The Eleusinian mysteries & rites. - The Masonic Trowel

THEIR MYSTICAL SIGNIFICANCE 107
it had hitherto been supposed to be, but that through
the rites of purification and sacrifices of a sacramental
character man could secure a better hope for the
future. Thus the Eleusinian Mysteries became the
chief agent in the conversion of the Greek world
from the Homeric view of Hades to a more hopeful
belief as to man's state after death. Tully pro-
mulgated a law forbidding nocturnal sacrifices in^
which women were permitted to take part, but
made an express exception in favour of the Eleu-
sinian Mysteries, giving as his reason : " Athens-
hath produced many excellent, even divine inventions
and applied them to the use of life, but she has given
nothing better than those Mysteries by which we
are drawn from an irrational and savage life and
tamed, as it were, and broken to humanity. They
are truly called Initia, for they are indeed the
beginnings of a life of reason and virtue."
Secrecy was enjoined because it was regarded as
essential that the profane should not be permitted
to share the knowledge of the true nature of Demeter
and Persephone, as if it were known that these
goddesses were only mortal women their worship
would become contemptible. Cicero says that it
was the humanity of Demeter and Persephone,,
their places of interment, and several facts of a like
nature that were concealed with so much care..
Diagoras, the Melian, was accounted an atheist
because he revealed the real secret of the Eleusiniaa