Orpheus's initiation; and that the idea of this fixth book was taken from thence. But further, it was customary for the poets of the Auguftan age to exercise themselves on the subject of the myfteries, as appears from Cicero, who defires Atticus, then at Athens, and initiated, to fend to Chilius, a poet of eminence *, an account of the Eleufinian mysteries; in order, as it would feem, to insert into some poem he was then writing t. Thus it appears that both the ancient and modern poets afforded Virgil a pattern for this famous episode. Even Servius faw thus far into Virgil's defign, as to fay, that many things were here delivered according to the profound learning of the Egyptian theology ‡. And we have fhewn that the doctrines taught in the mysteries, were invented by that people. But though I say this was the poet's general defign, I would not be supposed to think he followed no other guides. Several of the circumftances are borrowed from Homer; and several of the philofophic notions from Plato: Some of which will be taken notice of in their place. The great manager in this affair is the SIBYL; and, as a virgin, she sustains two principal and distinct parts : that of the inspired priestess, to pronounce the ORACLE, (whose relation to the mysteries is spoken of above) and that of the hierophant to conduct the initiated thro' the whole celebration. Her first part begins, "Ventum erat ad limen, cum virgo, pofcere fata See Lib. I. Ep. 16. ad Atticum. + Chilius te rogat & ego ejus rogatu ΕΥΜΟΛΠΙΔΩΝ ΠΑΤΡΙΑ, Lib. I. Ep. 9. ad Atticum. ↑ Multa per altam fcientiam theologicorum § See Div. Leg. B. II. §. 4. ovptiorum. And And ends, "Ut primum ceffit furor, et rabida ora quierunt. Her fecond part begins at, fate fanguine divum, Tros Anchifiade and continues through the whole book. For, as we have obferved, the initiated had a guide or conductor, called *Iego¶áíns, Musalwyos, Ispeùs, indifferently of either sex *, who was to inftruct him in the preparatory ceremonies, and lead him through, and explain to him all the fhews and representations of the myfteries. Hence Virgil calls her magna facerdos, and docta comes, words of equivalent fignification: And this, because the mysteries of Ceres were always celebrated in Rome by female priests †. And as the female mystagogue, as well as male, was devoted to a single life, fo was the Cumean fibyl, whom he calls cafta fibylla. Another reason why a priestess is given to conduct him is, because Proferpine prefides in this whole affair. And the name of the priestess in the Eleufinian myfteries fhews that the properly belonged to Proferpine; though fhe was also called the priestess of Ceres. "The ancients, fays Porphyrius, called the priefteffes of Ceres Mocal, as being the ministers or hierophants of the fubterraneous goddess, and Proferpine herself Mintáns §" And Eneas addreffes her in the language of the afpirant to the hierophant : * Τὰς ἱερείας [Δήμητρος ] Μελίσσας ἐκάλεν οἱ ποιηταί. Schol. Eurip. Hippol. Μελίσσας κυρίως τὰς τῆς Δήμητρος ἱερείας φησί. Schol. Pind. Pythion. + So the fatyrift. "Pauca adeo Cereris attas contingere digna. Hieron. ad Geron. de Monogamia. Schol. Sophocl. Oédip. Col. v.674. De Antro Nymph. "Potes "Potes namque omnia; nec te Nequidquam lucis Hecate præfecit Avernis. And the answers much in the language of those facred minifters, “ Quod fi tantus amor, &c. et INSANO juvat indulgere labori; Accipe quæ peragenda prius.- For infanus is the fame as aixòs, and this, as we are told by Strabo, was an infeparable circumftance of the myfteries*. The first instruction the priestess gives Æneas, is to fearch for the golden bough, facred to Proferpine, "Aureus & foliis & lento vimine ramus, Junoni infernæ facer. ; Servius can make nothing of this circumftance. He fupposes it might poffibly allude to a tree in the middle of the facred 'grove of Diana's temple in Greece: where, if a fugitive came for fanctuary, and could get off a branch from the tree, which was carefully guarded by the priests, he was to contend in fingle combat with one of them and if he overcame, was to take his place. Though nothing can be more foreign to the matter in question than this rambling account, yet the Abbé Banier is content to Follow it t, for want of a better. But the truth is, under this branch is concealed the wreath of myrtle, with which the initiated were crowned at the celebration of the myfteries . For, 1. The golden bough is faid to be facred to Proferpine, and fo we are told was the myrtle: Proferpine only is mentioned all the way; partly because the initiation is described as an actual defcent into hell; but prin . L. 10. + Explicat. Hiftor. des Fables. Vol. II. p. 135. Ed. 1715. * Μυρσίνης σεφάνῳ ἐπιφανῶντο οἱ μεμνημένοι. Schol. Ariftoph. Ranis. VOL. III. C cipally cipally because, when the rites of the mysteries were performed, Ceres and Proferpine were equally invoked; but when the fhews were reprefented, Proferpine alone prefided Now, this book is a reprefentation of the fhews of the mysteries. 2. The quality of this golden bough, with its lento vimine, admirably defcribes the tender branches of myrtle. 3. The doves of Venus are made to direct Æneas to the tree : "Tum maximus heros Maternas agnofcit aves. They fly to it, and delight to reft upon it, as their miftrefs's favorite tree. "Sedibus optatis gemina fuper arbore fidunt. For the myrtle, as is known to every one, was confecrated to Venus. But there is a greater propriety and beauty in this difpofition than appears at firft fight. For not only the myrtle was dedicated to Proferpine as well as Venus, but the doves likewife, as Porphyry informs us *. But the reader may ask, why is this myrtle branch represented to be of gold? Not merely for the fake of the marvellous, he may be affured. be affured. A golden bough was, literally, part of the facred equipage in the fhews of the myfteries. For the branch, which was fometimes wreathed into a crown, and worn on the head, was at other times carried in the hand. Clemens Alexandrinus tells us + from Dionyfius Thrax the grammarian, that it was an Egyptian custom to hold a branch in the act of adoration. And of what kind these branches were, Apuleius tells us in his description of a proceffion of the initiated in the mysteries of Ifis. "Ibat tertius, attollens PALMAM AURO SUBTILITER FOLIATAM, nec non Mercurialem etiam CADUCEUM .' *Porph. de Abft. 1. iv. §. 16. The The golden branch then and the Caduceus were related. And accordingly Virgil makes the former do the ufual office of the latter, in affording a free paffage into the regions of the dead. Again, Apuleius, defcribing the fifth perfon in the proceffion, fays: " Quintus auream vannum AUREIS congeftam RAMULIS *." So that a golden bough, we fee, was an important implement, and of very complicated intention in the shews of the mysteries. Æneas having now poffeffed himself of the golden bough, a passport as necessary to his descent, as a myrtle crown to initiation, "Sed non ante datur telluris operta fubire, Auricomos quam quis decerpferit arbore fœtus. carries it into the fibyl's grot: "Et vatis portat fub tecta fibyllæ. And this was to defign the initiation into the leffer myste ries: For Dion Chryfoftom + tells us, it was performed ἐν οικήματι μικρῷ, in a little narrow chapel, fuch a one as we must suppose the fibyl's grot to be. The initiated into there rites were called Μύται. He is then led to the opening of the descent : Spelunca alta fuit, vaftoque immanis hiatu And his reception is thus described: "Sub pedibus mugire folum et juga cœpta moveri How fimilar is all this to the fine defcription of the poet Claudian, where profeffedly, and without difguife, he speaks of the tremendous entry into these myftic rites! Metam. 1. xi. p. 383. + Orat. 12. * Fam C 2 |