The Mystery Religions

The Mystery Religions

Eleusinian Mysteries* - are supposedly established by Demeter* in a small Attic town (Eleusis*) on the west coast where she had stayed during her search for her kidnaped daughter, Persephone*. After this stay she went forth to spread the knowledge of agriculture over the world.

The mysteries are famous through the Greek (and later Graeco-Roman) world. They are a very well-kept secret and so we know very little about them. They certainly involved long training, and some kind of revelation which probably included a dramatization. It dealt with the death and resurrection theme. It may have exerted some influence on the rise of theatre. Orphic Religion*- concerned the poet-musician Orpheus* and became attached to the Dionysus* cult. It involved a combination of poetry and ritual. Dionysian Mysteries* - These are established in relation to the worship of Dionysus and are widespread. They involve exclusively women. SIXTH CENTURY - The period that establishes the character of Athens includes the worship of the Eleusinian Mysteries at great temple at Eleusis, a small town near Athens and countryside festivals in honor of Dionysus.

THE GOD DIONYSUS* - is known for bringing the cult of the vine (and therefore, the gift od wine) to all the ancient world. The cult of Dionysus* reportedly comes to the Greeks from the east. He is said to have traveled through India, the Red Sea, Lydia, the land of the Amazons, across Thrace and into Greece. When he arrives, there is, everywhere in Greece, supposedly, strong opposition. This opposition is followed by divinely inspired madness and the destruction of his enemies. After this his divinity is acknowledged everywhere. He is reluctantly accepted by the Olympian gods and he is permitted to join them on Mount Olympus. This acceptance includes a myth in which he is the son of Zeus and a mortal, Semele*, the daughter of Cadmus*, a Phonecian prince who founded Thebes*. The whole story of his parentage seems to be tacked on after the fact to legitimize his important place in Greek worship.

The vital facts about this strange god, which interest us here, are those which relate to his place as patron of the theatre. Unfortunately some of them are not facts, but suppositions, assumptions and mostly intelligent guess work. The best source of Dionysus*' story is Euripides*' play The Bacchae*, where we are shown Dionysus*' return to the city of his mother, the opposition against him, and the way in which the women of the town are inspired to run to the hilltops for worship and revel. Men are prohibited from even watching this and peeping Toms are torn apart. The women, in a divine state of ecstasy and madness don't even know what they have done. DIONYSUS* is associated with a number of attendants and symbols. His main symbol is:

Thyrsus* a staff wound with vine leaves, ivy, and a pine cone on top. Silenus* a horse demon of the Ionian woodlands, the leader of the satyrs and foster father of

Dionysus*. He is shown as a fat, old, snub-nosed, big-bellied drunkard riding a donkey Satyrs* demons of the woodlands with horses' tails, legs. Maenads* (literally "madwomen") female followers of Dionysus, possessed by the spirit of

the god, inspired by music of tambourine and flute. They always danced with great abandon, loose and flowing hair, wore ivy wreaths and carried the thyrsus*.