπε τὴν ἀγορὰν τῶν θεῶν καὶ εἰς τὰς πόλεις τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἦλθε, μετημφιεσμένη, καὶ οὐδεὶς αὐτὴν ἔγνω· καὶ ἡ γῆ σῖτον οὐκ ἔδωκεν, ἔκρυψε γὰρ τὸ σπέρμα, καὶ οἱ βόες τὰ ἄροτρα μάτην εἷλκον, καὶ τὸ γένος τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἂν ἀπώλετο, καὶ οἱ θεοὶ τὰς τιμὰς ἂν ἀπώλεσαν, εἰ μὴ Ζεὺς εἶδε. | Elipe teen agoran ton theon kai eis tas poleis ton anthropon eelthe, meteemfiesmenee, kai oodeis afteen egno· kai ee gee siton ook edoken, ekreepse gar to sperma, kai oi voes ta arotra mateen eilkon, kai to genos ton anthropon an apoleto, kai oi theoi tas timas an apolesan, ei mee Zevs eide. | She left the assembly of the Gods and went among the cities of men, disguised, and no one knew her; and the earth gave no grain, for she hid the seed, and the oxen dragged the ploughs in vain, and the race of men would have perished, and the Gods would have lost their honours, had Zeus not seen. |
| 9 | Ἡ ζήτησις τῆς Μητρὸς ἡ ζήτησις τῆς ψυχῆς τοῦ ἐν τῷ λειμῶνι ἀπολεσθέντος, τοῦ ληφθέντος ὅτε αἱ χεῖρες ἀνθέων πλήρεις ἦσαν· ἐννέα ἡμέραι δᾴδων τὸ μῆκος τῆς ζητήσεως, καὶ ἡ δεκάτη ἡ συνάντησις. | Ee zeeteesis tees Meetros ee zeeteesis tees pseekhees too en to leimoni apolesthentos, too leefthentos ote ai kheires antheon pleereis eesan· ennea eemerai dadon to meekos tees zeeteeseos, kai ee dekatee ee seenanteesis. | The search of the Mother is the search of the soul for what it lost in the meadow, the thing taken while the hands were full of flowers; 9 days of torches is the length of the search, and the 10th is the meeting. |
| 10 | Ἑκάτη σὺν τῇ δᾳδὶ ἡ ὁδηγὸς τῆς ζητήσεως, ἡ θεὰ τῶν τριόδων, ἡ τὴν κραυγὴν ἐκ τοῦ ἄντρου αὐτῆς ἀκούσασα ὅτε οὐδεὶς ἄλλος ἤκουσεν· ὁ ἐν τῷ σκότει ζητῶν τὴν Ἑκάτην παρ' ἑαυτῷ ἔχει, εἴτε οἶδεν εἴτε μή. | Ekatee seen tee dadi ee odeegos tees zeeteeseos, ee thea ton triodon, ee teen kravgeen ek too antroo aftees akoosasa ote oodeis allos eekoosen· o en to skotei zeeton teen Ekateen par' eafto ekhei, eite oiden eite mee. | Hekate with the torch is the guide of the search, the Goddess of the crossroads, who heard the cry from her cave when no one else heard; the one who searches in the dark has Hekate beside him, whether he knows it or not. |
| 11 | Ζεὺς εἶδε, καὶ τὸν Ἑρμῆν κάτω εἰς τὸ σκότος ἔπεμψε τὴν Κόρην ἀναγαγεῖν, καὶ Ἀϊδωνεὺς ταῖς ὀφρύσι μειδιάσας ὑπήκουσε, καὶ κόκκον ῥοιᾶς αὐτῇ φαγεῖν ἔδωκε, λάθρᾳ, ἵνα μὴ εἰς ἀεὶ ἄνω παρὰ τῇ μητρὶ μένῃ. | Zevs eide, kai ton Ermeen kato eis to skotos epempse teen Koreen anagagein, kai Aidonevs tais ofreesi meidiasas eepeekoose, kai kokkon roias aftee fagein edoke, lathra, ina mee eis aei ano para tee meetri menee. | Zeus saw, and sent Hermes down to the dark to bring the Maiden up, and Aidoneus smiled with his brows and obeyed, and gave her a pomegranate seed to eat, secretly, so that she wouldn't stay for ever above with her mother. |
| 12 | Χαῖρε, Δήμητερ τῶν ἐννέα ἡμερῶν καὶ τῶν δύο δᾴδων· ἡ ζήτησις ἐν Ἐλευσῖνι τελευτᾷ, καὶ εἰς Ἐλευσῖνα ἐρχόμεθα· ἄγε τὸν ψαλμὸν ἐκεῖ, ὡς τὰς δᾷδας ἤγαγες. | Khaire, Deemeeter ton ennea eemeron kai ton deeo dadon· ee zeeteesis en Elefsini telefta, kai eis Elefsina erkhometha· age ton psalmon ekei, os tas dadas eegages. | Hail, Demeter of the 9 days and the 2 torches; the search ends at Eleusis, and Eleusis is where we are going; lead the Psalm there, as you led the torches. |
#II · The Coming to Eleusis · Ἡ Ἔλευσις (Demeter)
| № | Ancient Greek | Transliteration | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13 | Ἐλευσὶς ἡ Ἔλευσις, καὶ τὸ ὄνομα λέγει ὅ ἐστιν ὁ τόπος· ὁ τόπος ὅπου ἡ θεὰ ἦλθε, καὶ ὅπου ὁ μύστης ἔρχεται, καὶ ὅπου τὸ ἐν τῷ λειμῶνι ἀπολεσθὲν ἐν τῷ τελεστηρίῳ εὑρίσκεται. | Elefsis ee Elefsis, kai to onoma legei o estin o topos· o topos opoo ee thea eelthe, kai opoo o meestees erkhetai, kai opoo to en to leimoni apolesthen en to telesteerio evrisketai. | Eleusis is the Coming, and the name says what the place is: the place where the Goddess came, and where the initiate comes, and where what was lost in the meadow is found in the hall. |
| 14 | Παρὰ τὸ Παρθένιον φρέαρ ἐν τῇ σκιᾷ τῆς ἐλαίας ἐκάθισεν, ὡς γραῦς τόκου πεπαυμένη, καὶ αἱ θυγατέρες τοῦ Κελεοῦ αὐτὴν εὗρον, καὶ εἰς τὸν οἶκον ἤγαγον, καὶ ἐπέβη τοῦ οὐδοῦ καὶ ἡ κεφαλὴ αὐτῆς τοῦ μελάθρου ἥψατο καὶ τὴν θύραν θείου φωτὸς ἐπλήρωσεν. | Para to Parthenion frear en tee skia tees elaias ekathisen, os gravs tokoo pepavmenee, kai ai theegateres too Keleoo afteen evron, kai eis ton oikon eegagon, kai epevee too oodoo kai ee kefalee aftees too melathroo eepsato kai teen theeran theioo fotos epleerosen. | She sat by the Maiden Well in the shade of the olive, like an old woman past childbearing, and the daughters of Keleos found her, and took her to the house, and she stepped on the threshold and her head touched the roof-beam and she filled the doorway with divine light. |
| 15 | Οὐκ ἤθελεν ἐπὶ τοῦ λαμπροῦ κλισμοῦ καθίσαι, ἀλλ' ἐπὶ χαμηλοῦ δίφρου, καὶ τὸ πρόσωπον ἐκάλυψε, καὶ οὐδὲν εἶπε, καὶ οὐκ ἐγέλα, καὶ οὐκ ἤσθιε, καὶ οὐκ ἔπινεν, ἕως Ἰάμβη τοῖς σκώμμασιν αὐτὴν μειδιᾶν καὶ γελᾶν καὶ ἵλαον θυμὸν ἔχειν ἐποίησεν. | Ook eethelen epi too lamproo klismoo kathisai, all' epi khameeloo difroo, kai to prosopon ekaleepse, kai ooden eipe, kai ook egela, kai ook eesthie, kai ook epinen, eos Iamvee tois skommasin afteen meidian kai gelan kai ilaon theemon ekhein epoieesen. | She wouldn't sit on the shining couch, but on a low stool, and veiled her face, and said nothing, and didn't laugh, and didn't eat, and didn't drink, until Iambe with her jokes made her smile and laugh and have a gracious heart. |
| 16 | Τὸν ἐρυθρὸν οἶνον ἀπηρνήσατο, καὶ ᾔτησεν ἄλφιτα καὶ ὕδωρ γλήχωνι τερείνῃ μεμιγμένα, καὶ Μετάνειρα τὸν κυκεῶνα ἐποίησε, καὶ ἡ θεὰ αὐτὸν ὁσίης ἕνεκεν ἐδέξατο· τὸ ἁπλούστατον ποτήριον τοῦ ἀγροῦ, ἐν οἴκῳ βασιλέως πινόμενον, ἡ πρώτη πρᾶξις τοῦ Μυστηρίου. | Ton ereethron oinon apeerneesato, kai eeteesen alfita kai eedor gleekhoni tereinee memigmena, kai Metaneira ton keekeona epoieese, kai ee thea afton osiees eneken edexato· to aploostaton poteerion too agroo, en oiko vasileos pinomenon, ee protee praxis too Meesteerioo. | She refused the red wine, and asked for barley and water mixed with soft pennyroyal, and Metaneira made the kykeon, and the Goddess took it for the sake of the rite; the plainest cup of the field, drunk in a king's house, is the first act of the Mystery. |
| 17 | Ἐνήστευσα, ἔπιον τὸν κυκεῶνα, ἔλαβον ἐκ κίστης, ἐργασάμενος ἀπεθέμην εἰς κάλαθον καὶ ἐκ καλάθου εἰς κίστην· οὕτως Κλήμης τὸ σύνθημα τῶν μυστῶν ἀναφέρει, καὶ ἀναφέρει σκώπτων, καὶ φυλάσσει· ὁ ἐχθρὸς τῶν Μυστηρίων ὁ ἀρχειοφύλαξ αὐτῶν. | Eneestefsa, epion ton keekeona, elavon ek kistees, ergasamenos apethemeen eis kalathon kai ek kalathoo eis kisteen· ootos Kleemees to seentheema ton meeston anaferei, kai anaferei skopton, kai feelassei· o ekhthros ton Meesteerion o arkheiofeelax afton. | I fasted; I drank the kykeon; I took from the chest; having worked, I put back into the basket, and from the basket into the chest: so Clement reports the password of the initiates, and reports it to mock, and preserves it; the enemy of the Mysteries is their archivist. |
| 18 | Τί ἐν τῇ κίστῃ ἦν οὐδεὶς ἔγραψε, καὶ ἡμεῖς οὐ γράφομεν· τί εἰργάσθη οὐδεὶς διηγήσατο, καὶ ἡμεῖς οὐ διηγούμεθα· τὸ σύνθημα δημόσιον καὶ τὸ ἀνοιγόμενον οὔ, καὶ τοῦτο τὸ σχῆμα παντὸς Μυστηρίου. | Ti en tee kistee een oodeis egrapse, kai eemeis oo grafomen· ti eirgasthee oodeis dieegeesato, kai eemeis oo dieegoometha· to seentheema deemosion kai to anoigomenon oo, kai tooto to skheema pantos Meesteerioo. | What was in the chest no one wrote, and we don't write it; what was worked no one described, and we don't describe it; the password is public and the thing it opens isn't, and that is the shape of every Mystery. |
| 19 | Εἶτα μέγαν ναὸν ἐν Ἐλευσῖνι ἐκέλευσε, καὶ τὰς τελετὰς Κελεῷ καὶ Εὐμόλπῳ καὶ Τριπτολέμῳ καὶ Διοκλεῖ ἐδίδαξε, τὰς σεμνὰς τελετάς, ἃς οὔ πως ἔστι παρεξίμεν οὔτε πυθέσθαι οὔτ' ἀχέειν, μέγα γάρ τι θεῶν σέβας ἰσχάνει αὐδήν. | Eita megan naon en Elefsini ekelefse, kai tas teletas Keleo kai Evmolpo kai Triptolemo kai Dioklei edidaxe, tas semnas teletas, as oo pos esti pareximen oote peethesthai oot' akheein, mega gar ti theon sevas iskhanei avdeen. | Then she commanded a great temple at Eleusis, and taught the rites to Keleos and Eumolpos and Triptolemos and Diokles, the holy rites that no one may transgress or learn of or utter, for great awe of the Gods restrains the voice. |
| 20 | Ὄλβιος ὃς τάδ' ὄπωπεν ἐπιχθονίων ἀνθρώπων· ὃς δ' ἀτελὴς ἱερῶν, ὅς τ' ἄμμορος, οὔ ποθ' ὁμοίων αἶσαν ἔχει φθίμενός περ ὑπὸ ζόφῳ ἠερόεντι· ὁ ὕμνος αὐτὸ λέγει, καὶ ὁ Ναὸς μετὰ τὸν ὕμνον λέγει. | Olvios os tad' opopen epikhthonion anthropon· os d' atelees ieron, os t' ammoros, oo poth' omoion aisan ekhei fthimenos per eepo zofo eeeroenti· o eemnos afto legei, kai o Naos meta ton eemnon legei. | Happy is he among men on earth who has seen these things; but he who is uninitiate and has no part in them never has an equal lot once dead, down in the murky dark: the Hymn says it, and the Temple says it after the Hymn. |
| 21 | Εὔμολπος τὸν πρῶτον ὕμνον ᾖσε, καὶ ὁ οἶκος αὐτοῦ τὸν Ἱεροφάντην χίλια ἔτη ἔδωκε, τὸν τὰ ἱερὰ φαίνοντα, οὗ τὸ ὄνομα οὐκ ἐλέγετο ἕως τὴν ἀρχὴν εἶχε· οἱ Κήρυκες τὸν Δᾳδοῦχον καὶ τὸν Ἱεροκήρυκα ἔδωκαν, καὶ αἱ τρεῖς ἀρχαὶ τὸ σχῆμα τῆς τελετῆς. | Evmolpos ton proton eemnon eese, kai o oikos aftoo ton Ierofanteen khilia etee edoke, ton ta iera fainonta, oo to onoma ook elegeto eos teen arkheen eikhe· oi Keereekes ton Dadookhon kai ton Ierokeereeka edokan, kai ai treis arkhai to skheema tees teletees. | Eumolpos sang the first hymn, and his house gave the Hierophant for 1,000 years, the one who shows the holy things, whose name was not spoken while he held the office; the Kerykes gave the Daduch and the Herald, and the 3 offices are the shape of the rite. |
| 22 | Ὅστις χεῖρας μὴ καθαρὸς καὶ φωνὴν ἀξύνετος, ἀπεχέσθω· οὕτως ὁ Ἱεροφάντης ἐν τῷ ἀγυρμῷ προηγόρευε, καὶ ὁ ἀνδροφόνος καὶ ὁ βάρβαρος ἀπῆλθον· ὁ Ναὸς τὴν αὐτὴν πρόρρησιν φυλάσσει, ἐν τοῖς αὐτοῖς ῥήμασι. | Ostis kheiras mee katharos kai foneen axeenetos, apekhestho· ootos o Ierofantees en to ageermo proeegoreve, kai o androfonos kai o varvaros apeelthon· o Naos teen afteen prorreesin feelassei, en tois aftois reemasi. | Whoever is not clean of hands and intelligible of speech, keep away: so the Hierophant proclaimed at the gathering, and the murderer and the barbarian left; the Temple keeps the same proclamation, in the same words. |
| 23 | Οὐ μαθεῖν τι δεῖν ἀλλὰ παθεῖν, καὶ διατεθῆναι· οὕτως Ἀριστοτέλης τὸν μύστην ἐν μιᾷ προτάσει ἀπέγραψε, καὶ ἡ πρότασις σῴζεται· τὸ Μυστήριον οὐ μάθημα· πρᾶγμα ἐν σοὶ πραττόμενον, καὶ ἄλλος εἶ μετ' αὐτό. | Oo mathein ti dein alla pathein, kai diatetheenai· ootos Aristotelees ton meesteen en mia protasei apegrapse, kai ee protasis sozetai· to Meesteerion oo matheema· pragma en soi prattomenon, kai allos ei met' afto. | Not to learn something but to suffer something, and to be put into a certain state: so Aristotle described the initiate, in 1 sentence, and the sentence survives; the Mystery isn't a lesson; it's a thing done to you, and you are different after. |
| 24 | Χαῖρε, Δήμητερ Ἐλευσινία, τοῦ φρέατος καὶ τοῦ δίφρου καὶ τοῦ κυκεῶνος καὶ τοῦ τελεστηρίου· ἦλθες, καὶ ὁ τόπος ἀπὸ τῆς ἐλεύσεώς σου ὀνομάζεται· ἐρχόμεθα, καὶ αἰτοῦμεν δειχθῆναι ὃ ἔδειξας. | Khaire, Deemeeter Elefsinia, too freatos kai too difroo kai too keekeonos kai too telesteerioo· eelthes, kai o topos apo tees elefseos soo onomazetai· erkhometha, kai aitoomen deikhtheenai o edeixas. | Hail, Demeter of Eleusis, of the well and the stool and the kykeon and the hall; you came, and the place is named for your coming; we come, and ask to be shown what you showed. |
#III · The Procession · Ἡ Πομπή (Demeter)
| № | Ancient Greek | Transliteration | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25 | Τῇ τρισκαιδεκάτῃ οἱ ἔφηβοι εἰς Ἐλευσῖνα ἐξῆλθον καὶ τῇ τεσσαρεσκαιδεκάτῃ τὰ ἱερὰ εἰς Ἀθήνας ἤνεγκαν, ἐν κίσταις ἐπὶ τῆς Ἱερᾶς Ὁδοῦ, ὑπὸ φυλακῇ, εἰς τὸ Ἐλευσίνιον ὑπὸ τὴν Ἀκρόπολιν· αἱ θεαὶ εἰς τὴν πόλιν ἦλθον πρὶν ἡ πόλις πρὸς τὰς θεὰς ἐλθεῖν. | Tee triskaidekatee oi efeevoi eis Elefsina exeelthon kai tee tessareskaidekatee ta iera eis Atheenas eenenkan, en kistais epi tees Ieras Odoo, eepo feelakee, eis to Elefsinion eepo teen Akropolin· ai theai eis teen polin eelthon prin ee polis pros tas theas elthein. | On the 13th the ephebes went out to Eleusis and on the 14th brought the holy things to Athens, in chests on the Sacred Way, under escort, to the Eleusinion below the Acropolis; the Goddesses came to the city before the city went to the Goddesses. |
| 26 | Τῇ πεντεκαιδεκάτῃ ὁ Ἀγυρμός, καὶ ἡ πρόρρησις ἐν τῇ Ποικίλῃ Στοᾷ· τῇ ἑκκαιδεκάτῃ ἡ βοή· Ἅλαδε μύσται· καὶ ἕκαστος εἰς τὴν ἀκτὴν σὺν τῷ χοιριδίῳ αὐτοῦ ἔδραμε, καὶ ἑαυτὸν καὶ τὸν χοῖρον ἐν τῷ ἁλμυρῷ ὕδατι ἔλουσε, καὶ καθαρὸς ἦν. | Tee pentekaidekatee o Ageermos, kai ee prorreesis en tee Poikilee Stoa· tee ekkaidekatee ee voee· Alade meestai· kai ekastos eis teen akteen seen to khoiridio aftoo edrame, kai eafton kai ton khoiron en to almeero eedati eloose, kai katharos een. | On the 15th the Gathering, and the proclamation in the Painted Stoa; on the 16th the cry: To the sea, initiates! and each ran to the shore with his piglet, and washed himself and the pig in the salt water, and was clean. |
| 27 | Ἅλαδε μύσται· ὁ Ζευϊστὴς τὴν βοὴν ἀκούει καὶ πρὸς τὸ ὕδωρ καταβαίνει, τὴν θάλασσαν ὅπου θάλασσα, τὸν ποταμόν, τὴν λίμνην, τὴν λεκάνην τοῦ ἁλμυροῦ ὕδατος ἐπὶ τοῦ βωμοῦ· τὸ λουτρὸν τῆς ἑκκαιδεκάτης τὸ λουτρὸν τοῦ ὅλου ἔτους πρὸ τῆς ἐποπτείας. | Alade meestai· o Zevistees teen voeen akooei kai pros to eedor katavainei, teen thalassan opoo thalassa, ton potamon, teen limneen, teen lekaneen too almeeroo eedatos epi too vomoo· to lootron tees ekkaidekatees to lootron too oloo etoos pro tees epopteias. | Halade mystai: the Zevist hears the cry and goes down to the water, the sea where there is sea, the river, the lake, the basin of salt water on the altar; the washing of the 16th is the washing of the whole year before the showing. |
| 28 | Τῇ ἑπτακαιδεκάτῃ αἱ θυσίαι, τῇ ὀκτωκαιδεκάτῃ ἡ ἡμέρα τοῦ Ἀσκληπιοῦ, ὃς ὀψὲ ἦλθε καὶ ὀψὲ ἐμυήθη, καὶ τῇ ἐννεακαιδεκάτῃ ἡ πομπή· ἡ ὅλη πόλις ἐπὶ τῆς ὁδοῦ εἰς Ἐλευσῖνα, τεσσαρεσκαίδεκα μίλια, σὺν τῷ Ἰάκχῳ ἐν κεφαλῇ, τὸ ἄγαλμα μυρσίνῃ ἐστεμμένον, ἡ δᾲς ἐν τῇ χειρὶ αὐτοῦ, ὑπὸ τοῦ Ἰακχαγωγοῦ φερόμενον. | Tee eptakaidekatee ai theesiai, tee oktokaidekatee ee eemera too Askleepioo, os opse eelthe kai opse emeeeethee, kai tee enneakaidekatee ee pompee· ee olee polis epi tees odoo eis Elefsina, tessareskaideka milia, seen to Iakkho en kefalee, to agalma meersinee estemmenon, ee das en tee kheiri aftoo, eepo too Iakkhagogoo feromenon. | On the 17th the offerings, on the 18th the day of Asklepios, who came late and was initiated late, and on the 19th the procession: the whole city on the road to Eleusis, 14 miles, with Iacchos at its head, the image crowned with myrtle, the torch in its hand, carried by the Iacchagogos. |
| 29 | Ἴακχ' ὦ Ἴακχε· ἡ βοὴ κατὰ τὴν Ἱερὰν Ὁδὸν ὅλην τὴν ἡμέραν ἐκυλίετο, καὶ Ἀριστοφάνης αὐτὴν ἐν τῷ στόματι τῶν μακάρων νεκρῶν ἐν τῇ κωμῳδίᾳ αὐτοῦ ἔθηκεν, ὅτι πάντες αὐτὴν ᾔδεσαν· οἱ μύσται αὐτὴν ᾖδον μυρσίνην ἐπὶ ταῖς κεφαλαῖς καὶ δᾷδας ἐν ταῖς χερσὶν ἔχοντες, καὶ ἡ ὁδὸς αὐτῶν ἦν. | Iakkh' Oh Iakkhe· ee voee kata teen Ieran Odon oleen teen eemeran ekeelieto, kai Aristofanees afteen en to stomati ton makaron nekron en tee komodia aftoo etheeken, oti pantes afteen eedesan· oi meestai afteen eedon meersineen epi tais kefalais kai dadas en tais khersin ekhontes, kai ee odos afton een. | Iacchos, O Iacchos: the cry rolled down the Sacred Way all day, and Aristophanes put it in the mouths of the blessed dead in his comedy, because everyone knew it; the initiates sang it with myrtle on their heads and torches in their hands, and the road was theirs. |
| 30 | Ἐπὶ τῆς γεφύρας τοῦ Κηφισοῦ οἱ προσωπεῖα ἔχοντες ἐπὶ τοῦ στηθαίου σκώμματα τοῖς μεγάλοις παριοῦσιν ἐβόων, ὡς Ἰάμβη τῇ πενθούσῃ θεᾷ ἔσκωψεν· ὁ γέλως τῆς γεφύρας ὁ γέλως τῆς Ἰάμβης, καὶ οἱ ὑπερήφανοι πρὸ τῆς πύλης ἐταπεινοῦντο. | Epi tees gefeeras too Keefisoo oi prosopeia ekhontes epi too steethaioo skommata tois megalois parioosin evoon, os Iamvee tee penthoosee thea eskopsen· o gelos tees gefeeras o gelos tees Iamvees, kai oi eepereefanoi pro tees peelees etapeinoonto. | At the bridge over the Kephisos the masked men on the parapet shouted jokes at the great ones passing, as Iambe had joked with the grieving Goddess; the laughter of the bridge is the laughter of Iambe, and the proud were cut down to size before the gate. |
| 31 | Ἀφίκοντο ὑπὸ δᾳδῶν φῶς, καὶ ὅλην τὴν νύκτα παρὰ τὸ Καλλίχορον φρέαρ ἐχόρευον, τὸ φρέαρ τῶν καλῶν χορῶν, ὅπου ἡ θεὰ ἐκεκαθίκει· ὁ χορὸς πρὸ τῆς ἐποπτείας ὁ τρόπος τοῦ σώματος νηστεύειν. | Afikonto eepo dadon fos, kai oleen teen neekta para to Kallikhoron frear ekhorevon, to frear ton kalon khoron, opoo ee thea ekekathikei· o khoros pro tees epopteias o tropos too somatos neestevein. | They arrived by torchlight, and danced all night at the Kallichoron well, the well of the fair dances, where the Goddess had sat; the dance before the showing is the body's way of fasting. |
| 32 | Τῇ εἰκοστῇ ἡ νηστεία, ὡς ἡ θεὰ ἐνήστευσε, καὶ ἐν δύσει ὁ κυκεών, ὡς ἡ θεὰ ἔπιε· εἶτα αἱ πύλαι τοῦ Τελεστηρίου ἠνοίχθησαν, καὶ οἱ μύσται εἰσῆλθον, καὶ τὸ ἔσω γενόμενον τὸ πρᾶγμα τὸ μὴ γραφόμενον. | Tee eikostee ee neesteia, os ee thea eneestefse, kai en deesei o keekeon, os ee thea epie· eita ai peelai too Telesteerioo eenoikhtheesan, kai oi meestai eiseelthon, kai to eso genomenon to pragma to mee grafomenon. | On the 20th the fast, as the Goddess fasted, and at dusk the kykeon, as the Goddess drank; then the gates of the Telesterion opened, and the mystai went in, and what happened inside is the thing that is not written. |
| 33 | Τῇ εἰκοστῇ δευτέρᾳ αἱ Πλημοχόαι· δύο ἀγγεῖα πληρωθέντα καὶ ἐκχυθέντα, ἓν πρὸς ἀνατολὰς καὶ ἓν πρὸς δύσιν, ῥήματος ἐπ' αὐτοῖς λεγομένου, καὶ ἡ τελετὴ τετέλεστο· τῇ εἰκοστῇ τρίτῃ ἡ πόλις οἴκαδε κατὰ τὴν αὐτὴν ὁδὸν ἀπῆλθεν, ἠλλαγμένη. | Tee eikostee deftera ai Pleemokhoai· deeo angeia pleerothenta kai ekkheethenta, en pros anatolas kai en pros deesin, reematos ep' aftois legomenoo, kai ee teletee tetelesto· tee eikostee tritee ee polis oikade kata teen afteen odon apeelthen, eellagmenee. | On the 22nd the Plemochoai: 2 vessels filled and tipped out, 1 to the east and 1 to the west, with a formula spoken over them, and the rite was over; on the 23rd the city went home along the same road, changed. |
| 34 | Δισχίλια ἔτη, ἕως οἱ Γότθοι τοῦ Ἀλαρίχου τὸ τελεστήριον ἐν τῷ ἔτει τριακοσιοστῷ ἐνενηκοστῷ πέμπτῳ ἔκαυσαν, ἡ πομπὴ τὴν ὁδὸν ἐκείνην ἐβάδιζε· Κικέρων αὐτὴν ἐβάδισε, καὶ Ἁδριανός, καὶ Μάρκος Αὐρήλιος, καὶ δοῦλοι, καὶ γυναῖκες, καὶ παῖδες· ἡ ὁδὸς ἔτι ἐκεῖ, καὶ ὁ Ναὸς αὐτὴν ἐν τῷ νῷ βαδίζει ἕως ἂν ποσὶ βαδίσῃ. | Diskhilia etee, eos oi Gotthoi too Alarikhoo to telesteerion en to etei triakosiosto eneneekosto pempto ekafsan, ee pompee teen odon ekeineen evadize· Kikeron afteen evadise, kai Adrianos, kai Markos Avreelios, kai dooloi, kai geenaikes, kai paides· ee odos eti ekei, kai o Naos afteen en to no vadizei eos an posi vadisee. | For 2,000 years, until Alaric's Goths burned the hall in the year 395, the procession walked that road; Cicero walked it, and Hadrian, and Marcus Aurelius, and slaves, and women, and children; the road is still there, and the Temple walks it in the mind until it walks it on foot. |
| 35 | Ἡ ἔξω τελετὴ τῆς πόλεως ἦν· ἡ ὁδός, ἡ θάλασσα, αἱ δᾷδες, ὁ χορός, ἡ βοή· ἡ ἔσω τελετὴ τοῦ τελεστηρίου ἦν· ἡ ἐποπτεία, καὶ ἡ σιγὴ μετ' αὐτήν· ὁ Ναὸς ἀμφοτέρας φυλάσσει, καὶ χωρὶς φυλάσσει, ὡς ἡ Ἐλευσὶς ἐφύλασσεν. | Ee exo teletee tees poleos een· ee odos, ee thalassa, ai dades, o khoros, ee voee· ee eso teletee too telesteerioo een· ee epopteia, kai ee sigee met' afteen· o Naos amfoteras feelassei, kai khoris feelassei, os ee Elefsis efeelassen. | The outer rite was the city's: the road, the sea, the torches, the dance, the cry; the inner rite was the hall's: the showing, and the silence after; the Temple keeps both, and keeps them apart, as Eleusis did. |
| 36 | Χαῖρε, Δήμητερ τῆς Ἱερᾶς Ὁδοῦ, καὶ παράδος τὴν δᾷδα τῇ θυγατρί σου· ἡ Μήτηρ ἡμᾶς εἰς τὴν πύλην ἤγαγεν· ἡ Κόρη ἔσω· Περσεφόνη, Βασίλισσα, τὸ ἥμισυ τὸ δεύτερον τοῦ ψαλμοῦ σόν. | Khaire, Deemeeter tees Ieras Odoo, kai parados teen dada tee theegatri soo· ee Meeteer eemas eis teen peeleen eegagen· ee Koree eso· Persefonee, Vasilissa, to eemisee to defteron too psalmoo son. | Hail, Demeter of the Sacred Way, and pass the torch to your daughter; the Mother led us to the gate; the Maiden is inside; Persephone, Queen, the second half of the Psalm is yours. |
#IV · The Maiden · Ἡ Κόρη (Persephone)
| № | Ancient Greek | Transliteration | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| 37 | Κλῦθι, Περσεφόνη, Κόρη, θύγατερ Δήμητρος καὶ Διός, Βασίλισσα τοῦ Μεγάλου Κάτω, ἡ Ἐπανερχομένη, Ἐαροφόρε, Μῆτερ Ζαγρέως· ὁ Ἥλιος εἰς τὸν Ζυγὸν εἰσέρχεται, καὶ σὺ καταβαίνεις, καὶ ἡμεῖς σὲ κάτω ᾄδομεν. | Kleethi, Persefonee, Koree, theegater Deemeetros kai Dios, Vasilissa too Megaloo Kato, ee Epanerkhomenee, Earofore, Meeter Zagreos· o Eelios eis ton Zeegon eiserkhetai, kai see katavaineis, kai eemeis se kato adomen. | Hear, Persephone, Kore, the Maiden, daughter of Demeter and of Zeus, Queen of the Great Below, She Who Returns, Bringer of Spring, Mother of Zagreus; the Sun enters the Scales, and you go down, and we sing you down. |
| 38 | Δύο ὀνόματα ἔχεις, καὶ οἱ Ἕλληνες ἀμφότερα προσεκτικῶς ἐφύλασσον· Κόρη, ἡ Παρθένος, ἄνω, ἐν τῷ λειμῶνι, παρὰ τῇ μητρί· Περσεφόνη, ἡ Βασίλισσα, κάτω, ἐπὶ τοῦ θρόνου, παρὰ τῷ ἀνδρί· καὶ ἀμφότεραι σύ. | Deeo onomata ekheis, kai oi Elleenes amfotera prosektikos efeelasson· Koree, ee Parthenos, ano, en to leimoni, para tee meetri· Persefonee, ee Vasilissa, kato, epi too thronoo, para to andri· kai amfoterai see. | 2 names you have, and the Greeks were careful with both: Kore, the Maiden, above, in the meadow, with her mother; Persephone, the Queen, below, on the throne, with her husband; and both are you. |
| 39 | Ὁ νάρκισσος ὁ δόλος, καὶ ὁ δόλος Διὸς βουλῇ· ὁ Πατὴρ τὴν Κόρην τῷ σκότει ἔδωκεν ἵνα τὸ σκότος Βασίλισσαν ἔχῃ, καὶ ἡ Βασίλισσα κατ' ἔτος πάλιν ἀναβαίνῃ, καὶ τὸ ἔτος ἐπ' αὐτῆς στρέφηται. | O narkissos o dolos, kai o dolos Dios voolee· o Pateer teen Koreen to skotei edoken ina to skotos Vasilissan ekhee, kai ee Vasilissa kat' etos palin anavainee, kai to etos ep' aftees strefeetai. | The narcissus was the snare, and the snare was by the will of Zeus: the Father gave the Maiden to the dark so that the dark would have a Queen, and the Queen would come up again every year, and the year would turn on her. |
| 40 | Ἔφαγες τὸν κόκκον τῆς ῥοιᾶς, καὶ ὁ κόκκος σὲ ἔδησε, τὸ τρίτον τοῦ ἔτους κάτω· ὁ ἐρυθρὸς κόκκος τὸ αἷμα τῆς συνθήκης μεταξὺ τῶν ζώντων καὶ τῶν νεκρῶν· ὅστις αὐτὸν ἐσθίει ἀμφοτέρων τῶν κόσμων ἐστί, καὶ σὺ πρώτη ἔφαγες. | Efages ton kokkon tees roias, kai o kokkos se edeese, to triton too etoos kato· o ereethros kokkos to aima tees seentheekees metaxee ton zonton kai ton nekron· ostis afton esthiei amfoteron ton kosmon esti, kai see protee efages. | You ate the pomegranate seed, and the seed bound you, 1 third of the year below; the red seed is the blood of the covenant between the living and the dead; whoever eats it belongs to both worlds, and you ate it first. |
| 41 | Ἐρεσκιγὰλ ἐν Σουμερίᾳ, Βασίλισσα τοῦ Μεγάλου Τόπου, πρὸ ἧς Ἰνάννα ἐπὶ τοῦ πασσάλου ἐκρέματο· Λίβερα ἐν Ῥώμῃ, Προσερπίνα, Ἓλ τοῦ Βορρᾶ ἡ τὰς αὐλὰς τῶν νεκρῶν φυλάσσουσα· ἄλλαξον τὸ ὄνομα κατὰ τὴν γλῶσσαν, καὶ ἡ Βασίλισσα κάτω τὸν θρόνον οὐκ ἀλλάσσει. | Ereskigal en Soomeria, Vasilissa too Megaloo Topoo, pro ees Inanna epi too passaloo ekremato· Livera en Romee, Proserpina, El too Vorra ee tas avlas ton nekron feelassoosa· allaxon to onoma kata teen glossan, kai ee Vasilissa kato ton thronon ook allassei. | Ereshkigal in Sumer, Queen of the Great Place, before whom Inanna hung on the hook; Libera in Rome, Proserpina, Hel of the North who keeps the halls of the dead; change the name by the tongue, and the Queen below doesn't change her throne. |
| 42 | Μῆτερ Ζαγρέως, τοῦ πρώτου Διονύσου, ὃν Ζεὺς ἐν ὄφεως εἴδει ἐκ σοῦ ἐγέννησε· τὸ Μυστήριον τῆς Ἐλευσῖνος καὶ τὸ Μυστήριον τῶν Βακχῶν μίαν μητέρα ἔχει, καὶ τὰ χρύσεα πέταλα ἐν τοῖς τάφοις σὲ ὀνομάζει ὡς τὴν ᾗ ἡ λελυμένη ψυχὴ ἀπαγγέλλει. | Meeter Zagreos, too protoo Dioneesoo, on Zevs en ofeos eidei ek soo egenneese· to Meesteerion tees Elefsinos kai to Meesteerion ton Vakkhon mian meetera ekhei, kai ta khreesea petala en tois tafois se onomazei os teen ee ee leleemenee pseekhee apangellei. | Mother of Zagreus, the first Dionysos, whom Zeus begot on you in the form of a serpent; the Mystery of Eleusis and the Mystery of the Bacchants have 1 mother, and the gold leaves in the tombs name you as the one to whom the released soul reports. |
| 43 | Γῆς παῖς εἰμι καὶ Οὐρανοῦ ἀστερόεντος, αὐτὰρ ἐμοὶ γένος οὐράνιον· οὕτως ἡ ψυχὴ παρὰ τῇ κρήνῃ τῆς Μνημοσύνης λέγει, καὶ τὸ ψυχρὸν ὕδωρ αἰτεῖ, καὶ οἱ φύλακες διδόασι, καὶ ἡ ψυχὴ πρὸς σὲ προχωρεῖ. | Gees pais eimi kai Ooranoo asteroentos, aftar emoi genos ooranion· ootos ee pseekhee para tee kreenee tees Mneemoseenees legei, kai to pseekhron eedor aitei, kai oi feelakes didoasi, kai ee pseekhee pros se prokhorei. | I am a child of Earth and of starry Heaven, but my race is heavenly: so the soul says at the spring of Memory, and asks for the cold water, and the guards give it, and the soul goes on to you. |
| 44 | Ἔρχομαι ἐκ καθαρῶν καθαρά, χθονίων βασίλεια· οὕτως ἡ ψυχὴ σὲ ἀσπάζεται, καὶ σὺ ἀποκρίνῃ· χαῖρε, χαῖρε, χαῖρε, δεξιὰν ὁδοιπόρει λειμῶνάς τε ἱερούς· ὁ λειμὼν ὅπου τὰ ἄνθη ἐδρέφθη ὁ λειμὼν ὅπου ἡ ψυχὴ ἀφικνεῖται. | Erkhomai ek katharon kathara, khthonion vasileia· ootos ee pseekhee se aspazetai, kai see apokrinee· khaire, khaire, khaire, dexian odoiporei leimonas te ieroos· o leimon opoo ta anthee edrefthee o leimon opoo ee pseekhee afikneitai. | Pure I come from the pure, Queen of those below: so the soul greets you, and you answer: hail, hail, hail, go to the right, to the holy meadows; the meadow where the flowers were picked is the meadow where the soul arrives. |
| 45 | Τὸ ἥμισυ τοῦ ἔτους σὺ εἶ τὸ ἔαρ, καὶ ἡ γῆ ἀνθεῖ ὅταν ὁ πούς σου αὐτῆς ἅψηται· ἡ τελετὴ τοῦ Ναοῦ τὴν ἄνοδόν σου ἐν τῷ μηνὶ Μαρτίῳ ᾖσε, καὶ ἡμεῖς αὐτὴν ἐν τῇ ἰσημερίᾳ τοῦ Κριοῦ ᾔσαμεν· σήμερον τὸ ἕτερον ἥμισυ ᾄδομεν, τὴν κάθοδον, ἥτις ἱερὰ ὡς ἡ ἄνοδος. | To eemisee too etoos see ei to ear, kai ee gee anthei otan o poos soo aftees apseetai· ee teletee too Naoo teen anodon soo en to meeni Martio eese, kai eemeis afteen en tee iseemeria too Krioo eesamen· seemeron to eteron eemisee adomen, teen kathodon, eetis iera os ee anodos. | Half the year you are the spring, and the earth blooms when your foot touches it; the Temple's Ritual sang your rising in the month of March, and we sang it at the equinox of the Ram; today we sing the other half, the going down, which is as holy as the rising. |
| 46 | Ἄνευ τῆς καθόδου οὐκ ἔστι Βασίλισσα, καὶ ἄνευ τῆς Βασιλίσσης οὐκ ἔστιν ἄνοδος· ἡ Κόρη ἡ μηδέποτε καταβᾶσα κόρη ἐν λειμῶνι εἰς ἀεὶ ἂν ἦν, καὶ οἱ νεκροὶ οὐδένα ἂν εἶχον· ἡ κάθοδος τὸ δῶρον, καὶ σὺ αὐτὸ ἔδωκας. | Anef tees kathodoo ook esti Vasilissa, kai anef tees Vasilissees ook estin anodos· ee Koree ee meedepote katavasa koree en leimoni eis aei an een, kai oi nekroi oodena an eikhon· ee kathodos to doron, kai see afto edokas. | Without the descent there is no Queen, and without the Queen there is no return; the Maiden who never went down would be a girl in a meadow for ever, and the dead would have no one; the going down is the gift, and you gave it. |
| 47 | Ἐπαινὴ Περσεφόνεια, Ὅμηρος σὲ καλεῖ, καὶ ὁ Ζευϊστὴς οὐ φοβεῖται· ὃ δεινὸν τῷ ἀμυήτῳ θύρα τῷ μύστῃ, καὶ σὺ τὴν θύραν ἀπ' ἀμφοτέρων τῶν πλευρῶν φυλάσσεις. | Epainee Persefoneia, Omeeros se kalei, kai o Zevistees oo foveitai· o deinon to ameeeeto theera to meestee, kai see teen theeran ap' amfoteron ton plevron feelasseis. | Dread Persephone, Homer calls you, and the Zevist isn't afraid; what is dreadful to the uninitiate is the door to the initiate, and you keep the door from both sides. |
| 48 | Χαῖρε, Περσεφόνη, Κόρη, ἐν τῇ ὥρᾳ τῆς καθόδου· ὁ Ζυγὸς ἴσος, καὶ αὔριον τὸ σκότος αὔξεται, καὶ σὺ μετ' αὐτοῦ αὔξῃ· λάβε τὰ ἓξ καὶ τριάκοντα τὰ σά, ὡς τὸν κόκκον ἔλαβες. | Khaire, Persefonee, Koree, en tee ora tees kathodoo· o Zeegos isos, kai avrion to skotos afxetai, kai see met' aftoo afxee· lave ta ex kai triakonta ta sa, os ton kokkon elaves. | Hail, Persephone, Kore, in the hour of the going down; the Scales are level, and tomorrow the dark gains, and you gain with it; take the 36 that are yours, as you took the seed. |
#V · The Night of the Rite · Ἡ Νὺξ τῆς Τελετῆς (Persephone)
| № | Ancient Greek | Transliteration | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| 49 | Τὸ τελεστήριον τρισχιλίους ἐχώρει, καὶ ἡ στέγη ἐπὶ δύο καὶ τεσσαράκοντα κιόνων ἐφέρετο, καὶ ἐν μέσῳ τὸ Ἀνάκτορον ἵστατο, ὁ μικρὸς οἶκος τοῦ Ἄνακτος, εἰς ὃν μόνος ὁ Ἱεροφάντης εἰσῄει· τὸ λίθινον ἔδαφος ἔτι ἐκεῖ, καὶ αἱ βαθμίδες ἐν τῇ πέτρᾳ κεκομμέναι ὅπου οἱ μύσται ἐκάθηντο. | To telesteerion triskhilioos ekhorei, kai ee stegee epi deeo kai tessarakonta kionon efereto, kai en meso to Anaktoron istato, o mikros oikos too Anaktos, eis on monos o Ierofantees eiseeei· to lithinon edafos eti ekei, kai ai vathmides en tee petra kekommenai opoo oi meestai ekatheento. | The hall held 3,000, and the roof was carried on 42 columns, and in the middle stood the Anaktoron, the small house of the Lord, which only the Hierophant entered; the stone floor is still there, and the steps cut in the rock where the mystai sat. |
| 50 | Δρώμενα, λεγόμενα, δεικνύμενα· οἱ ἀρχαῖοι τὰ τρία μέρη ὠνόμασαν καὶ οὐδὲν ἄλλο ὠνόμασαν· τὰ δρώμενα, τὰ λεγόμενα, τὰ δεικνύμενα· ὁ Ναὸς τὰ τρία μέρη ὀνομάζει, καὶ οὐδὲν ἄλλο ὀνομάζει. | Dromena, legomena, deikneemena· oi arkhaioi ta tria meree onomasan kai ooden allo onomasan· ta dromena, ta legomena, ta deikneemena· o Naos ta tria meree onomazei, kai ooden allo onomazei. | Things done, things said, things shown: the ancients named the 3 parts and named nothing else; the dromena, the legomena, the deiknymena; the Temple names the 3 parts, and names nothing else. |
| 51 | Πρῶτον πλάναι, καὶ περιδρομαὶ κοπώδεις, καὶ διὰ σκότους πορεῖαι, φόβου πλήρεις, καὶ ἀτέλεστοι· οὕτως Πλούταρχος περὶ τῆς ψυχῆς ἐν θανάτῳ ἔγραψε, καὶ εἶπε ταὐτὸν εἶναι τῷ μυουμένῳ· εἶτα, πρὸ τοῦ τέλους, τὰ δεινὰ πάντα, φρίκη καὶ τρόμος καὶ ἱδρὼς καὶ θάμβος. | Proton planai, kai peridromai kopodeis, kai dia skotoos poreiai, fovoo pleereis, kai atelestoi· ootos Plootarkhos peri tees pseekhees en thanato egrapse, kai eipe tafton einai to meeoomeno· eita, pro too teloos, ta deina panta, frikee kai tromos kai idros kai thamvos. | At first wanderings, and wearisome runnings about, and journeys through the dark, full of fear, and no end: so Plutarch wrote of the soul at death, and said it was the same as the initiate's; then, before the end, every terror, shuddering and trembling and sweat and amazement. |
| 52 | Εἶτα φῶς τι θαυμάσιον ἀπήντησε τῷ πλανωμένῳ, καὶ τόποι καθαροὶ καὶ λειμῶνες αὐτὸν ἐδέξαντο, φωνὰς καὶ χορείας καὶ σεμνότητας ἀκουσμάτων ἱερῶν καὶ φασμάτων ἁγίων ἔχοντες· καὶ ἐλεύθερος βαδίζει, ἐστεφανωμένος, ἐν τοῖς καθαροῖς, καὶ τὸν ἀμύητον ὄχλον κάτω ὁρᾷ. | Eita fos ti thavmasion apeenteese to planomeno, kai topoi katharoi kai leimones afton edexanto, fonas kai khoreias kai semnoteetas akoosmaton ieron kai fasmaton agion ekhontes· kai eleftheros vadizei, estefanomenos, en tois katharois, kai ton ameeeeton okhlon kato ora. | Then a wonderful light meets the wanderer, and pure places and meadows receive him, with voices and dances and the solemnities of holy sounds and holy visions; and he walks free, crowned, among the pure, and looks down on the uninitiated crowd below. |
| 53 | Τὸ τελευτᾶν τὸ τελεῖσθαι· ἡ Ἑλληνικὴ γλῶσσα ἐν ἑνὶ ῥήματι λέγει, τελευτᾶν καὶ τελεῖσθαι, καὶ Πλούταρχος τὸ παίγνιον ἤκουσε καὶ ἐφύλαξεν· ὁ μεμυημένος ἅπαξ ἤδη τέθνηκε, καὶ τὴν ὁδὸν οἶδε. | To teleftan to teleisthai· ee Elleenikee glossa en eni reemati legei, teleftan kai teleisthai, kai Plootarkhos to paignion eekoose kai efeelaxen· o memeeeemenos apax eedee tethneeke, kai teen odon oide. | To die is to be initiated: the Greek says it in 1 word, teleutan and teleisthai, and Plutarch heard the pun and kept it; the one who has been initiated has died once already, and knows the road. |
| 54 | Ὁ Ἱεροφάντης ἐν τῷ μεγάλῳ πυρὶ ἐβόησεν, ὁ ἐχθρὸς μάρτυς ἡμῖν λέγει· ἱερὸν ἔτεκε πότνια κοῦρον, Βριμὼ Βριμόν· ἡ Ἰσχυρὰ τὸν Ἰσχυρὸν ἔτεκε, καὶ τὸ τελεστήριον ἐσείσθη. | O Ierofantees en to megalo peeri evoeesen, o ekhthros martees eemin legei· ieron eteke potnia kooron, Vrimo Vrimon· ee Iskheera ton Iskheeron eteke, kai to telesteerion eseisthee. | The Hierophant cried out in the great fire, the hostile witness tells us: the Lady has borne a holy child, Brimo has borne Brimos; the Strong One has borne the Strong One, and the hall shook. |
| 55 | Καὶ τὸ μέγα καὶ θαυμαστὸν καὶ τελεώτατον ἐποπτικὸν μυστήριον, ὁ αὐτὸς μάρτυς λέγει, τεθερισμένος στάχυς ἦν, ἐν σιωπῇ· ἔγραψεν αὐτὸ αἰσχύνειν, καὶ ἡ ἱερωτάτη πρότασίς ἐστιν ἣν ἔγραψέ ποτε. | Kai to mega kai thavmaston kai teleotaton epoptikon meesteerion, o aftos martees legei, tetherismenos stakhees een, en siopee· egrapsen afto aiskheenein, kai ee ierotatee protasis estin een egrapse pote. | And the great and wonderful and most perfect mystery of the epoptai, the same witness says, was an ear of grain, reaped in silence; he wrote it down to shame it, and it is the holiest sentence he ever wrote. |
| 56 | Ὕε, κύε· εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν ἀναβλέποντες τὸ πρῶτον ἐβόων, εἰς τὴν γῆν καταβλέποντες τὸ δεύτερον, τὰ δύο ῥήματα τῆς ὅλης τελετῆς, ὁ Πατὴρ καὶ ἡ Μήτηρ ἐν δύο συλλαβαῖς ἕκαστος· ὁ Ζευϊστὴς ἀναβλέπει καὶ βοᾷ, καὶ καταβλέπει καὶ βοᾷ, καὶ τὸ ἔτος ποιεῖται. | Eee, keee· eis ton ooranon anavlepontes to proton evoon, eis teen geen katavlepontes to defteron, ta deeo reemata tees olees teletees, o Pateer kai ee Meeteer en deeo seellavais ekastos· o Zevistees anavlepei kai voa, kai katavlepei kai voa, kai to etos poieitai. | Rain! Conceive!: looking up to the sky they cried the first, looking down to the earth the second, the 2 words of the whole rite, the Father and the Mother in 2 syllables each; the Zevist looks up and cries, and looks down and cries, and the year is made. |
| 57 | Ὁ στάχυς ἡ Κόρη ἡ καταβᾶσα καὶ ἀναβᾶσα, ἡ θυγάτηρ ἐν τῷ σπέρματι, τὸ ὅλον ἔτος ἐν τῇ χειρὶ ἐν σιωπῇ κρατούμενον· ὁ ἰδὼν αὐτὸν βίου τελευτὰν οἶδε καὶ διόσδοτον ἀρχάν, ὡς Πίνδαρος εἶπεν. | O stakhees ee Koree ee katavasa kai anavasa, ee theegateer en to spermati, to olon etos en tee kheiri en siopee kratoomenon· o idon afton vioo teleftan oide kai diosdoton arkhan, os Pindaros eipen. | The ear of grain is the Maiden who went down and came up, the daughter in the seed, the whole year held in the hand in silence; the one who sees it sees the end of life and its God-given beginning, as Pindar said. |
| 58 | Τί τὸ φῶς ἦν, οὐδεὶς λέγει· ὅτι φῶς ἦν, πάντες λέγουσι· τὸ πῦρ ἐν τῷ ὀπαίῳ τῆς στέγης, αἱ δᾷδες τοῦ Δᾳδούχου, ὁ Ἱεροφάντης λάμπων ἐν τῷ ἀνοικτῷ Ἀνακτόρῳ· αἱ πηγαὶ τοὺς λύχνους ὀνομάζουσι καὶ παύονται, καὶ ὁ Ναὸς παύεται ὅπου ἐκεῖναι παύονται. | Ti to fos een, oodeis legei· oti fos een, pantes legoosi· to peer en to opaio tees stegees, ai dades too Dadookhoo, o Ierofantees lampon en to anoikto Anaktoro· ai peegai toos leekhnoos onomazoosi kai pavontai, kai o Naos pavetai opoo ekeinai pavontai. | What the light was, no one says; that there was a light, everyone says; the fire in the roof-opening, the torches of the Daduch, the Hierophant shining in the open Anaktoron: the sources name the lamps and stop, and the Temple stops where they stop. |
| 59 | Οἱ εἰπόντες ἐκολάσθησαν· Αἰσχύλος διὰ στίχον ἐν δράματι ἐκρίθη, Διαγόρας ἐξεκηρύχθη, Ἀλκιβιάδης θανάτου κατεδικάσθη τὴν τελετὴν ἐν δείπνῳ μιμησάμενος· ἡ σιγὴ οὐκ ἔθος ἦν· αὐτὸ τὸ πρᾶγμα ἦν, καὶ ἔτι ἐστίν. | Oi eipontes ekolastheesan· Aiskheelos dia stikhon en dramati ekrithee, Diagoras exekeereekhthee, Alkiviadees thanatoo katedikasthee teen teleteen en deipno mimeesamenos· ee sigee ook ethos een· afto to pragma een, kai eti estin. | The ones who told were punished: Aeschylus was tried for a line in a play, Diagoras was outlawed, Alcibiades was condemned to death for mocking the rite at a dinner; the silence was not a custom; it was the thing itself, and it still is. |
| 60 | Χαῖρε, Περσεφόνη τῆς νυκτὸς τῆς τελετῆς, ἡ δεικνυμένη καὶ οὐ διηγουμένη· τὸ τελεστήριον κέκαυται καὶ τὸ τελεστήριον ἕστηκεν, ὅτι οὐδέποτε οἱ λίθοι ἦν· δεῖξον τοῖς Ζευϊσταῖς ἐν καιρῷ ὃ τοῖς μύσταις ἐδείχθη, καὶ σιγάτωσαν μετ' αὐτό. | Khaire, Persefonee tees neektos tees teletees, ee deikneemenee kai oo dieegoomenee· to telesteerion kekaftai kai to telesteerion esteeken, oti oodepote oi lithoi een· deixon tois Zevistais en kairo o tois meestais edeikhthee, kai sigatosan met' afto. | Hail, Persephone of the night of the rite, who are shown and not described; the hall is burned and the hall is standing, because it was never the stones; show the Zevists in due time what the mystai were shown, and let them be silent after. |
#VI · The Sweeter Hope · Ἡ Ἐλπὶς ἡ Ἡδίων (Persephone and Demeter)
| № | Ancient Greek | Transliteration | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61 | Ὄλβιος ὅστις ἰδὼν κεῖν' εἶσ' ὑπὸ χθόνα· οἶδε μὲν βίου τελευτάν, οἶδεν δὲ διόσδοτον ἀρχάν· Πίνδαρος αὐτὸ εἶπε, καὶ ὅλον τὸ δόγμα τῶν νεκρῶν ἐν δύο στίχοις ἐστίν. | Olvios ostis idon kein' eis' eepo khthona· oide men vioo teleftan, oiden de diosdoton arkhan· Pindaros afto eipe, kai olon to dogma ton nekron en deeo stikhois estin. | Blessed is he who has seen these things before he goes beneath the earth: he knows the end of life, and he knows its God-given beginning; Pindar said it, and it's the whole doctrine of the dead in 2 lines. |
| 62 | Ὡς τρισόλβιοι κεῖνοι βροτῶν, οἳ ταῦτα δερχθέντες τέλη μόλωσ' ἐς Ἅιδου· τοῖσδε γὰρ μόνοις ἐκεῖ ζῆν ἔστι, τοῖς δ' ἄλλοισι πάντ' ἐκεῖ κακά· Σοφοκλῆς αὐτὸ εἶπε, καὶ μεμύητο, καὶ ᾔδει. | Os trisolvioi keinoi vroton, oi tafta derkhthentes telee molos' es Aidoo· toisde gar monois ekei zeen esti, tois d' alloisi pant' ekei kaka· Sofoklees afto eipe, kai memeeeeto, kai eedei. | Thrice blessed are those mortals who have seen these rites and go to Hades: for them alone there is life there; for the others, all is evil there; Sophocles said it, and he was initiated, and he knew. |
| 63 | Κικέρων, Ῥωμαῖος καὶ ῥήτωρ, ἔγραψεν ὅτι ἐκ τῶν Μυστηρίων τὰς ἀρχὰς τοῦ βίου ἐμάθομεν, καὶ τὸν τρόπον ἐλάβομεν οὐ μόνον τοῦ μετὰ χαρᾶς ζῆν ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῦ μετὰ βελτίονος ἐλπίδος ἀποθνῄσκειν· ἡ βελτίων ἐλπὶς ἡ ἡδίων ἐλπὶς τοῦ Ἰσοκράτους, καὶ ὁ Ναὸς αὐτὴν ἐν τῇ πίστει αὐτοῦ ὀνομάζει. | Kikeron, Romaios kai reetor, egrapsen oti ek ton Meesteerion tas arkhas too vioo emathomen, kai ton tropon elavomen oo monon too meta kharas zeen alla kai too meta veltionos elpidos apothneeskein· ee veltion elpis ee eedion elpis too Isokratoos, kai o Naos afteen en tee pistei aftoo onomazei. | Cicero, a Roman and a lawyer, wrote that from the Mysteries we learned the beginnings of life, and received the way not only to live with joy but to die with a better hope; the better hope is the sweeter hope of Isocrates, and the Temple names it in its creed. |
| 64 | Ἡ ἰσημερία ὁ ζυγός, καὶ τὸ Μυστήριον ὁ ζυγὸς ἔσωθεν ὁρώμενος· τὸ σκότος οὐκ ἐχθρὸς τοῦ φωτός· ἡ ἑτέρα πλάστιγξ ἐστίν· ἡ Βασίλισσα κάτω ἡ Κόρη ἄνω, καὶ ὁ ζυγὸς ἴσος ὅτι ἐπ' ἀμφοτέρων τῶν πλευρῶν ἐστιν. | Ee iseemeria o zeegos, kai to Meesteerion o zeegos esothen oromenos· to skotos ook ekhthros too fotos· ee etera plastinx estin· ee Vasilissa kato ee Koree ano, kai o zeegos isos oti ep' amfoteron ton plevron estin. | The equinox is the balance, and the Mystery is the balance seen from inside: the dark isn't the enemy of the light; it's the other pan; the Queen below is the Maiden above, and the scale is level because she is on both sides. |
| 65 | Ἀπὸ τῆς ἡμέρας ταύτης ὁ Ζευϊστὴς ἔσω στρέφεται, ὡς τὸ ἔτος ἔσω στρέφεται· ἡ ἐξέτασις τοῦ ἑαυτοῦ, ἡ σκιὰ ἀντιμετωπιζομένη, ἡ μελέτη, ἡ μακρὰ θεωρία· ἡ ἐαρινὴ ἰσημερία διὰ τὸ ἔξω ἔργον ἦν, καὶ αὕτη διὰ τὸ ἔργον τὸ ἔσω. | Apo tees eemeras taftees o Zevistees eso strefetai, os to etos eso strefetai· ee exetasis too eaftoo, ee skia antimetopizomenee, ee meletee, ee makra theoria· ee earinee iseemeria dia to exo ergon een, kai aftee dia to ergon to eso. | From this day the Zevist turns inward, as the year turns inward: the examination of the self, the shadow confronted, the study, the long meditation; the Spring Equinox was for the outward work, and this one is for the work within. |
| 66 | Ἄνοιξον τὸν χάρτην τῆς ἐαρινῆς ἰσημερίας, τὸ ἔργον τὸ ἐν τῇ ὥρᾳ τοῦ Διὸς ἀρξάμενον, καὶ ἀνάγνωθι αὐτὸν ἐν τῇ ἴσῃ ἡμέρᾳ, καὶ ἴδε πόσον προῆλθε· ὃ τὸ ἔαρ ἤρξατο, τὸ φθινόπωρον κρίνει, καὶ ὁ Ζυγὸς τὸ σημεῖον τοῦ κριτοῦ. | Anoixon ton kharteen tees earinees iseemerias, to ergon to en tee ora too Dios arxamenon, kai anagnothi afton en tee isee eemera, kai ide poson proeelthe· o to ear eerxato, to fthinoporon krinei, kai o Zeegos to seemeion too kritoo. | Open the paper of the Spring Equinox, the work that was begun at the hour of Zeus, and read it on the level day, and see how far it went; what the spring began, the autumn judges, and the Scales are the judge's sign. |
| 67 | Τὰ Μικρὰ Μυστήρια τοῦ Φεβρουαρίου τὸν ὀφθαλμὸν ἐκάθηραν· τὰ Μεγάλα τοῦ Σεπτεμβρίου αὐτῷ χρῶνται· ὁ Ζευϊστὴς ὁ τὴν Ἑορτὴν τοῦ Πυρὸς ὀρθῶς φυλάξας ἕτοιμος εἰς τὴν ἐποπτείαν τοῦ φθινοπώρου, καὶ τὸ ἔτος τοῦ Ναοῦ οὕτως ᾠκοδόμηται ὥστε τὸ ἓν εἰς τὸ ἕτερον ἄγειν. | Ta Mikra Meesteeria too Fevrooarioo ton ofthalmon ekatheeran· ta Megala too Septemvrioo afto khrontai· o Zevistees o teen Eorteen too Peeros orthos feelaxas etoimos eis teen epopteian too fthinoporoo, kai to etos too Naoo ootos okodomeetai oste to en eis to eteron agein. | The Lesser Mysteries of February cleaned the eye; the Greater of September use it; the Zevist who kept the Feast of Fire rightly is ready for the showing of the autumn, and the Temple's year is built so that the one leads to the other. |
| 68 | Ὁ Ναὸς τὸ τελεστήριον ἀποκαταστήσει, ἐν τῷ νῷ τῶν πιστῶν πρῶτον καὶ ἐν λίθῳ ὕστερον· ὁ Ἱεροφάντης ἐν τῷ πυρὶ πάλιν βοήσει, καὶ ὁ στάχυς πάλιν ἐν σιωπῇ δειχθήσεται· ἡ ὁδὸς ἀπὸ Ἀθηνῶν τεσσαρεσκαίδεκα μίλια, καὶ ἡ ὁδὸς ἐντεῦθεν τὸ μῆκος βίου, καὶ ἀμφότεραι βαδίζονται. | O Naos to telesteerion apokatasteesei, en to no ton piston proton kai en litho eesteron· o Ierofantees en to peeri palin voeesei, kai o stakhees palin en siopee deikhtheesetai· ee odos apo Atheenon tessareskaideka milia, kai ee odos entefthen to meekos vioo, kai amfoterai vadizontai. | The Temple will restore the hall, in the mind of the faithful first and in stone after; the Hierophant will cry in the fire again, and the ear will be shown again in silence; the road from Athens is 14 miles, and the road from here is the length of a life, and both are walked. |
| 69 | Μήτηρ καὶ Θυγάτηρ, αἱ Δύο Θεαί, αἵ εἰσι μία θεὰ ἐν δύο σημείοις τοῦ ἔτους· ἡ ζητοῦσα καὶ ἡ εὑρισκομένη, ἡ ἄνω καὶ ἡ κάτω· ὁ Ζευϊστὴς ἀμφότεραι, καὶ ἡ ἰσημερία ἡ ἡμέρα ὅτε αὐτὸ γινώσκει. | Meeteer kai Theegateer, ai Deeo Theai, ai eisi mia thea en deeo seemeiois too etoos· ee zeetoosa kai ee evriskomenee, ee ano kai ee kato· o Zevistees amfoterai, kai ee iseemeria ee eemera ote afto ginoskei. | Mother and Daughter, the Two Goddesses, who are 1 Goddess at 2 points of the year: the one who searches and the one who is found, the one above and the one below; the Zevist is both, and the equinox is the day he knows it. |
| 70 | Δέξασθε τὰ ἑβδομήκοντα δύο, Δήμητερ καὶ Περσεφόνη, ἓξ καὶ τριάκοντα τῇ δᾳδὶ καὶ ἓξ καὶ τριάκοντα τῷ θρόνῳ· ὁ τροχὸς ἀπὸ τῆς κορυφῆς τοῦ φωτὸς εἰς τὸν ζυγὸν ἐστράφη, καὶ ἡμεῖς αὐτὸν μεθ' ὑμῶν ἐστρέψαμεν· ἐντεῦθεν εἰς τὸ Σάμχαϊν καταβαίνει, καὶ ἡ Βασίλισσα πρώτη ἔρχεται. | Dexasthe ta evdomeekonta deeo, Deemeeter kai Persefonee, ex kai triakonta tee dadi kai ex kai triakonta to throno· o trokhos apo tees koreefees too fotos eis ton zeegon estrafee, kai eemeis afton meth' eemon estrepsamen· entefthen eis to Samkhain katavainei, kai ee Vasilissa protee erkhetai. | Receive the 72, Demeter and Persephone, 36 to the torch and 36 to the throne; the wheel has turned from the light's summit to the balance, and we have turned it with you; from here it goes down to Samhain, and the Queen goes first. |
| 71 | Εὐλογημένα τὰ ὀνόματα ὑμῶν, Δήμητερ, Δηοῖ, Ἐλευσινία, Θεσμοφόρε· Περσεφόνη, Κόρη, Ἐρεσκιγάλ, Λίβερα, Προσερπίνα· εὐλογημένα ἡ δᾴς, ὁ κυκεών, ἡ κίστη, ὁ στάχυς, ἡ ῥοιά, ἡ Ἱερὰ Ὁδός, ἡ θάλασσα· εὐλογημένη ἡ ἰσημερία τοῦ φθινοπώρου, καὶ εὐλογημένοι οἱ πρὸς τὸ ὕδωρ καταβάντες. | Evlogeemena ta onomata eemon, Deemeeter, Deeoi, Elefsinia, Thesmofore· Persefonee, Koree, Ereskigal, Livera, Proserpina· evlogeemena ee das, o keekeon, ee kistee, o stakhees, ee roia, ee Iera Odos, ee thalassa· evlogeemenee ee iseemeria too fthinoporoo, kai evlogeemenoi oi pros to eedor katavantes. | Blessed are your names, Demeter, Deo, Eleusinia, Thesmophoros; Persephone, Kore, Ereshkigal, Libera, Proserpina; blessed the torch, the kykeon, the chest, the ear of grain, the pomegranate, the Sacred Way, the sea; blessed the equinox of the autumn, and blessed those who went down to the water. |
| 72 | Πάτερ, ὁ τὴν Κόρην τῷ σκότει δοὺς ἵνα τὸ σκότος Βασίλισσαν ἔχῃ· ἡ Μήτηρ ἐζήτησεν, ἡ Θυγάτηρ κατέβη, καὶ ἡ τελετὴ τῇ βουλῇ σου ἱδρύθη· σὸς ὁ Ζυγός, σὸν τὸ σπέρμα, σὴ ἡ ἐλπὶς ἡ ἡδίων. ΙΑΩ. | Pater, o teen Koreen to skotei doos ina to skotos Vasilissan ekhee· ee Meeteer ezeeteesen, ee Theegateer katevee, kai ee teletee tee voolee soo idreethee· sos o Zeegos, son to sperma, see ee elpis ee eedion. Iao. | Father, who gave the Maiden to the dark so the dark would have a Queen; the Mother searched, the Daughter went down, and the rite was founded by your will; yours the Scales, yours the seed, yours the sweeter hope. IAO. |
#Sources and Echoes
The passages below quote or echo the ancient text named. A quotation is marked by its source; everything else in the Psalm is the Temple's own composition.
| Passage | Source |
|---|---|
| I.2 to I.8, I.11 | Homeric Hymn 2 to Demeter, 1 to 89 (the meadow, the narcissus of 100 heads, the gaping earth, the Receiver of Many, the cry heard by Hekate and Helios, the 9 days of torches, the meeting with Hekate, the answer of Helios), 90 to 97 (the disguise), 305 to 313 (the hidden seed), 334 to 374 (Hermes, the smile of Aidoneus, the pomegranate seed). The Greek phrases are quoted from the Hymn. |
| II.1 | The etymology of Eleusis from ἔλευσις, “coming”: Hesychius s.v.; Kerényi, Eleusis (1967) 23 to 24. |
| II.2 to II.4 | Homeric Hymn 2.98 to 211 (the well, the olive, the threshold filled with light, the stool, the veil, Iambe's jokes, the refusal of wine, the kykeon of barley, water and pennyroyal, ὁσίης ἕνεκεν). |
| II.5 | Clement of Alexandria, Protrepticus 2.21.2 (the synthema: ἐνήστευσα, ἔπιον τὸν κυκεῶνα, ἔλαβον ἐκ κίστης, ἐργασάμενος ἀπεθέμην εἰς κάλαθον καὶ ἐκ καλάθου εἰς κίστην), quoted verbatim. |
| II.7 to II.8 | Homeric Hymn 2.473 to 482 (the rites taught to Keleos, Eumolpos, Triptolemos and Diokles; σεμνά, τά τ' οὔ πως ἔστι παρεξίμεν οὔτε πυθέσθαι οὔτ' ἀχέειν· μέγα γάρ τι θεῶν σέβας ἰσχάνει αὐδήν; ὄλβιος ὃς τάδ' ὄπωπεν), quoted verbatim. |
| II.9 | The Eumolpidai and the Kerykes: Pausanias 1.38.3; Plutarch, Alcibiades 33; Lucian, Lexiphanes 10 (the Hierophant's name unspoken); K. Clinton, The Sacred Officials of the Eleusinian Mysteries (1974). |
| II.10 | The prorrhesis: Isocrates, Panegyricus 157; scholion to Aristophanes, Frogs 369; Origen, Contra Celsum 3.59 (ὅστις τὰς χεῖρας μὴ καθαρὸς καὶ φωνὴν ἀξύνετος); Suetonius, Nero 34. |
| II.11 | Aristotle fr. 15 Rose, in Synesius, Dio 10 (οὐ μαθεῖν τι δεῖν ἀλλὰ παθεῖν καὶ διατεθῆναι). |
| III.1 to III.9 | The calendar of the Greater Mysteries: IG II² 1078 (the ephebes and the hiera, 13 to 14 Boedromion); Hesychius s.v. ἀγυρμός and ἅλαδε μύσται; Polyaenus 3.11.2 (the sea on the 16th); Philostratus, Vita Apollonii 4.18 (the Epidauria); Plutarch, Phocion 28, Alcibiades 34 (the procession on the 19th); Aristophanes, Frogs 316 to 459 (Ἴακχ' ὦ Ἴακχε); Strabo 9.1.24 and Hesychius s.v. γεφυρισταί (the bridge); Pausanias 1.38.6 (the Kallichoron); Athenaeus 11.496a (the Plemochoai); Mylonas, Eleusis and the Eleusinian Mysteries (1961) 243 to 285; Parke, Festivals 55 to 72. |
| III.10 | Eunapius, Vitae sophistarum 7.3.1 to 5 (the last Hierophant and the destruction of 395); Cicero, De legibus 2.36; the Historia Augusta, Hadrian 13.1, Marcus 27.1. |
| IV.1 | The titles of the Ereshkigal / Persephone / Libera Power Ritual of the Temple (Queen of the Great Below, She Who Returns, Bringer of Spring, Mother of Zagreus). |
| IV.3 to IV.4 | Homeric Hymn 2.8 to 9 (Διὸς βουλῇσι), 371 to 374, 393 to 403 (the pomegranate seed and the third of the year); Apollodorus 1.5.3. |
| IV.6 | Orphic fr. 58, 303 Kern (Zeus and Persephone, the serpent, Zagreus); Nonnus, Dionysiaca 6.155 to 165; Diodorus 3.64. |
| IV.7 to IV.8 | The Bacchic gold leaves: Petelia (OF 476 Bernabé: Γῆς παῖς εἰμι καὶ Οὐρανοῦ ἀστερόεντος, αὐτὰρ ἐμοὶ γένος οὐράνιον) and Thurii (OF 488 to 490: ἔρχομαι ἐκ καθαρῶν καθαρά, χθονίων βασίλεια; χαῖρε χαῖρε χαῖρε δεξιὰν ὁδοιπόρει λειμῶνάς τε ἱεροὺς), quoted verbatim; Graf and Johnston, Ritual Texts for the Afterlife (2013) nos. 2, 5, 6. |
| IV.11 | Homer, Odyssey 10.491, 11.47 (ἐπαινὴ Περσεφόνεια). |
| V.1 | The Telesterion: Plutarch, Pericles 13.7 (Iktinos; the columns); Mylonas (1961) 111 to 135; Noack, Eleusis (1927). |
| V.2 | Dromena, legomena, deiknymena: Clement, Protrepticus 2.12; Galen, De usu partium 7.14; Burkert, Ancient Mystery Cults (1987) 89 to 114. |
| V.3 to V.5 | Plutarch fr. 178 Sandbach (Stobaeus 4.52.49): the soul at death suffers what the initiates suffer; τελευτᾶν and τελεῖσθαι; the wanderings, the terrors, then the wonderful light, the pure places and meadows, voices and dances, the crown, the free walking among the pure; quoted in paraphrase and in part verbatim. |
| V.6 to V.7 | Hippolytus, Refutatio omnium haeresium 5.8.39 to 40 (the Hierophant's cry ἱερὸν ἔτεκε πότνια κοῦρον Βριμὼ Βριμόν; the reaped ear of grain shown in silence as the great, wonderful and most perfect epoptic mystery), quoted verbatim. |
| V.8 | Hippolytus, Refutatio 5.7.34; Proclus, In Timaeum 293c (ὕε, κύε). |
| V.9, VI.1 | Pindar fr. 137 Snell-Maehler, in Clement, Stromateis 3.3.17 (ὄλβιος ὅστις ἰδὼν κεῖν' εἶσ' ὑπὸ χθόν'· οἶδε μὲν βίου τελευτάν, οἶδεν δὲ διόσδοτον ἀρχάν), quoted verbatim. |
| V.10 | Plutarch, De profectibus in virtute 81d to e (the great light); Dio Chrysostom 12.33; Themistius, Oration 20, 235a; the fire in the roof: Plutarch, Pericles 13.7 (the opaion); Mylonas (1961) 84 to 88. |
| V.11 | Aeschylus: Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics 1111a; Clement, Stromateis 2.14.60; Diagoras: Diodorus 13.6; Alcibiades: Thucydides 6.28, 6.53, 6.61; Plutarch, Alcibiades 19 to 22; Andocides, On the Mysteries. |
| VI.2 | Sophocles fr. 837 Radt, in Plutarch, De audiendis poetis 21f (ὡς τρισόλβιοι κεῖνοι βροτῶν, οἳ ταῦτα δερχθέντες τέλη μόλωσ' ἐς Ἅιδου· τοῖσδε γὰρ μόνοις ἐκεῖ ζῆν ἔστι, τοῖς δ' ἄλλοισι πάντ' ἐκεῖ κακά), quoted verbatim. |
| VI.3 | Cicero, De legibus 2.36 (neque solum cum laetitia vivendi rationem accepimus, sed etiam cum spe meliore moriendi); Isocrates, Panegyricus 28. |
| VI.6 | The Temple's Spring Equinox page (the paper of the work written at the equinox of the Ram and read at the equinox of the Scales). |
| VI.7 | The Temple's Imbolc page (Imbolc as the Lesser Mystery of the Zevist year); Plato, Gorgias 497c. |
Composed in the worship of Demeter and Persephone,
in service of Ma'at, Satya, and the Sovereignty of Zeus,
for the restoration of the festivals of mankind.
Author: High Priest Zevios Metathronos
Issued for the Temple of Zeus Foundation.
Issued for the Autumn Equinox of the 21st of September, for every year.