Sexual life in ancient Greece : with thirty-two full-page plates

FESTIVALS

is in agreement with the discovery of a bronze statuette of a naked leader of the chorus with the characteristic garland found in the sanctuary at Amyclze (see Wolters, Archdologie, vol. 1, 11, 96, 70).

In Boedromion (September—October) the longfamous and highly sacred Eleusinia were celebrated. The special peculiarities of the festival, which lasted over nine days, are difficult to define, but need not be discussed in connection with this book. The original country festival came later, when to the idea of the dying away and subsequent revival of the seed-grain, which had its mythical counterpart in the story of Persephone carried off by Hades to live six months in the underworld, and six months in the light of the sun, deeper ideas of immortality were attached, of a strangely religious, esoteric character. These developed into a secret cult, into which persons were initiated by special mysterious usages, the secrets of which no one was allowed to reveal. As early as those times, bread, wine, and blood played a mysterious part in the sufferings, death, and resurrection of a divinity.

In the first days of the festival sacrifices, purifications, and washings were undertaken on a festal procession to the sea, sometimes accompanied by noisy proceedings. On the sixth day the great festal procession started on the Sacred Way from Athens to Eleusis (about 9 miles), the leader of which was supposed to be Iacchus, the name by which Dionysus was known in the Eleusinian mysteries. Thousands took part in it, crowned with ivy and myrtle, carrying in their hands torches, agricultural implements, and ears of corn. Tacchus, like a bright star, led the myste (the initiated) to the holy ceremony on the bay of Eleusis, where for successive nights the mountains re-echoed with enthusiastic songs and the waves of the sea reflected the brilliancy of the torches.

In Pyanepsion (November—December) _ the

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