The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1857-11-19
A GRECIAN FESTIVAL.

The Elcusinia, the most celebrated Of the
Grecian festival, was sacred to Ceres and
l'roscrpine and was celebrated every fifth
year at Eleusis in Attica. Everything con-
nccted with this festival was mystery, and
who ever revealed its secrets was publicly
punished with death. If any of the unin-
iliatcd ever appeared at it's celebration, even
10y accident, he was Immediately killed.
Persons of all ages and both sexes were
initiated, and it was supposed after this
ceremony that they were under the immc-
diatc protection Of the dcilics. None but
citizens of Athens, and such rs were un-
polluted 10y murder or any other hcnio,,s
crime, were admitted. The festival Was iii.
vidcd into greater and less mvstcrics.-
These last were instituted from the follow
ing circumstances. As Hercules was bass
i;ig near Ecnsis when the mysteries were
beng celebrated, he desired to bc initiated.
AS he WAS not an Athcniun, this was i'm
possible; but the .ithcnians, unwilling to
offend him, added another festival, called
the less and Admitted him. These lesser
mysteries, celebrated at Agrac, near the
iiiss'1s, were preparatory to the gr, atcr nj
Eleusis, and it WAS necessary that every
person aspiring to tic greater festival should
Ie purified at Agrac. This publication
they accomplished hy keeping themselves
chaste for nine days, after which they offer
cd sacriticcs and prayers with garlands of
flowers upon their heads and standing upon
the skin of a victim offered to Jupiter. a
year after their purication they were ad-
mi'cd to the greater festival, upon sacrilic-
ing SOW TO Ceres. When the mysteries
were revealed TO them, the priest proposed
certain questions for them to answer, after
which strange and terrifying noises were
hearcd, and dreadful. apparitions presented
themselves to their sight. The clothes in
which they were initiated were supposed to
bc defence against all evils, and were con-
sequcntly generally worn until unfit for use.
The chief person who ofiiciated at the ini-
t'ation WAS called the IIieropllantes, and
held his Office during life. lie was COM
PEELED to live sing y and devote himself sole
ly to the duties Of his office. IIo had three
attendants, the first of whom was permitted
to mary.
During the celebration of this festival,
which continued for nine days, it was un-
lawful TO arrest any one or to present any
petition. The initiated were forbidden to
eat beans, mulIct, or weascls. If any wo
man came TO Elcusis in chariot she was
Obliged to pay GooO drachmas. On the
second day of the celebration the worship
ers were compelled to purify Themselves 10y
bathing in the sea. On the fourtl, day the
holy basket cf Ceres, was carried about in
procession, while on all sides tho people
shouted Hail Ceres The fifth day was
called the torch-day because on the follow
ing night torches were carried about in
every direction in coinnemoraton Of the
travels OF Ceres and Of her lighting torch
at Mount Etna. The sixth day was called
Jacchus, after the son Of Ceres who was
sail to have accompanied his mother in her
travels with a torch in his hand. On this
day his statue was carried in solemn pro-
cession from n place in Athens called Cera
micus to Eleuss. The procession was ac-
companied by singing and dancing. The
way by which they passed out of Athens
was called Tie sacred any, and the place
where they entered EIelsis was called The
mystical entrance. On the seventh dav
were games and sports. On the eighth day
persons were initiated. On the ninth and
last day, two earthen vessels, filed with
wine, were placed, the one towards the east
and the other TOWARDS the west, when, some
mystical words beng pronounced, they
were 9th overturned, and the wine offered
rs n libation.