178 T R A V E L S in G R E E C E .
vifited a monaftefy oppofite to it in the ifland. This 'is- a
recent ftrudture, pleafantly fituated, not far from the feaV We
repleniflied our fkins and veffels there with wine, and dined
under a tree.' We touched alfo on the Pharmacufae, now called
Megala Kira and Micra Kira. A ruinous’ church on one of
them afforded usfhel’ter from the ‘fun. We eoafted the level
Thriafian plain, then green with corn, and entered the port of
-Eleufis. We left our wherries, 9 and pafled through corn
to the village,which is at fome diftance. | A. refpite from fifh,
fea-weed fried in batter, and the like fare, wasmotunac»»
ceptable.
C H A P . XL .
O f the Eleu/tnian Myßeries— O f E le tfs± --O f the myßt&'tem^er
and the wiinißers-^ O f the>fecrejy obferved, by initiated-kf-
An bypotbefis concerning the dßgntffi^ e?m yßfries~ l-Account
o f the ceremony o f initiation-— ^hefundati0n!fthei^yßerieMii'i
m G E R E S, fays an Athenian orator, warideriUgrirt qtiefi o f
“ her daughter Proferpine, came into Attica, where fome good
“ officesj were’ done1 her, which^# is unlawful thofe, who
** are not initiated, to* hear. . In return fhe conferred two UhA
“ parallelled benefits ; to wit,' the knowlege Of agriculture» by
** which the human race is raifed above the brute creation^ and
“ the myfteries» from which the partakers derive tweeter hopes
•«* than other men .enjoy, both as to the prefent life arid to
& eternity.” • It was the popular opinion, that the Eîéufiniatt
goddefies fuggefted prudent counïêl to their votaries, and* influenced
their condU&i that thefe were refpeâed in the infernal
regions, and had precedence in the aflemblie§ of the blefled ;
while thé unhallowed were in utter darknefs, wallowing in mirei
or labouring to fill a leaky veflel. The Athenians, were follici*
tous to fecùre thefe advantages to their children, by having them
initiated
in it ia te jJ ^ o n as wa,s aUowed. § D io g en e s ,^ Cym? w a s ^ r c
fenfible. He aflerted it, was ridiculpus to imagine that Agefilaus
and Epaminondas were exifting in, filth, or that any P ^ from
the foie merit o f initiation would obtain a place in the lflands
... Ceres was fnpppfod-,tp be particularly partial to Eleufis and
its,„vicinity, , The»- were-thermemorials;of, her P^ence and ol
her bounty} the well named Calliehqrus,, by w h ic^ lh ^ had
refted, in th.e reign the, Rone, on which ffie
fate, named the forrowfuh the Rharian plain, whero barley
was foft-fownj and the threftiing-floor. and altar of Tnptol -
mus, a f f i fm a n , whom foe Hiftrufted m the culture o f that
grain, the ufe of,which fucceeded to^acorns. There alfo the
grandmyfteries werecelebrated. This mthibijipn enriched Eleu-
■ P which had increased to a pity*, The Athenians reduced^
B S g S f a of.their,demi or tpwns,; but ftill ,(the, reputation mf
the goddefs was unfullied. Her myfteries continued to poffefs a
pre-eminence in holinefs, and to-be accounted as.much fupenor
to, alii other religious feftivals as the.Gpds. were to the Heroes.
Even the garments worn at the ^olomnity ; were. fopp°fed
to partake of their efficacy, and to be endued with figpal virtues.
. It was ufual to retain them until they were pehflnng, 111 then to dedicate them in the temple, or to referve them
T he my Mg temple., as it was,, called, provided by Pericles
for the folempity, cheated fuch. awe by its fapaity as could be
equalled only by the effect of its beauty. and magnitude, which
excited, aftonilhment in every beholder. Theprofane or .uninitiated
were forbidden to enter it pn .any pretence. Two young
Acarnanians happened inadvertently to mix with the croud, at
the feafon .of the myfteries,; and to.;go in j but the queftions
fuggefted by their jgnorancj? prefently beft^yed^them, and their
intrufion was. punifhed with death. The chief prie , *ero
A a 2 phant,