Lives of Alcyone

FORTY-SEVENTH LIFE 247
Chart XLVI a
Agade (Birth of Orion) 1521 B.C.
1 st 2 nd 3 rd 4 th 5 th 6 th 7 th
We must now go back for a few years in time and turn our faces westward, to examine the great gathering of our characters at
Agade in Asia Minor, the city whence Mercury had come. This city was situated in Asia Minor, the city whence Mercury had
come. This city was situated in Asia Minor on the shores of the Dardennelles, somewhere near the town of Lampski now is. It
was built around a cresent shaped harbour, with two little peaks rising behind it, on one of which stood the great white marble
temple of Pallas athene,of which stood the great white two little peaks rising behind it, on one of which stood the great white
marble temple of Pallas Athene, of which Mercury was then the Chief Priest. The ruling race of the city was Greek, of the old
Ionian type, and it was to this white race that the temple of Athens belonged. The actual administration of the government of the
city was in the hands of Yajna and Arcturus, two elected officials, who were called archons. The greater part of the population
were of a much darker reddish race, probably Hittites, who had held the country before it was conquered by the early Greeks
some centuries before. These Hitties were worshippers of Tammuz, and of the veiled goddess Tanais or Ishtar (the Ashtaroth
of the Bible) and dawn in the city they had a great temple, of which Liovtai was a priest, where the religion was of a corrupt
character and many undesirable magical ceremonies were performed.
In the temple of Athene the Divine Wisdom was worshipped, and a high and pure type of teaching was given. At the secret
meetings of the initiated priests Dhruva, an Indian Adept who was the Master of Mercury, sometimes materialised and gave
instruction. Many years before he had come over from India and settled in Agade, marrying Calyx, a Greek lady; Saturn, Corona
and Naga had been his children, and the High Priest Mercury was his gradson. As he had taught them during life, so he continued
to teach them after the death of his physical body. A curious and powerful magnetic centre had been established there. A spherical
cavity had been hollowed out in the living rock, deep down directly under the alter. This cavity had no entrance whatever--no
physical communication withanything else; yet floating in the midst of it there burnt always a steady electric looking glow or flame.
Above upon the floor of the temple, beside the altar stood a crious stone throne, which had been hollowed out of a huge meteorite
and was regarded with great veneration as having fallen from heaven. There were some vestal virgins attached to the temple (Her
akles and Rhea were amongst them) and at certain services the vestal virgins on duty used to sit I this great stone chair and pass
into a trance condition under the influence of the tremendous magnetic force from below. When in this state the virgins delivered
sermons to the people, or rather, sermons were delivered through them by the Adept Teacher or others. During these trances the
High Priest always stood close by the chair to watch over the body of the virgin and see that no harm came to her. Frequently also
special messages were given through the entranced virgin to individuals among the worshippers, and to receive such a message
was considered a high honour.
There were ten of these virgins, though usually five were in active service, taking turns at the work, while the other five were younger
girls who were being trained. These girls were bound by no permanent vows, and could leave the temple whenever they wisshed,
though while there they were obliged to conform to strict rules. All had to leave on reaching a certain age, and it was custom
ary for them then to marry and enter ordinary life. It was however open to them , if they chose, to return to the temple after a certain
time and attach themselves to it permanently, and many did this. While they were in office the highest honour was paid to these
vestals, and they seem to have been quite a power in the city; for example, they had the curious privilage of remitting judicial sentences
if they thought fit, when appeal was made to them.
Orion was the son of Muni, a rich and dignified merchant and town councillor, good and indulgent, but not specially a religious man.
The mother Helios was an eager, keen-faced woman, intensely interested in philosophy. Her children were well educated, though
the curriculum was different from ours. They all learned modelling in clay and the making of pottery, which was very effectively
ornamented with figures of animals. They were taught various elaborate forms of writing, and the making of pottery, which was
very effectively ornamented with figures of animals. They were taught various elaborate forms of writing, and the illumination of bo
oks was carried to a very high level. The books were usually parchment scrolls rolled on ivory sticks, and the writing was archaic
Greek, but running from right to left. The children played many games, especially a ball game which they called sphairike. They
wore light and graceful linen garments in summer, and furs in winter, with an under-garment of soft leather. The poorer wore chiefly
a kind of gray felt. Among the wealthy merchants were Camel. Hebe and Dolphin.
Orion was at quite an early age much interested in his mother's philosophy, and in the services held in the temple of Athene. He
had unusual veneration for the High Priest Mercury, and the High Priest often noticed him and spoke kindly to him.
As he grew up he began to assist his father in the business; he took it up keenly and seemed rather avaricious, but he liked best
the more adventurous part of the work--assisting in the loading of the strange-looking ships with bright blue sails, and sometimes
even sailing in them to some neighbouring port. Proteus was then the controller of the port, and his son Selene, though four years
younger than Orion, was his friend and frequent companion on such little expeditions, and they constantly discussed the philosophy
which attracted them both so deeply. The interest in this continued steadily to increase, and at last quite overpowered Orion's
business instincts, so that he went to the High Priest and asked whether he might resign worldly affairs and devote his life altogether
to study and to temple work under him. A few days afterwards Orion was called up during one of the services to the meteorite
throne,, and one of the highly prized messages was delivered to him.