The Oriental Religions in Roman Paganism [1911] - Get a Free Blog

234 THE ORIENTAL RELIGIONS.
metism, which is used as a label for doctrines of very dif
ferent origin, was influenced by "the universal spirit
of de
votion," and was not its creator. It was the result of a long
continued effort to reconcile the Egyptian traditions first with
Chaldean astrology, then with Greek philosophy, and it be
came transformed simultaneously with the philosophy. But
this subject would demand extended development. It is ad
mitted by Otto, the second volume of whose book has been
published since the writing of these lines, that not even dur
ing the Hellenistic period was there enough theological activ
ity of the Egyptian clergy to influence the religion of the
times. (Priester und Tempel, II, pp. 218-220).
42. Plut, De Isid., 9.
43. Apul., Metam., XI, 5.
44. CIL, X, 3800 = Dessau, Inscr. sel., 4362.
45. See the opening pages of this chapter.
46. Plut,. De Iside et Osir., 52; cf. Hermes Trismegisttis,
"Opoi A<TK\rjiriov } c. 16; and Reitzenstein, Poimandres, p. 197.
47. Cf. Naville, op. cit., pp. 170 ff.
48. Juv., VI, 489: "Isiacae sacraria lenae" ; cf. Friedlander,
8
I , p. 502.
Sittengeschichte,
49. In a recent book Farnell has brilliantly outlined the his
tory of the ritual of purification and that of the conception of
purity throughout antiquity (Evolution of Religion, London,
IQO5> PP- 88-192), but unfortunately he has not taken Egypt
into account where the primitive forms have been maintained
with perhaps the fewest alterations.
50. Juv., VI, 522 ff.
I 8
, p. 510. On this trans
51. Friedlander, Sittengeschichte,
formation of the Isis cult, cf. Reville, op. cit., p. 56.
52. Plut., De Iside, c. 2 ; cf. Apul., Met., XI, 6, end.
53. yElius Arist, In Sarap., 25 (II, p. 359, Keil ed.) ; see
Diodorus, I, 93, and Apuleius, XI, 6, end. On future rewards
and punishments in Hermetism, see Ps.-Apul., Asclepius, c.
28; Lydus, De mensib., IV, 32 and 149, Wunsch ed.
54. Porph., Epist. ad Aneb., 29. The answer of the Ps.lamblichus
(de Myst., VI, 5-7) is characteristic. He main-