The FUMIGATION from STORAX. Call Thesmophorus *, spermatic God, Of various names, who bears the leafy rod: Mises, ineffable, pure, sacred queen, Two-fold Iacchus, male and female seen: Illustr'ous, whether to rejoice is thine In incense offer'd, in the fane divine +; Or if in Phrygia most thy soul delights, Performing with thy mother sacred rites; Or if the land of Cyprus is thy care, Well pleas'd to dwell with Cytherea fair; Or if exulting in the fertile plains With thy dark mother Isis, where she reigns, 12 With nurses pure attended, near the flood Of sacred Egypt, thy divine abode: Wherever resident, blest pow'r attend, And with benignant mind these labours end.

The FUMIGATION from AROMATICS. BACCHUS Pericionius, hear my pray'r, Who mad'st the house of Cadmus once thy care, With matchless force, his pillars twining round, (When burning thunders shook the solid ground, In flaming, founding torrents borne along), Propt by thy grasp indissolubly strong. Come mighty Bacchus to these rites inclin'd, And bless thy suppliants with rejoicing mind.

The FUMIGATION from AROMATICS. THEE I invoke, blest pow'r of dreams divine, Angel of future fates, swift wings are thine: Great source of oracles to human kind, When stealing soft, and whisp'ring to the mind, Thro' sleep's sweet silence and the gloom of night, Thy pow'r awakes th' intellectual fight; To silent souls the will of heav'n relates, And silently reveals their future fates. For ever friendly to the upright mind Sacred and pure, to holy rites inclin'd; For these with pleasing hope thy dreams inspire, Bliss to anticipate, which all desire. Thy visions manifest of fate disclose, What methods best may mitigate our woes; Reveal what rites the Gods immortal please, And what the means their anger to appease: For ever tranquil is the good man's end, Whose life, thy dreams admonish and defend. But from the wicked turn'd averse to bless, Thy form unseen, the angel of distress; No means to cheek approaching ill they find, Pensive with fears, and to the future blind. Come, blessed pow'r, the signatures reveal Which heav'n's decrees mysteriously conceal, Signs only present to the worthy mind, Nor omens ill disclose of monst'rous kind. Next: LXXXVI: To Death Sacred Texts | Classics « Previous: The Initiations of Orpheus: LXXXIV: To Sleep Index Next: The Initiations of Orpheus: LXXXVI: To Death » Sacred Texts | Classics

(3) Of medicine, however, they especially embraced the diætetic species, and in the exercise of this were most accurate. And in the first place, indeed, they endeavoured to learn the indications of symmetry, of labor, food, and repose. In the next place, with respect to the preparation of food, they were nearly the first who attempted to employ themselves in it, and to define the mode in which it should be performed. The Pythagoreans likewise employed cataplasms, more frequently than their predecessors; but they in a less degree approved of medicated ointments. These, however, they principally used in the cure of ulcerations. But incisions and burnings they admitted the least of all things. Some diseases also they cured by incantations. But they are said to have objected to those who expose disciplines to sale; who open their souls like the gates of an inn to every man that approaches to them; and who, if they do not thus find buyers, diffuse themselves through cities, and, in short, hire gymnasia and require a reward from young men for those things which are without price.

Pythagoras, however, concealed the meaning of much that was said by him, in order that those who were genuinely instructed might clearly be partakers of it; but that others, as Homer says of Tantalus, might be pained in the midst of what they heard, in consequence of receiving no delight from thence.

(25) Menasvus saith: May God reward thee for the regimen, since thou speakest the truth! For thou hast illuminated thy words. And they: It is said because thou praisest him for his sayings, do not be inferior to him. Andhe: I know that I can utter nothing but that which he hath uttered; however, I counsel posterity to make bodies not bodies, but these incorporeal things bodies.* For by this regimen the composite is prepared, and the hidden part of its nature is extracted. With these bodies accordingly join quicksilver and the body of Magnesia,t the woman also with the man, and by means of this there is extracted our secret Ethelia, through which bodies are coloured; assuredly, if I understand this regimen, bodies become not bodies, and incorporeal things become bodies. If ye diligently pound the things in the fire and digest (or join to) the Ethelias, they become clean and fixed things. And know ye that quicksilver is a fire burning the bodies, mortifying and breaking up, with one regimen, and the more it is mixed and pounded with the body, the more the body is disintegrated, while the quicksilver is attenuated and becomes living. For when ye shall diligently pound fiery quicksilver and cook it as required, ye will possess Ethel, a fixed nature* and colour, subject to every tincture, which also overcomes, breaks, and constrains the fire.t For this reason it does not colour things unless it be coloured, and being coloured it colours.} And know that no body can tinge itself unless its spirit be extracted from the secret belly thereof, when it becomes a body and soul without the spirit,* which is a spiritual tincture, out of which colours have manifested, seeing that a dense thing does not tinge a tenuous, but a tenuous nature colours that which enters into a body. When, however, ye have ruled the body of copper, and have extracted from it a most tenuous (subject), then the latter is changed into a tincture by which it is coloured.t Hence has the wise man said, that copper does not tinge unless first it be tinged. And know that those four bodies which you are directed to rule are this copper, and that the tinctures which I have signified unto you are the condensed and the humid,* but the condensed is a conjoined vapour, and the humid is the water of sulphur, for sulphurs are contained by sulphurs, and rightly by these things Nature rejoices in Nature, and overcomes, and constrains.

The FUMIGATION from AROMATICS. I Call great Cupid, source of sweet delight, Holy and pure, and lovely to the sight; Darting, and wing'd, impetuous fierce desire, With Gods and mortals playing, wand'ring fire: Cautious, and two-fold, keeper of the keys Of heav'n and earth, the air, and spreading seas; Of all that Ceres' fertile realms contains, By which th' all-parent Goddess life sustains, Or dismal Tartarus is doom'd to keep, Widely extended, or the sounding, deep; For thee, all Nature's various realms obey, Who rul'st alone, with universal sway. Come, blessed pow'r, regard these mystic fires, And far avert, unlawful mad desires. Next: LVIII: To The Fates Sacred Texts | Classics « Previous: The Initiations of Orpheus: LVI: To the Terrestrial Hermes Index Next: The Initiations of Orpheus: LVIII: To The Fates » Sacred Texts | Classics

The FUMIGATION from AROMATICS. CERALIAN queen, of celebrated name, From whom both men, and Gods immortal came; Who widely wand'ring once, oppress'd with grief, In Eleusina's valley found'st relief, Discovering Proserpine thy daughter pure In dread Avernus, dismal and obscure; A sacred youth while thro' the world you stray Bacchus, attending leader of the way; The holy marriage of terrestrial Jove Relating, while oppress'd with grief you rove; Come, much invok'd, and to these rites inclin'd, Thy mystic suppliant bless, with fav'ring mind. Next: XLI: To Mises Sacred Texts | Classics « Previous: The Initiations of Orpheus: XXXIX: To Ceres Index Next: The Initiations of Orpheus: XLI: To Mises » Sacred Texts | Classics

The FUMIGATION from AROMATICS. Call Melinoe, saffron-veil'd, terrene, Who from infernal Pluto's sacred queen, Mixt with Saturnian Jupiter, arose, Near where Cocytus' mournful river flows; When under Pluto's semblance, Jove divine Deceiv'd with guileful arts dark Proserpine. Hence, Partly black thy limbs and partly white, From Pluto dark, from Jove etherial, bright Thy colour'd members, men by night inspire When seen in specter'd forms with terrors dire; Now darkly visible, involv'd in night, Perspicuous now they meet the fearful fight. Terrestrial queen expel wherever found The soul's mad fears to earth's remotest bound; With holy aspect on our incense shrine, And bless thy mystics, and the rites divine. Next: LXXI. To Fortune Sacred Texts | Classics « Previous: The Initiations of Orpheus: LXIX: To The Furies Index Next: The Initiations of Orpheus: LXXI. To Fortune » Sacred Texts | Classics

(230) 230 To say: Be thy two poison-glands in the ground; be thy two rows of ribs in the hole. 230 Pour out the liquid. The two kites stand there. 230 Thy mouth is closed by the hangman's tool; the mouth of the hangman's tool is closed by the mfd.t (lynx). 230 The one made tired is bitten by a serpent. 231 O R`, N. has bitten the earth; N. has bitten Geb. 231 N. has bitten the father of him who bit him. 231 This is the being who has bitten N., (though) N. did not bite him. 232 It is he who is come against N., (though) N. does not go against him; 232 the second moment after he saw N., the second moment after he perceived N. 232 If thou bitest N., he will make one (piece) of thee; if thou regardest N., he will make two of thee. 233 The n`w-serpent (male) is bitten by the n`.t-serpent (female); the n`.t-serpent is bitten by the n`w-serpent. 233 Heaven is protected magically; earth is protected magically; the "manly" who is behind mankind is protected magically. 234 The god whose head is blind is protected magically; thou thyself, scorpion, art protected magically. 234 These are the two knots (charm) of Elephantin� which are in the mouth of Osiris, 234 which Horus knotted concerning the backbone.

(5) Secured by reason of the writing with gum mixed with colours upon a strip of royal papyrus, put at the throat of the deceased on the day of burial. If these phylacteries are put at his throat, he will rise up as one of the Divine Circle, and be united to the followers of Horus, whilst his Lamp is made firm by Isis in heaven beside Sothis. He followeth Horus who resideth in Sothis. His Shade becometh divine as well as human. Vegetation is made to grow out of his body through the goddess Menkit. He becometh a god for ever, and his limbs are made vigorous in the Netherworld through Thoth, who hath done the like to Osiris, in causing the light to rise out of his dead body; undeviatingly and for times infinite

(47) Munpus saith: Thou hast already treated sufficiently of Rubigo, O Attamus! I will speak, therefore, of venom, and will instruct future generations that venom is not a body, because subtle spirits have made it into a tenuous spirit, have tinged the body and burned it with venom, which venom the Philosopher asserts will tinge every body. But the Ancient Philosophers thought that he who turned gold into venom had arrived at the purpose, but he who can do not this profiteth nothing. Now I say unto you, all ye Sons of the Doctrine, that unless ye reduce the thing by fire until those things ascend like a spirit, ye effect nought. This, therefore, is a spirit avoiding the fire anda ponderous 22 St e ‘ smoke,* which when it enters the body penetrates it entirely, and makes the body rejoice.* The Philosophers have

all said: Take a black and conjoining spirit; therewith break up the bodies and torture them till they be altered.

(1) Let us, however, discuss what pertains to divination more particularly; not asserting this, that nature leads each thing to its like; for the enthusiastic energy is not the work of nature; nor again asserting that the temperature of the air, and of that which surrounds us, produces also a different temperature in the body of those that energize enthusiastically; since inspiration, which is the work of the Gods, is not changed by corporeal powers or temperaments. Nor must we say, that the much celebrated inspiration of divinity is adapted to passions and generated natures. For the gift of the proper energy of the Gods to men is impassive and superior to all generation. But since the power of the Corybantes is, in a certain respect, of a guardian and efficacious nature, and that of Sabazius appropriately pertains to Bacchic inspiration, the purifications of souls, and the solutions of ancient divine anger, on this account the inspirations of them entirely differ from each other.

The FUMIGATION from AROMATICS. BACCHUS fanatic, much-nam'd, blest, divine, Bull-fac'd Lenæan, bearer of the vine; From fire descended, raging, Nysian king, From whom initial ceremonies spring: Liknitan Bacchus, pure and fiery bright, Prudent, crown-bearer, wandering in the night; Pupil of Proserpine, mysterious pow'r, Triple, ineffable, Jove's secret flow'r: Ericapæus, first-begotten nam'd, Of Gods the father, and the offspring fam'd: Bearing a sceptre, leader of the choir, Whose dancing feet, fanatic Furies fire, When the triennial band thou dost inspire. Loud-sounding, Tages, of a fiery light, Born of two mothers, Amphietus bright: Wand'ring on mountains, cloth'd with skins of deer, Apollo, golden-ray'd, whom all revere. God of the grape with leaves of ivy crown'd, Bassarian, lovely, virgin-like, renown'd Come blessed pow'r, regard thy mystics voice, Propitious come, and in these rites rejoice.

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.

(114) Behold! man becometh weak, faint and sick, and if no remedy be used, then he soon falls into death. The sickness is caused either by some bitter and astringent herb which grows out of the earth, or else is caused by an evil, mortiferous deadly water, or by several mixtures of earthly herbs, or by some evil stinking and rank flesh or meat, and surfeit from thence to loathing.

The FUMIGATION from AROMATICS. WITH holy voice I call the stars on high, Pure sacred lights and genii of the sky. Celestial stars, the progeny of Night, In whirling circles beaming far your light, Refulgent rays around the heav'ns ye throw, Eternal fires, the source of all below. With flames significant of Fate ye shine, And aptly rule for men a path divine. In seven bright zones ye run with wand'ring flames, And heaven and earth compose your lucid frames: With course unwearied, pure and fiery bright Forever shining thro' the veil of Night. Hail twinkling, joyful, ever wakeful fires! Propitious shine on all my just desires; These sacred rites regard with conscious rays, And end our works devoted to your praise.

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 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

The FUMIGATION from AROMATICS. DAUGHTERS of Jove and Themis, seasons bright, Justice, and blessed peace, and lawful right, Vernal and grassy, vivid, holy pow'rs, Whose balmy breath exhales in lovely flow'rs All-colour'd seasons, rich increase your care, Circling, for ever flourishing and fair: Invested with a veil of shining dew, A flow'ry veil delightful to the view: Attending Proserpine, when back from night, The Fates and Graces lead her up to light; When in a band-harmonious they advance, And joyful round her, form the solemn dance: With Ceres triumphing, and Jove divine; Propitious come, and on our incense shine; Give earth a blameless store of fruits to bear, And make a novel mystic's life your care. Next: XLIII: To Semele Sacred Texts | Classics « Previous: The Initiations of Orpheus: XLI: To Mises Index Next: The Initiations of Orpheus: XLIII: To Semele » Sacred Texts | Classics

(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.