(77) There are certain Water Elementals whom Orpheus calls Nereides, dwelling in the more elevated exhalations of Water, such as appear in damp, cloudy Air, whose bodies are sometimes seen (as Zoroaster taught) by more acute eyes, especially in Persia and Africa.

(103) The Nymphs of the Fountains, and all the Water Spirits, and terrestrial, aërial and astral forms, are the Lunar Riders and Rulers of all Matter, the Celestial, the Starry, and that which lieth in the Abysses.

The FUMIGATION from AROMATICS. DAUGHTERS of Nereus, resident in caves Merg'd deep in Ocean, sporting thro' the waves; Fanatic fifty nymphs, who thro' the main Delight to follow in the Triton's train, Rejoicing close behind their cars to keep; Whose forms half wild, are nourish'd by the deep, With other nymphs of different degree Leaping and wand'ring thro' the liquid sea: Bright, wat'ry dolphins, sonorous and gay, Well pleas'd to sport with bachanalian play; Nymphs beauteous-ey'd, whom sacrifice delights, Send rich abundance on our mystic rites; For you at first disclos'd the rites divine, Of holy Bacchus and of Proserpine, Of fair Calliope from whom I spring, And of Apollo bright, the Muse's king. Next: XXIV: To Proteus Sacred Texts | Classics « Previous: The Initiations of Orpheus: XXII: To Nereus Index Next: The Initiations of Orpheus: XXIV: To Proteus » Sacred Texts | Classics

(76) The Aquatic when applied to Divine Natures signifies a Government inseparable from Water, and hence the Oracle calls the Aquatic Gods, Water Walkers.

(13) But in those Places, where the Tone together with the astringent Spirit were predominant in the Water, there Copper, Iron, and such like rocky Oar of Minerals came to be: but where the Water was predominant, together with all the Spirits jointly and equally, there the wild Earth came to be, and the Water was here and there like a Cloud or Vapour held captive in the Clefts and Veins, or Spaces of the Rocks; for the astringent Spirit, as the Father of corrupted Nature, held it captive with its sharp attracting together.

(107) Wheresoever one qualifying or fountain Spirit in the Divine Power is touched or stirred, let the Place be where, or Thing what it will, except in the Devils, and all wicked damned Men, there is the Fountain of the Divine Birth or Geniture directly at Hand, and there already are all the seven qualifying or fountain Spirits of God.

(84) There are many several Sorts of mineral Oars, according as the Saltiter in Nature's Heaven was predominant at its Rising up in the Light of Love: For every qualifying or radical Spirit in the heavenly Nature contains the Property or Kind of all the qualifying or fountain Spirits, for it is ever infected, or affected with the other, from whence the Life and the unsearchable Birth or Geniture of the Deity exists: But yet it is predominant as to its own Power, and that is its own Body, from whence it has the Name.

(11) Unto that mountain is given the protection of the waters, so that water streams forth from there, in the rivulet channels, to the land of the seven regions, as the source of all the sea-water in the land of the seven regions is from there.

The FUMIGATION from MYRRH. O Thou, who doff the roots of Ocean keep In seats cærulean, dæmon of the deep, With fifty nymphs (attending in thy train, Fair virgin artists) glorying thro' the main: The dark foundation of the rolling sea And Earth's wide bounds, belong much-fam'd to thee; Great dæmon, source of all, whose pow'r can make The Earth's unmeasur'd, holy basis shake, When blust'ring winds in secret caverns pent, By thee excited, struggle hard for vent: Come, blessed Nereus, listen to my pray'r, And cease to shake the earth with wrath severe; Send on our sacred rites abundant health, With peace divine and necessary wealth. Next: XXIII: To the Nereids Sacred Texts | Classics « Previous: The Initiations of Orpheus: XXI: To the Sea, or Tethys Index Next: The Initiations of Orpheus: XXIII: To the Nereids » Sacred Texts | Classics

(104) The second Spirit is the Water: And as the astringent or harsh Quality is the Father of the other six Spirits, which attracts or draws them together, and so holds them, so the sweet Water is the Mother, in which all Spirits are conceived, kept and generated, that softens, and moistens, or soaks them, wherein and whereby they get their Life, and then the Light of Joyfulness rises up therein.

The Fumigation from AROMATICS OCEAN I call, whose nature ever flows, From whom at first both Gods and men arose; Sire incorruptible, whose waves surround, 3 And earth's concluding mighty circle bound: Hence every river, hence the spreading sea, And earth's pure bubbling fountains spring from thee: Hear, mighty fire, for boundless bliss is thine, Whose waters purify the pow'rs divine: Earth's friendly limit, fountain of the pole, Whose waves wide spreading and circumfluent roll. Approach benevolent, with placid mind, And be for ever to thy mystics kind.