"Beautiful indeed is the Mystery given us by the blessed gods: Death is for mortals no longer an evil, but a blessing." (Inscription at the Temple of Demeter, Eleusis) Bibliography in Mystery Cults: Apuleius, Lucius Madaurensis/Griffiths J. Gwyn (overs. og red.) (1975): Metamorphoses book 11: The Isis-book Études preliminaries aux religions orientales dans l´Empire Burkert, Walter (1987):Ancient Mystery Cults Harvard University Press, London D´Alviella, Goblet (1981):The Mysteries of Eleusis -- the secret rites and rituals of the Classical Greek Mystery tradition The Aquarian Press Eliade, Mircea (red..et al.) (1987): The Encyclopedia of Religion New York: Macmillan Pakkanen, Petra (1995): Interpreting early Hellenistic religion: a study based on the cult of Isis and the mystery cult of Demeter - Faculty of Arts at the University of Helsinki Eliade, Mircea (1965): Rites and Symbols of Initiation: the mysteries of birth and rebirth New York: Harper & Row Witt, Reginald Eldred(1971):Isis in the Graeco-Roman world, Aspects of Greek and Roman Life, London, Thames and Hudson Egypt: Erik Hornung:Conceptions of God in Ancient Egypt - The One and the Many India: David Kinsley: The Sword and the Flute, University of California Press 1971 J.L.Brockington: The Sacred Thread, Redwood Books, 1996 "There was a time when the rest of the happy band they saw beauty shining in brightness we philosophers following in the train of Zeus, others in company with other gods; And then we saw the beatific vision And were initiated into a Mystery which may be called most blessed, celebrated by us in our state of innocence, before we had any experience of evils to come, when we were admitted to the sight of apparitions innocent and simple, calm and happy, which we saw shining in pure light." (Socrates, in Plato´s Phaedrus, 250) "For among the many excellent and indeed divine institutions which your Athens has brought forth and contributed to human life, none, in my opinion, is better than the Mysteries. For by their means we have been brought out of our barbarous and savage mode of life and educated and refined to a state of civilization; And as the rites (of the Mysteries) are called "initiations," So in very truth we have learned from them the beginnings of life, And have gained the power not only to live happily, But also to die with a better hope."( Cicero, Laws II, xiv, 36) "I am everything there is, everything that ever was, and everything that will ever be. No mortal has ever seen beyond my veil". (Inscription at the Temple of Neith, Goddess of Existence, Egypt, recorded by Plutarch) "Oh, All-Nature, Queen, Mother of all things, untiring Mother, exalted, creating, She who tames all, Unmentionable, shining, the first born who quenches everything, who brings the Light....Born of yourself, present everywhere and all-knowing...You Blessed One, who makes things grow and rot -- Father and Mother of all things, Universal Worker, you who walk forth in an endless maelstrom, conserving, you who uphold yourself through repeated metamorphosis...I pray to you -- give me peace." (Orphic poem) The soul wanders around in tiring circles, on scary roads through absolute darkness that lead nowhere; and then, just before the final end to all cruelties the soul experiences panic, perspiration and trembling. Then a wonderful light approaches the soul, it is met by clean spheres and fields that welcomes the soul with sacred words and sacred sights, and there the initiate will, now in its most perfect form, free of bondage, wander about, crowned with laurel, celebrating great festivals with others of sacred, pure souls." (Pluthark) "Wherever mankind was created, there was Nisaba established: Let the Wise teach the Mystery to the Wise!" (Assyrian history of creation 800 B.C- Nisaba was the Assyrian goddess of learning) The unity of Heimdallr in: Gro Steinsland (1991): Det Hellige Bryllup og Norrøn kongeideologi (The Sacred Marriage and old Norse King Ideology)

• published: 04 Jun 2011
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