The Eleusinian Mysteries were sacredrites anciently observed in Greece at the annual festival of Demeter or Ceres, so named from their original seat Eleusis. As a preparation for the greater mysteries celebrated at Athens and Eleusis, lesser Eleusinia were celebrated at Agras on the Ilissus. The greater Eleusinia were celebrated in the month Boedromion (September-October), beginning on the 15th of the month and lasting nine days. The celebrations, which were varied each day, consisted in processions between Athens and Eleusis, torch-bearing and mystic ceremonies attended with oaths of secrecy. They appear to have symbolized the old conceptions of death and reproduction, and to have been allied to the orgiastic worship of Dionysus (Bacchus). They are supposed to have continued down to the time of Theodosius I. Research Eleusinian Mysteries
Edward Daniel Clarke was an English traveller and mineralogist. He was born in 1769 at Sussex and died in 1822. He entered Jesus College, Cambridge, in 1786; and was made a fellow in 1798. In 1799 he set out on an extensive tour through Europe, Asia Minor, Syria, Egypt, etc, securing for English institutions many valuable objects, such as the celebrated manuscript of Plato's works, with nearly 100 others, a colossal statue of the Greek goddess Demeter (Ceres), and the famous sarcophagus of Alexander the Great. In 1807 he commenced a course of lectures on mineralogy at Cambridge, and in 1808 a professorship of mineralogy was instituted there in his favour. A complete edition of his works appeared in 1819-24, under the title of Travels in Various Countries of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Research Edward Clarke
Abas was the son of Celeus and Metaneira. He mocked Demeter and was turned into a lizard. By some accounts he was the 12th king of Argolis who owned a magic shield. Research Abas
Demeter was a Greek goddess of the earth. She is also called Ceres. She was the nourishing mother, bringing forth fruits. She was a daughter of Cronos and Rhea. Research Demeter
Persephone was a Greek goddess (known to the Romans as Proserpine). She was the daughter of Zeus and Demeter. Hades obtained sanction from Zeus to carry her off by force and marry her. Research Persephone
The Sirens (Acheloides) were daughters of the river-god Achelous and the MuseMelpomene. They had been nymphs and playmates of Persephone, but for not protecting her when she was carried off by Pluto, they were transformed into beings half-woman and half-bird by Demeter. Later they were transformed into half-woman and half-fish. By other accounts they were birds with women's heads and lions' claws. The Sirens lived on a barren island, one of the entrances to the underworld, and whenever ships passed they sang, hoping to entice Persephone. Their singing was so beautiful that no human could resist it, and the ships sailed ever closer to the lips of hell. Each time the Sirens realized that Persephone was not on board, they swooped on the ship and tore its sailor's limb from limb sending their souls unburied to the underworld. Research Sirens
Thesmophoria was a festival in honour of Demeter, celebrated by women only, in various parts of Greece. It commemorated the institution of laws and civilization, which were attributed to Demeter. At Athens the festival was held in October. Research Thesmophoria
In Greek mythology, Triptolemus was a son of Celeus, king of Eleusis. In gratitude for the hospitality shown to her by Celeus when she was wandering over the earth in search of her daughter Persephone, the goddess Demeter gave Triptolemus a chariot with winged dragons with which to visit the whole world and give mankind seeds of corn. On his return Triptolemus instituted the festival of the Thesmophoria, one of the two great festivals to Demeter. Research Triptolemus
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Abbreviations
Research Eleusinian Mysteries
