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(1) Concerning another kind of divination, also, you say as follows: “ Others who are conscious what they are doing in other respects, are divinely inspired according to the phantastic part, some indeed receiving darkness for a cooperator, others certain potions, but others in cantations and compositions. And some energize according to the imagination through water, others in a wall, others in the open air, and others in the light of the sun, or some other celestial body. ” The whole, however, of this kind of divination of which you now speak, since it is multiform, may be comprehended in one power, which may be called the eduction of light. But this illuminates with divine light the etherial and luciform vehicle with which the soul is surrounded, from which divine visions occupy our phantastic power, these visions being excited by the will of the Gods. For the whole life of the soul and all the powers that are in it, being in subjection to the Gods, are moved in such a way as the Gods, the leaders of the soul, please.

The FUMIGATION from STORAX. CADMEAN Goddess, universal queen, Thee, Semele I call, of beauteous mien; Deep-bosom'd, lovely flowing locks are thine, Mother of Bacchus, joyful and divine, The mighty offspring, whom love's thunder bright, Forc'd immature, and fright'ned into light: Born from the deathless counsels, secret, high, Of Jove Saturnian, regent of the sky Whom Proserpine permits to view the light, And visit mortals from the realms of night: Constant attending on the sacred rites, And feast triennial, which thy soul delights; When thy son's wond'rous birth mankind relate, And secrets deep, and holy celebrate. Now I invoke thee, great Cadmean queen, To bless these rites with countenance serene. Next: XLIV: To Dionysius Bassareus Triennalis Sacred Texts | Classics « Previous: The Initiations of Orpheus: XLII: To the Seasons Index Next: The Initiations of Orpheus: XLIV: To Dionysius Bassareus ... » Sacred Texts | Classics

(4) On this account, also, it is requisite strenuously to contend against him who asserts that divination originates from us. You likewise adduce clear indications of this from the works performed in predicting what is future. For you say, “ that those who invoke [the divinities for the purposes of divination] have about them stones and herbs, bind certain sacred bonds, which they also dissolve, open places that are shut, and change the deliberate intentions of the recipients, so as to render them worthy, though they were before depraved .” All these particulars, therefore, signify that the inspiration accedes externally. It is requisite, however, not only to preassume this, but also to define what the inspiration of divine origin is, which produces divine divination. For if this is not done, we shall not previously know what its peculiarity is, in consequence of not attributing to it its proper character, and adapting this to it as a certain seal. And this, indeed, has been accurately done by us a little before.

(3) These things say, if occasion serves, and if possible, O Apollophanes, refute them, and to me, who was then both present with thee, and saw and judged and wondered with thee at them all. And in truth Apollophanes begins prophesying at that time, I know not whence, and to me he said, as if conjecturing the things taking place, "these things, O excellent Dionysius, are requitals of Divine deeds." Let so much be said by us by letter; but you are capable, both to supply the deficiency, and to bring eventually to God that distinguished man, who is wise in many things, and who perhaps will not disdain to meekly learn the truth, which is above wisdom, of our religion.

(8) I suppose that this obscure sentence means that since everything in him is divine the design or colour of his fingers (?) was taken from the books of Thoth

(46) In the reverse side of the Essen, or breastplate, was a pocket containing mysterious objects--the Urim and Thummim. Aside from the fact that they were used in divination, little is now known about these objects. Some writers contend that they were small stones (resembling the fetishes still revered by certain aboriginal peoples) which the Israelites had brought with them out of Egypt because of their belief that they possessed divine power. Others believe that the Urim and Thummim were in the form of dice, used for deciding events by being cast upon the ground. A few have maintained that they were merely sacred names, written on plates of gold and carried as talismans. "According to some, the Urim and the Thummim signify 'lights and perfections,' or 'light and truth' which last present a striking analogy to the. two figures of Re (Ra) and Themi in the breastplate worn by the Egyptians." (Gardner's The Faiths of the World.)

(5) The prophetic woman too in Brandchidæ, whether she holds in her hand a wand, which was at first received from some God, and becomes filled with a divine splendour, or whether seated on an axis, she predicts future events, or dips her feet or the border of her garment in the water, or receives the God by imbibing the vapour of the water; by all these she becomes adapted to partake externally of the God. But the multitude of sacrifices, the sacred law of the whole sanctimony, and such other things as are performed in a divine manner, prior to the prophetic inspiration, viz. the baths of the prophetess, her fasting for three whole days, her retiring into the adyta, and there receiving a divine light, and rejoicing for a considerable time—all these evince that the God is entreated by prayer to approach, that he becomes externally present, and that the prophetess, before she comes to her accustomed place, is inspired in a wonderful manner; and that, in the spirit which rises from the fountain, another more ancient God, who is separate from the place, shines forth to the view, and who is also the cause of the place, of the country, and of the whole divination.

The FUMIGATION from MANNA. LIKNITAN Bacchus, bearer of the vine, Thee I invoke to bless these rites divine: Florid and gay, of nymphs the blossom bright, And of fair Venus, Goddess of delight, 'Tis thine mad footsteps with mad nymphs to beat, Dancing thro' groves with lightly leaping feet: From Jove's high counsels nurst by Proserpine, And born the dread of all the pow'rs divine: Come, blessed pow'r, regard thy suppliant's voice, Propitious come, and in these rites rejoice.

The FUMIGATION from STORAX. HERMES I call, whom Fate decrees to dwell In the dire path which leads to deepest hell O Bacchic Hermes, progeny divine Of Dionysius, parent of the vine, And of celestial Venus Paphian queen, Dark eye-lash'd Goddess of a lovely mien: Who constant wand'rest thro' the sacred feats Where hell's dread empress, Proserpine, retreats; To wretched souls the leader of thc way When Fate decrees, to regions void of day: Thine is the wand which causes sleep to fly, Or lulls to slumb'rous rest the weary eye; For Proserpine thro' Tart'rus dark and wide Gave thee forever flowing souls to guide. Come, blessed pow'r the sacrifice attend, And grant our mystic works a happy end. Next: LVII: To Cupid, or Love Sacred Texts | Classics « Previous: The Initiations of Orpheus: LV: To Adonis Index Next: The Initiations of Orpheus: LVII: To Cupid, or Love » Sacred Texts | Classics

(1) "The early priests believed that a great spiritual power was invoked by correct and unabridged sacrificial ceremonies. If one feature were lacking, the whole was vitiated, says Iamblichus. Hence they were most careful in all details, for they considered it absolutely essential for the entire chain of logical connections to be exactly according to ritual. Certainly for no other reason did they prepare and prescribe for future use the manuals, as it were, for conducting the rites. They learned, too, what the first hieromancers--possessed, as it were, by a divine fury--devised as a system of symbolism for exhibiting their mysteries. These they placed in this Tablet of Isis, before the eyes of those admitted to the sanctum sanctorum in order to teach the nature of the Gods and the prescribed forms of sacrifice. Since each of the orders of Gods had its own peculiar symbols, gestures, costumes, and ornaments, they thought it necessary to observe these in the whole apparatus of worship, as nothing was more efficacious in drawing the benign attention of the deities and genii. * * * Thus their temples, remote from the usual haunts of men, contained representations of nearly every form in nature. First, in the pavement, they symbolized the physical economy of the world, using minerals, stones and other things suitable for ornaments, including little streams of water. The walls showed the starry world, and the done the world of genii. In the center was the altar, to suggest the emanations of the Supreme Mind from its center. Thus the entire interior constituted a picture of the Universe of Worlds. The priests in making sacrifices wore raiment adorned with figures similar to those attributed to the Gods. Their bodies were partially bare like those of the deities, and they themselves were divested of all material cares and practices the strictest chastity. * * * Their heads were veiled to indicate their charge of earthly things. Their heads and bodies were shaved, for they regarded hair as a useless excrescence. Upon the head they bore the same insignia as those attributed to the Gods. Thus arrayed, they regarded themselves to be transformed into that intelligence with which they constantly desired to be identified. For example, in order to call down to the world the soul and spirit of the Universe, they stood before the image shown in the center of our Tablet, wearing the same symbols as that figure and its attendants, and offered sacrifices. By these and the accompanying singing of hymns they believed that they infallibly drew the God's attention to their prayer. And so they did in regard to other regions of the Tablet, believing of necessity the proper ritual properly carried out would evoke the deity desired. That this was the origin of the science of oracles is apparent. As a touched chord produces a harmony of sound, likewise the adjoining chords respond though not touched. Similarly the idea they expressed by their concurrent acts while adoring the God came into accord with basic Idea and, by an intellectual union, it was returned to them deiformed, and they thus obtained the Idea of Ideas. Hence there sprang up in their souls, they thought, the gift of prophecy and divination, and they believed they could foretell future events, impending evils, etc. For as in the Supreme Mind everything is simultaneous and spaceless, the future is therefore present in that Mind; and they thought that while the human mind was absorbed in the Supreme by contemplation, by that union they were enabled to know all the future. Nearly all that is represented in our Tablet consists of amulets which, by analogy above described, would inspire them, under the described conditions, with the virtues of the Supreme Power and enable them to receive good and avert evil. They also believed they could in this magical manner effect cures of diseases; that genii could be induced to appear to them during sleep and cure or teach them to cure the sick. In this belief they consulted the Gods about all sort of doubts and difficulties, while adorned with the simulacra of the mystic rite and intently contemplating the Divine Ideas; and while so enraptured they believed the God by some sign, nod or gesture communicated with them, whether asleep or awake, concerning the truth or falsity of the matter in point." (See Œdipus Ægyptiacus.)

The FUMIGATION from every AROMATIC except FRANKINCENSE. TERRESTRIAL Dionysius, hear my pray'r, Awak'ned rise with nymphs of lovely hair: Great Amphietus Bacchus, annual God, Who laid asleep in Proserpine's abode, Did'st lull to drowsy and oblivious rest, The rites triennial, and the sacred feast; Which rous'd again by thee, in graceful ring, Thy nurses round thee mystic anthems sing; When briskly dancing with rejoicing pow'rs, Thou mov'st in concert with the circling hours. Come, blessed, fruitful, horned, and divine, And on these rites with joyful aspect shine; Accept the general incense and the pray'r, And make prolific holy fruits thy care. Next: LIII: To Silenus, Satyrus, and the Priestesses of Bacchus Sacred Texts | Classics « Previous: The Initiations of Orpheus: LI: To Trietericus Index Next: The Initiations of Orpheus: LIII: To Silenus, Satyrus, an... » Sacred Texts | Classics

The FUMIGATION from AROMATICS. NYMPHS, who from Ocean's stream derive your birth, Who dwell in liquid caverns of the earth Nurses of Bacchus secret-coursing pow'r, Who fruits sustain, and nourish ev'ry flow'r: Earthly, rejoicing, who in meadows dwell, And caves and dens, whose depths extend to hell: Holy, oblique, who swiftly soar thro' air, Fountains and dews, and mazy streams your care: Seen and unseen, who joy with wand'rings wide And gentle course, thro' flow'ry vales to glide; With Pan exulting on the mountains height, Loud-founding, mad, whom rocks and woods delight: Nymphs od'rous, rob'd in white, whose streams exhale The breeze refreshing, and the balmy gale; With goats and pastures pleas'd, and beasts of prey, Nurses of fruits, unconscious of decay: In cold rejoicing, and to cattle kind, Sportive thro' ocean wand'ring unconfin'd: Nysian, fanatic Nymphs, whom oaks delight, Lovers of Spring, Pæonian virgins bright. With Bacchus, and with Ceres, hear my pray'r. And to mankind abundant favour bear; Propitious listen to your suppliants voice, Come, and benignant in these rites rejoice; Give plenteous Seasons, and sufficient wealth, And pour; in lasting streams, continued Health. Next: LI: To Trietericus Sacred Texts | Classics « Previous: The Initiations of Orpheus: XLIX: To Lysius Lenæus Index Next: The Initiations of Orpheus: LI: To Trietericus » Sacred Texts | Classics

(24) Bocascus* saith: Thou hast spoken well, O Belus, and therefore I follow thy steps!

He answereth: As it may please you, but do not become envious, for that is not the part of the Wise. And Bocascus: Thou speakest the truth, and thus, therefore, I direct the Sons of the Doctrine. Take lead, and, as the Philosophers have ordained, imbue, liquefy, and afterwards congeal, until a stone is produced; then rule the stone with gluten of gold and syrup of pomegranates until it be broken up. But you have already divided the water into two parts, with one of which you have liquefied the lead, and it has become as water; cook, therefore, the same until it be dried and have become earth; then pound with the water reserved until it acquire a red colour, as you have been frequently ordered.*

The Turba answereth: Thou hast done nothing but pile up ambiguous words, Return, therefore, to the subject. And he: Ye who wish to coagulate quicksilver,t must mix it with its equal.

Afterwards cook it diligently until both become permanent water, and, again, cook this water until it be coagulated. But let this be desiccated with its own equal vapour, because ye have found the whole quicksilver to be coagulated by itself.* If ye understand, and place in your vessel what is necessary, cook it until it be coagulated, and then poundt until it becomes a crocus like to the colour of gold.

The FUMIGATION from STORAX. BACCHUS I call, loud-sounding and divine, Fanatic God, a two-fold shape is thine: Thy various names and attributes I sing, O, first-born, thrice begotten, Bacchic king: 4 Rural, ineffable, two-form'd, obscure, Two-horn'd, with ivy crown'd, euion, pure. Bull-fac'd, and martial, bearer of the vine, Endu'd with counsel prudent and divine: Triennial, whom the leaves of vines adorn, Of Jove and Proserpine, occultly born. Immortal dæmon, hear my suppliant voice, Give me in blameless plenty to rejoice; And listen gracious to my mystic pray'r, Surrounded with thy choir of nurses fair.

(56) "Now in the Name of God, take of this Dew-water as much as thou wilt, put in a clean dissolving glass, then cast a little of your forementioned powdered salt into it to be dissolved, and continue to put it in till your Dew-water will dissolve no more or till the salt lies in it four days without being dissolved, then it has enough, and unto your Dew is given its proper powder. Of this compounded water, take as much as thou wilt, I took about a pound and a half, and put it into a round vial with a short neck, fill it with out water and lute it with a good lute, a cover and stopple that fits it well, that the subtle and living spirit of the dew may not fume away, for if they should the soul of the salt will never be stirred up, nor the work ever brought to a right end. Let the lute dry very well of itself, and set it in the furnace of B. M. to putrefy. Make a slow fire and let it digest for forty days or fifty, and that the fume of the water be continually round about it, and you will see your matter grow black, which is a token of its putrefaction.

The FUMIGATION from AROMATICS HEAR me, illustrious father, dæmon fam'd. Great Saturn's offspring, and Sabasius nam'd; Inserting Bacchus, bearer of the vine, And founding God, within thy thigh divine, That when mature, the Dionysian God Might burst the bands of his conceal'd abode, And come to sacred Tmolus, his delight, Where Ippa dwells, all beautiful and bright. Come blessed Phrygian God, the king of all, And aid thy mystics, when on thee they call. Next: XLVIII: To Ippa Sacred Texts | Classics « Previous: The Initiations of Orpheus: XLVI: To Bacchus Pericionius Index Next: The Initiations of Orpheus: XLVIII: To Ippa » Sacred Texts | Classics

(1) Another species of divine divination which is much celebrated, most manifest and manifold, is that of oracles, about which you say as follows: “ There are some who drink water, as the priest of Clarius, in Colophon; but others are seated at the mouth [of a cavern], as those who prophesy at Delphi; and others imbibe the vapour from water, as the prophetesses in Brandchidæ .” You have, therefore, made mention of these three oracles by name, not that there are only these, for there are many more which you have omitted, but as these are more celebrated than the rest, and, at the same time, because through these you may be sufficiently instructed in the mode of divination sent to men from the Gods, hence, as it appears to me, you were satisfied with these. We, therefore, likewise shall discuss these three, omitting to speak about the many other oracles that exist.

The FUMIGATION from FRANKINCENSE. ILLUSTRIOUS Themis, of celestial birth, Thee I invoke, young blossom of the earth; 2 Beauteous-eyed virgin; first from thee alone, Prophetic oracles to men were known, Giv'n from the deep recesses of the fane In sacred Pytho, where renown'd you reign; From thee, Apollo's oracles arose, And from thy pow'r his inspiration flows. Honour'd by all, of form divinely bright, Majestic virgin, wand'ring in the night: Mankind from thee first learnt initial rites, And Bacchus' nightly choirs thy soul delights; For holy honours to disclose is thine, With all the culture of the pow'rs divine. Be present, Goddess, to my pray'r inclin'd, And bless the mystic rites with fav'ring mind.

(35) But Zimon* saith: Hast thou left anything to be said by another? And the Turba: Since the words of Nicarus and Bacsen are of little good to those who seek after this Art, tell us, therefore, what thou knowest, according as we have said. And he: Ye speak the truth, O all ye seekers after this Art! Nothing else has led you into error but the sayings of the envious,t because what ye seek is sold at the smallest possible price.* If men knew this, and how great was the thing they held in their hands, they would in no wise sell it. Therefore, the Philosophers have glorified that venom,t have treated of it variously, and in many ways, have taken and applied to it all manner of names, wherefore, certain envious persons have said: It is a stone and not a stone, but a gum of Ascotia, consequently, the Philosophers have concealed the power thereof. For this spirit which ye seek, that ye may tinge therewith, is concealed in the body, and hidden away from sight, even as the soul in the human body.} But ye IIO seekers after the Art, unless ye disintegrate this body, imbue and pound both cautiously and diligently, until ye extract it from its grossness (or grease), and turn it into a tenuous and impalpable spirit, have your labour in vain. Wherefore the Philosophers have said: Except ye turn bodies into notbodies, and incorporeal things into bodies, ye have not yet discovered the rule of operation. But the

Turba saith: ‘Tell, therefore, posterity how bodies are turned into not-bodies. And he: They are pounded with fire and Ethelia till they become a powder.* And know that this does not take place except by an exceedingly strong decoction, and continuous contrition, performed with a moderate fire,t not with hands,?

with imbibition and putrefaction, with exposure to the sun and to Ethelia. The envious caused the vulgar to err in this Art when they stated that the thing is common in its nature and is sold at a small price. They further said that the nature was more precious than all natures, wherefore they deceived those who had recourse to their books. At the same time they spoke the truth, and therefore doubt not these things. But the

Turba answereth: Seeing that thou believest the sayings of the envious, explain, therefore, to posterity the disposition of the two natures. And he: I testify to you that Art requires two natures, for the precious is not produced without the common, nor the common without the precious.

It behoves you, therefore, O all ye investigators of this Art, to follow the sayings of Victimerus,* when he said to his disciples: Nothing else helps you save to sublimate water and vapour. And the Turba: The whole work is in the vapour and the sublimation of water. Demonstrate, therefore, to them the disposition of the vapour. And he: When ye shall perceive that the natures have become water by reason of the heat of the fire, and that they have been purified, and that the whole body of Magnesia is liquefied as water; then all things have been made vapour, and rightly, for then the vapour contains its own equal, wherefore the envioust call either vapour, because both are joined in decoctions, and one contains the other. Thus our stag finds no path to escape, although flight be essential to it. The one keeps back the other, so that it has no opportunity to fly, and it finds no place to escape; hence all are made permanent, for when the one falls, being hidden in the body, it is congealed with it, and its colour varies, and it extracts its nature from the properties which God has infused into His elect, and it alienates it, lest it flee. But the blackness and redness appear, and it falls into sickness, and dies by rust and putrefaction; properly speaking, then, it has not a flight, although it is desirous to escape servitude; then when it is free it follows its spouse, that a favourable colour may befall itself and its spouse; its beauty is not as it was, but when it is placed with coins, it makes them gold. For this reason, therefore, the Philosophers have called the spirit and the soul vapour. They have also called it the black humid wanting perlution; and forasmuch as in man there are both humidity and dryness, thus our work, which the envious have concealed, is nothing else I but vapour and water.

The Turba answereth: Demonstrate vapour and water! And he: I say that the work is out of two; the envious have called it composed out of two, because these two become four, wherein are dryness and humidity, spirit and vapour.

The Turba answereth: Thou hast spoken excellently, and without envy. Let Zimon next follow.

(54) Anaxacoras saith: Take the volatile burnt thing which lacks a body, and incorporate it. Then take the ponderous thing, having smoke, and thirsting to imbibe.

The Turba answereth: Explain, O Anaxagoras, what is this obscurity which you expound, and beware of being envious! And he: I testify to you that this volatile burnt thing, and this cther which thirsts, are Ethelia, which has been conjoined with sulphur. Therefore, place these in a glass vessel over the fire, and cook until the whole becomes Cambar. Then God will accomplish the arcanum ye seek. But I direct you to cook continuously, and not to grow tired of repeating the process. And know ye that the perfection of this work is the confection of water of sulphur with tabula;* finally, it is cooked until it becomes Rubigo, for all the Philosophers have said: He who is able to turn Rubigo into golden venom has already achieved the desired work, but otherwise his labour is vain.