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Eleusinian and Bacchic Mysteries: A Dissertation
These mysteries once represented the spiritual life of Greece, and were considered for 2,000 years the appointed means for regeneration through an interior union with the Divine Essence. Details on the secret mysteries of the Adytums of ancient Greece.
196 pages, Hardcover
First published June 1, 1891
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About the author
Thomas Taylor
144 books33 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author with this name in the Goodreads database
Thomas Taylor was an English translator and Neoplatonist, the first to translate into English the complete works of Aristotle and of Plato, as well as the Orphic fragments. He published prolifically for over 50 years.
Thomas Taylor was an English translator and Neoplatonist, the first to translate into English the complete works of Aristotle and of Plato, as well as the Orphic fragments. He published prolifically for over 50 years.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
January 26, 2020
These were the most celebrated of all the sacred orgies, and were called, by way of eminence, The Mysteries. Although exhibiting apparently the features of an Eastern origin, they were evidently copied from the rites of Isis in Egypt, an idea of which, more or less correct, maybe found in The Metamorphoses of Apuleius and The Epicurean by Thomas Moore.
The worshippers of The Mysteries did not indulge in unrestrained pleasure and frantic enthusiasm, but rather aimed at an ascetic purity of life and manners. The worship of Dionysus was the center of their ideas, and the starting-point of all their speculations upon the world and human nature. They believed that human souls were confined in the body as in a prison, a condition which was denominated genesis or generation; from which Dionysus would liberate them. Their sufferings, the stages by which they passed to a higher form of existence, their katharsis or purification, and their enlightenment constituted the themes of the Orphic writers. All this was represented in the legend which constituted the groundwork of the mystical rites.
“Exiled from the true home of spirit, imprisoned in the body, disordered by passion and beclouded by sense, the SOUL has yet longings after that state of perfect knowledge, and purity, and bliss, in which it was first created. Its affinities are still on high. It yearns for a higher and nobler form of life. It essays to rise, but its EYE is darkened by sense, its wings are besmeared by passion and lust; it is ‘borne downward until it falls upon and attaches itself to that, which is material and sensual,’ and it flounders and grovels still amid that objects of sense.”
The Eleusinian and Bacchic Mysteries is the same knowledge echoed throughout all human civilizations: will humans continue to be dominated by their bodily pleasures and senses or will we realize our god self by taking our consciousness to higher levels by awakening our chakras and third eye…in other words, spiritual enlightenment.
The worshippers of The Mysteries did not indulge in unrestrained pleasure and frantic enthusiasm, but rather aimed at an ascetic purity of life and manners. The worship of Dionysus was the center of their ideas, and the starting-point of all their speculations upon the world and human nature. They believed that human souls were confined in the body as in a prison, a condition which was denominated genesis or generation; from which Dionysus would liberate them. Their sufferings, the stages by which they passed to a higher form of existence, their katharsis or purification, and their enlightenment constituted the themes of the Orphic writers. All this was represented in the legend which constituted the groundwork of the mystical rites.
“Exiled from the true home of spirit, imprisoned in the body, disordered by passion and beclouded by sense, the SOUL has yet longings after that state of perfect knowledge, and purity, and bliss, in which it was first created. Its affinities are still on high. It yearns for a higher and nobler form of life. It essays to rise, but its EYE is darkened by sense, its wings are besmeared by passion and lust; it is ‘borne downward until it falls upon and attaches itself to that, which is material and sensual,’ and it flounders and grovels still amid that objects of sense.”
The Eleusinian and Bacchic Mysteries is the same knowledge echoed throughout all human civilizations: will humans continue to be dominated by their bodily pleasures and senses or will we realize our god self by taking our consciousness to higher levels by awakening our chakras and third eye…in other words, spiritual enlightenment.
August 5, 2007
An extraordinary book which has stood the test of time. Also available in a Kessinger reprint edition.
May 28, 2017
Full of unreliable conjecture and cherry-picking. Would not recommend
February 24, 2021
This guy is so pompous it literally hurts to read this book.
Of those who disagree with him, he says
"But these poor men read only superficially, or for the sake of displaying some critical acumen in verbal emendations; and yet with such despicable preparations for philosophical discussion, they have the impudence to oppose their puerile conceptions to the decisions of men of elevated genius and profound investigation, who, happily freed from the danger and drudgery of learning any foreign language, directed all their attention without restraint to the acquisition of the most exalted truth."
And then there is this:
"For this purpose she uncovered that part of her body by which the female sex produces children and derives the appellation of woman."
There's a name for that, you know?
The whole book is like this. And never mind the fact that it is packed full of Greek and Latin passages which he only bothers to translate about half the time. My opinion, though, is probably due to my impudence in failing to see that the author is a man of elevated genius and profound investigation.
Of those who disagree with him, he says
"But these poor men read only superficially, or for the sake of displaying some critical acumen in verbal emendations; and yet with such despicable preparations for philosophical discussion, they have the impudence to oppose their puerile conceptions to the decisions of men of elevated genius and profound investigation, who, happily freed from the danger and drudgery of learning any foreign language, directed all their attention without restraint to the acquisition of the most exalted truth."
And then there is this:
"For this purpose she uncovered that part of her body by which the female sex produces children and derives the appellation of woman."
There's a name for that, you know?
The whole book is like this. And never mind the fact that it is packed full of Greek and Latin passages which he only bothers to translate about half the time. My opinion, though, is probably due to my impudence in failing to see that the author is a man of elevated genius and profound investigation.
May 28, 2025
2.5 stars, rounded down.
This book was extremely hard to read (and not in a thought-provoking way). It was exceedingly dry, and the formatting was not great. The version I had included published commentary from different people, and they were all over the margins, with footnotes continuing across multiple pages - it made the whole thing unnecessarily difficult.
I am glad I finally read it, and I do think there is some information I can use in this book., but ultimately would not recommend.
This book was extremely hard to read (and not in a thought-provoking way). It was exceedingly dry, and the formatting was not great. The version I had included published commentary from different people, and they were all over the margins, with footnotes continuing across multiple pages - it made the whole thing unnecessarily difficult.
I am glad I finally read it, and I do think there is some information I can use in this book., but ultimately would not recommend.
August 27, 2024
Hm, I'm afraid I can't recommend this to the general reader. There are a number of hurdles.
February 13, 2015
New Perspective and Understanding
This is a great book that reveals the different parts of these mysteries and the correct meaning of the myths which apply to them. There are illustrations throughout the entire book.
Anyone with a sincere interest in ancient greek religion should definitely read this. This book is also of definite interest to anyone who is a follower of Hellenismos.
This is a great book that reveals the different parts of these mysteries and the correct meaning of the myths which apply to them. There are illustrations throughout the entire book.
Anyone with a sincere interest in ancient greek religion should definitely read this. This book is also of definite interest to anyone who is a follower of Hellenismos.
November 18, 2022
A very dated dissertation but still interesting and includes a nice selection of drawings illustrating some of the mythology and events. I read the ebook version which, unfortunately, did not render any of the greek correctly.
December 20, 2012
Very interesting
July 4, 2015
Not bad, but I wish I understood the Greek parts.
January 4, 2017
Very interesting and informative, though a difficult read!
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews