Nadene Goldfoot
Mother and daughter goddesses, Demeter and Persephone: Because Persephone mistakenly ate four pomegranate seeds while she was in the underworld, she must return to Hades for a third of every year, forever. The story of Persephone is used to explain the cycle of the seasons. Fall and winter each year is understood to be the time when Persephone descends into the underworld, and the emergence of spring and summer signals her return to her mother and the world of the living
The Greeks had invaded Israel in the late 330s BCE, when Alexander the Great invaded the Middle East (including the area which is now Israel), during his campaigns against the Achaemenid Empire and had brought their religion with them, a polytheistic religion worshipping many gods. One line of this worship came from Eleusis.
Eleusis is situated about 18 kilometres northwest from the centre of Athens. For over a thousand years the Eleusinian mysteries were celebrated every autumn at this place in honour of the Two Goddesses, Demeter and her daughter Persephone (known within the mysteries as Kore, the maiden). For most of that time men and women, including kings and emperors, came from all over the Mediterranean world to witness the sacred rites and be initiated in their secrets.
The Eleusinian Mysteries are a set of traditions that have been practiced for 2000 years. Initiation in the Eleusinian Mysteries, an annual festival in Greece, promised good fortune in both this world and the next. Outside of mainstream religious practice, devotion to the mythical singer Orpheus and the god Dionysos also offered paths to achieving a better lot after death. There it is; that worry about what happens to them after death.
Orpheus was a musician, poet and prophet in Greek mythology. His parents were the king of Thrace Oeagrus and the Muse Calliope. As he grew older, it became apparent that Orpheus was extremely gifted musically. He could play any instrument perfectly and his singing voice was so beautiful that it could charm animals, trees and even rocks. When he was grown, Orpheus journeyed to Olympus to meet Apollo, god of music. Apollo was so impressed with Orpheus that he gave him the lyre and taught him how to play. With his new instrument in hand, Orpheus returned to Thrace where he quickly became famous for his music. Everyone who heard him play or sing fell instantly in love with him, including Eurydice.
Source: https://www.greekmythology.com/Myths/Mortals/Orpheus/orpheus.html
The popular pseudo-religion invited all, accepting slaves, women, and men, regardless of financial standing and background. The origin of the group centers on a conflict between Greek gods, with the goddess of agriculture Demeter plunging the world into famine in order to save her daughter Persephone. They've lasted because it speaks of a place where you can see a modern day recreation of their ceremonies.
In order to coerce the other Greek gods to retrieve Persephone from the Underworld, Demeter causes a worldwide drought. The drought deprives humans of food — but, more importantly, the Greek gods of sacrifices. Zeus orders Hades to return Persephone, but a dirty rule of the Underworld calls for anyone who consumes food within the Underworld to stay within its boundaries forever. She did, the 4 seeds.
The Eleusinian Mysteries featured a series of celebrations consisting of Lesser Mysteries and Greater Mysteries, with the Greater celebrated every five years or so. Most details of the mysteries did not survive to today, as members who revealed the more elusive secrets often met their demise at the hands of other members. The secrets of the mysteries are thought to revolve around hidden physical objects — the contents of a giant chest and an enclosed basket are known by low level imitates, with an increasing number of secrets revealed to tenured members and priests.
They were into Drugs ! The Greatest Mystery and a psychedelic twist.....
The most important ritual for those involved in the Eleusinian Mysteries involved a ten day journey to Eleusis and a fast broken by drinking kykeon. It is widely believed that kykeon usually refers to a psychoactive compounded brew, as in the case of the Eleusinian Mysteries. A kykeon was used at the climax of the Eleusinian Mysteries to break a sacred fast, but it is also mentioned as a favourite drink of Greek peasants. Was it stronger than beer? "Kykeon is mentioned in Homeric texts: the Iliad describes it as consisting of Pramnian wine, barley, and grated goat's cheese. In the Odyssey, Circe adds some honey and pours her magic potion into it. In the Homeric Hymn to Demeter, the goddess refuses red wine but accepts kykeon made from water, barley, and pennyroyal." Barley is typically associated with beer, since it is one of the main ingredients besides hops, yeast, and water.
The administration of kykeon, a peasant drink consisting of barley and the common cooking herb pennyroyal, is a subject of controversy for modern historians, as the kykeon served near the end of the journey likely contained a psychoactive ingredient.
Mentha pulegium
Mentha pulegium, commonly (European) pennyroyal, or pennyrile, also called mosquito plant and pudding grass, is a species of flowering plant in the mint family, Lamiaceae, native to Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East. Crushed pennyroyal leaves emit a very strong fragrance similar to spearmint. Pennyroyal is a traditional folk remedy, emmenagogue, abortifacient, and culinary herb, but is toxic to the liver and has caused some deaths. European pennyroyal is related to an American species, Hedeoma pulegioides. Though they differ in genera, they share similar chemical properties.
Native Americans smoked, passing around the peace pipe. Our youth have discovered pot and and grass and other smokable plants since the 1950's. These might be some of them.
The end of the 2,000 year celebration of the Eleusinian Mysteries
Like many mystery cults of the time, the influx of influx of Christianity and Christian emperors of Rome led to the downfall of the Eleusinian rituals. Sarmatians, a group from the Eastern Balkans, robbed the Temple of Demeter on Naxos Island in the second century A.D. In 170 A.D., Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius, author of The Meditations and portrayed by Richard Harris (the first Dumbledore) in Ridley Scott's Gladiator, repaired the temple. Emperor Theodosisus I, best known for the removal of the traditional state religion of Rome in 380 A.D. and replacing it with Catholicism, destroyed the remnants of the Eleusinian temples between 392 and 395 A.D. This is when Catholicism took over.
Eostre has been associated with fertility, spring, flowers, many elements in which we associate with Easter and the season after a barren winter. This goddess also goes by the names “Ostara” and “Eastre.” She even has a month named after her, as stated by Charlemange, in 1400s Germany called “Ostaramonath.” As for Eostre’s origins, we have various conjectures as to when and where she first originated. She has strong ties to Anglo-Saxon religions and myths, but we don’t see her name actually show up in literature until the 1200s, in a document by Venerable Bede. She also has links to Germany, Norse mythology, and some have said that even the goddess Ishtar, whose statues are often wrapped in eggs, influenced this goddess’ traits or may have been a forerunner of her. Ishtar, after all, was known for being a fertility goddess. And springtime is often associated with new life and fertility, so it makes sense why religions would hold celebrations surrounding this goddess.
Christianity replaced Polytheism to a degree. It was still very hard to do as everyone was as comfortable with it as Americans are with Santa Claus and Christmas. Easter holds some left-over practices. Easter does, however, have many roots in Paganism. The name of the holiday, for instance, comes from the goddess Eostre, who was recognized as the bringer of new life and associated with spring. Other traditions from Easter also come from Pagan backgrounds: bunnies, chicks, and eggs. The rabbit was a symbol of Eostre and the chicks and eggs represent rebirth, similar to Christian traditions. Pagan Easter plays more to the parts of nature and the rebirth of plants and life. And who would deprive their children of the exciting East egg hunt? Or the chocolate Easter bunnies and eggs?
With all these traditions that people look forward to to mark holidays as the year goes by, one can see how they lasted for 2,000 years. Even today, a party or gathering is not a success without beer, wine or whiskey of some type. It's easy to become addicted or at least, culturated. Tradition! We Jews share our traditions.
One thing we didn't want to happen was that the Jews would succumb to Hellenism. Hellenization (other British spelling Hellenisation) or Hellenism is the adoption of Greek culture, religion, language and identity by non-Greeks. It was very tempting, with their drugs and its culture. However, they watered their wine. it was considered hubris for mortals to get drunk; a habit suited only to barbarians. It was believed that only god Dionysus could drink wine without water and not get drunk.
A difference between Jew and non-Jew was circumcision. Greeks were not. Likewise here, after stating, “… and born a man child,” the Torah states: “on the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised,” for he was born to fulfill God's commandments – and the Brit Milah is the first and foremost mitzvah, without which he is not a Jew. Being games were played in the nude, a Jew was easily identified.
Resource:
https://www.zocalopublicsquare.org/2021/05/06/demeter-persephone-greek-myth-motherhood/ideas/essay/
https://gizmodo.com/the-psychedelic-cult-that-thrived-for-nearly-2000-years-5883394?utm_medium=sharefromsite%26utm_source=_email&utm_campaign=top
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mentha_pulegium
https://www.crosswalk.com/special-coverage/easter/who-is-eostre-and-what-does-she-have-to-do-with-easter.html
https://the-armijo-signal.com/16293/news/beyond/pagan-easter-christian-easter/
https://greektraveltellers.com/blog/10-things-you-did-not-know-about-ancient-greeks
https://www.jfedgmw.org/tazria-metzora/
https://www.greekmythology.com/Myths/Mortals/Orpheus/orpheus.html
No comments:
Post a Comment