Profanation of the Mysteries

statue of Aristophanes
The profanation of the Eleusinian Mysteries offers unique glimpses into the deeply secretive and sacred nature of the rites. These acts of sacrilege, particularly those from 415 BCE, provide scholars with valuable, if fragmented, evidence of what occurred during the rituals.

The profanation of the Eleusinian Mysteries offers unique glimpses into the deeply secretive and sacred nature of the rites. These acts of sacrilege, particularly those from 415 BCE, provide scholars with valuable, if fragmented, evidence of what occurred during the rituals.

Profanation as Evidence

The trials and accusations of profanation centered around acts like revealing or mimicking the secret rituals, often in private gatherings or public mockery. For instance, the accusations against Alcibiades and others suggest that the Mysteries involved specific, reenactable actions that were recognizable to Athenians. The secrecy that shrouded these events was maintained so stringently that even mockery in private symposia led to serious allegations, pointing to the importance of dramatic or performative elements within the Mysteries. 

Andocides’ Testimony:

In On the Mysteries, Andocides defends himself against charges of participating in such reenactments. His defense implies that the Mysteries likely involved dramatic retellings or symbolic representations that could be mimicked outside their sacred context.

Alcibiades’ Mocking Rites

The accusations against Alcibiades, who allegedly parodied the Mysteries, suggest that there were specific identifiable actions (perhaps dances, chants, or gestures) that could be ridiculed. This gives us clues that the rites had visual and performative elements, which could be easily mimicked, and that the violation of such secrecy was a grave offense not just religiously but socially and politically.

Why Alcibiades Wasn’t Executed

Despite the charges against him, Alcibiades’ political influence likely protected him from execution. His recall from the Sicilian Expedition and subsequent defection to Sparta shows that the political climate in Athens was deeply intertwined with these religious offenses. Though exile rather than execution was his punishment, the intensity of the charges against him demonstrates the importance placed on secrecy and the perceived threat of revealing the Mysteries.

Sacred Objects and Symbols

Another key aspect of these revelations is the suggestion that sacred objects, likely connected to Demeter and Persephone, were used during the rites. The profanation of these objects or their secret use being revealed to non-initiates implies that the Mysteries involved a deeply symbolic material aspect. Scholars speculate that the kiste (a sacred chest) and the kalathos (a basket) were part of these rituals, possibly containing items central to the story of Demeter’s search for Persephone.

Roses are often considered symbols of love, passion, and desire, which align with Aphrodite’s domain

Aeschylus’ Trial

The trial of Aeschylus, one of the most significant playwrights in Greek history, adds another layer to our understanding of the Mysteries. Aeschylus was accused of revealing parts of the Mysteries in his plays, specifically alluding to hidden divine knowledge. This indicates that some elements of the Mysteries may have centered on divine revelations or esoteric knowledge, possibly touching on themes of life, death, and the afterlife, which mirrored the broader themes of Greek tragedy.

Prometheus Bound: Scholars often point to Aeschylus’ Prometheus Bound as a potential source of controversy, given its theme of revealing divine knowledge to humanity. This implies that part of the Eleusinian Mysteries may have involved the imparting of divine or sacred knowledge – a common theme in Greek tragedies.

Silence and Secrecy

The severity with which violations of the Mysteries were treated highlights how the silence and secrecy surrounding the rites were seen as essential to their power and purpose. The initiates, upon being sworn to secrecy, took oaths that were not only religious but also bound them to civic duty. The widespread fear of disclosing the rites was tied to the belief that revealing the Mysteries could result in divine punishment, not just for the individual but for the entire community.

Additional Instances of Profanation

In later periods, there are references to other acts of sacrilege against the Mysteries. These instances, though less well-documented, show that the strict secrecy surrounding the rites persisted for centuries. Roman emperors and elites, for example, participated in the Mysteries, which underscores their importance even beyond the Greek world.

Roman Participation: 

By the time of the Roman Empire, the Eleusinian Mysteries had gained significant influence, and their initiation was sought after by Roman elites. This suggests that despite cultural changes, the fundamental secrecy and sanctity of the rites remained intact, and violations were still met with severe consequences, though these incidents are less documented.

Conclusion

The profanation of the Eleusinian Mysteries offers critical insights into the nature of the rites, especially in terms of their performative elements, sacred objects, and the themes of divine knowledge and esoteric revelation. The secrecy and severe penalties surrounding the Mysteries illustrate their central role in both the religious and civic life of Athens, and the actions of figures like Alcibiades and Aeschylus demonstrate how closely intertwined the sacred and the political were in ancient Greek society.

Primary Sources

Andocides. On the Mysteries. Translated by K.J. Maidment. In *Minor Attic Orators*, Vol. 1. London: William Heinemann Ltd., 1968. Available at [Perseus Digital Library] http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Andoc.+1

Aristophanes. Lysistrata. Translated by Benjamin Bickley Rogers. In Aristophanes: The Acharnians. The Clouds. Lysistrata. Loeb Classical Library. London: William  Heinemann, 1924. Available at Perseus Digital Library 
http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Aristoph.+Lys.+1093

Diodorus Siculus. Bibliotheca Historica. Translated by C.H. Oldfather. In The Library of History, Vol. 4. Loeb Classical Library. London: William Heinemann Ltd., 1935. Available at [Perseus Digital Library] http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Diod.+13.4.5

Isocrates. Concerning the Team of Horses. Translated by George Norlin. In Isocrates: Volume II. Loeb Classical Library. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1980. Available at [Perseus Digital Library http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Isoc.+16

Lysias. Against Andocides. Translated by W.R.M. Lamb. In Lysias. Loeb Classical Library. London: William Heinemann Ltd., 1930. Available at Perseus Digital Library
http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Lys.+6

Plutarch. Alcibiades. Translated by Bernadotte Perrin. In Plutarch’s Lives: Volume III. Loeb Classical Library. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1916. Available at Perseus Digital Library http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A2008.01.0069%3Achapter%3D18

Plutarch. Nicias. Translated by Bernadotte Perrin. In Plutarch’s Lives: Volume III. Loeb Classical Library. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1916. Available at Perseus Digital Library http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A2008.01.0068%3Achapter%3D13

Pseudo-Plutarch. Life of Andocides. In Lives of the Ten Orators. Available at Perseus Digital Library http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Plut.+Mor.+834b

Thucydides. The History of the Peloponnesian War. Translated by Richard Crawley. London: J.M. Dent, 1910. Available at Perseus Digital Library http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Thuc.+6.27

Secondary Sources

Burkert, Walter. Ancient Mystery Cults. Harvard University Press, 1987.

Fornara, Charles W. Archaic Times to the End of the Peloponnesian War. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1983. 

Furley, William. Andokides and the Herms. Oxford University Press, 1996.

Gagné, Renaud. Mystery Inquisitors: Performance, Authority, and Sacrilege at Eleusis. University of California Press, 2009.

Hamel, Debra. The Mutilation of the Herms: Unpacking an Ancient Mystery, 2011.

Janko, Richard. The Derveni Papyrus (“Diagoras of Melos, Apopyrgizontes Logoi?”): A New Translation. The University of Chicago Press, 2001.

Meert, Alexander. The Atheist Writings of Diagoras of Melos. L’Antiquité Classique, 2018.

Winiarczyk, Marek. Diagoras of Melos: A Contribution to the History of Ancient Atheism. Berlin: Walter de Gruyter, 2016.

Woodbury, Leonard. The Date and Atheism of Diagoras of Melos. Classical Association of Canada, 1965.

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