Unveiling the Hidden Face of Antiquity: Mysteries and Cryptic Cults Unveiling the Hidden Face of Antiquity: Mysteries and Cryptic Cults Menelaos Christopoulos – Marion Meyer – Athina Papachrysostomou (eds.) Offprint Phoibos Verlag, Wien 2023 Printed with support from the Department of Philology, University of Patras in memory of Richard Seaford Bibliografische Information der Deutschen Nationalbibliothek Die Deutsche Nationalbibliothek verzeichnet diese Publikation in der Deutschen Nationalbibliografie; detaillierte bibliografische Daten sind im Internet über http://dnb.ddb.de abruf bar. Bibliographic information published by Die Deutsche Nationalbibliothek Die Deutsche Nationalbibliothek lists this publication in the Deutsche Nationalbibliografie; detailed bibliographic data is available in the Internet at http://dnb.ddb.de. Cover: Eleusis, Telesterion, © Marion Meyer www.phoibos.at; office@phoibos.at Printed in the EU: Prime Rate Kft., Megyeri út 53, H-1044 Budapest ISBN 978- 3- 85161- 300-1 (printed edition) ISBN 978- 3- 85161- 301- 8 (E-book, PDF) Table of Contents Prologue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 I. Eleusinian Mysteries Marion Meyer What Can Images Tell Us about the Athenians’ View of the Founder(s) of the Eleusinian Mysteries ? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Mattia De Poli Aeschylus and the Eleusinian Mysteries: Further Sources for a “Famous” Accusation ? . . . . . . 27 Alice Clinch Epiphanic Encounters at Eleusis: Incandescent and Ephemeral Forms of Epiphany . . . . . . . . 39 Eleni Fassa A Eumolpid in the Hellenistic oecoumene: The Case of Timotheus, the Eleusinian exegetes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 II. Other Gods and Heroes Menelaos Christopoulos Dionysus’ Katabasis and the Mysteries of Lerna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67 George W. M. Harrison Rome’s Embrace of Heracles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75 Ronald Blankenborg ‘I will Pray to You as a God’: Menelaus’ Previewed Deification in the Odyssey . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89 Chiara Di Serio Julian and the Statue of the Mother of the Gods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101 Andrea Sánchez i Bernet Ares’ Chthonic Connections in Classical Attic Sources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111 Elo-Mall Toomet Mysteries of the Argive Plain – Mysteries of the Argive polis ? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123 III. Ritual and Initiation Olga Levaniouk Mystery Cows: Bovine Subplots in Initiation Narratives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137 Philip R. Bosman Julian the Sacrificer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151 Marios Koutsoukos Visions of the Mithras Liturgy: The Role of Self-Initiation in Theurgic Ritual . . . . . . . . . . . . 161 Alessandra Giannuzzi Μονοκρήπιδες: The Symbol of the Barefoot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169 Jordi Redondo Literature, Ritual, Myth, and Gender Change: Mysticity and Mysticality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177 5 Table of Contents IV. Poetry and Philosophy Richard Seaford † Parmenidean Metaphysics and Mystic Initiation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193 Natasha Bershadsky Odysseus Running: Looms, Mirth, Dung, and Divine Presence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201 Giuseppe Zanetto “Liturgical Eros”: Sacred Space as a Space for Love . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219 Smaro Nikolaidou-Arampatzi Paizein in Hades: Afterlife Bliss as a Playful and Innocent Condition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227 Efthymia Kafritsa Ἔρως as Mystic Initiation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241 V. Mysteries and Theater Vasiliki Kousoulini Dionysian Choreia as a Multisensory Experience in Ancient Greek Theater and Ancient Greek Literary Theory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255 Athina Papachrysostomou Blissful Afterlife and para prosdokian in Middle Comedy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265 Index of ancient names of persons and locations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 277 6 Prologue This volume contains twenty-two studies focusing on a variety of topics related to mysteries, initiation rituals, and mystic cults in the ancient Greek and Roman worlds. Much of this material was presented during an International Conference organized by the Centre for the Study of Myth and Religion in Greek and Roman Antiquity at the University of Patras in 2022. The Centre for the Study of Myth and Religion in Greek and Roman Antiquity (http://mythandreligion.upatras.gr/) was founded in 2004 at the Department of Philology of the University of Patras by Professor Menelaos Christopoulos. Its main purpose was “to host an ongoing academic dialogue responsive to international scientific approaches and emerging research data, continually stimulated by new academic research”. To serve this priority the Centre organizes, amongst other activities, international conferences focusing on issues which either have not received the due attention in relevant scholarship or are of permanent interest within the field of ancient myth and religion. Seven conferences have been organized so far (the Proceedings of these conferences have already been published): • • • • • • • Light and Darkness in Ancient Greek and Roman Mythology and Religion (Patras 2007) The Greek Epic Cycle (co-organized with CHS-Harvard, Ancient Olympia 2010) Time and Space in Greek Myth and Religion (Patras 2015) Greek Satyr Play: Reconstructing a Dramatic Genre from its Remnants (Patras 2016) Mythical History and Historical Myth: Blurred Boundaries in Antiquity (Patras 2019) Mysteries, Mysticism, Cults, and Cultism in Antiquity (Patras 2022) International Conference in Honour of Professor Menelaos Christopoulos (Patras 2023) The present volume, under the title Unveiling the Hidden Face of Antiquity: Mysteries and Cryptic Cults, hosts many (peer-reviewed) papers originally presented, as mentioned, at the Mysteries Conference (2022), along with some additional (peer-reviewed) papers providing a fuller survey of the book’s theme. By definition, this subject can only be covered through interdisciplinary research involving philological, archaeological, historical, anthropological, and philosophical approaches. To better display this rich material, the twenty-two chapters of the volume have been classified under five thematic parts: • Eleusinian Mysteries • Other Gods and Heroes • Ritual and Initiation • Poetry and Philosophy • Mysteries and Theater Part I (Eleusinian Mysteries) was de jure expected to have a place in a volume thematically oriented towards mysteries and cryptic cults. In this Part, Marion Meyer (“What Can Images Tell Us about the Athenians’ View of the Founder(s) of the Eleusinian Mysteries ?”) studies three rare fifth-century images of Eumolpos (= the eponymous hero of the genos who provided the hierophant) and of Keleos (= the king of the Eleusinians who hosted Demeter) which, together with Euripides’ Erechtheus, are the earliest evidence for the genealogy of the Mysteries’ mythical founder. 7 Prologue Mattia De Poli (“Aeschylus and the Eleusinian Mysteries: Further Sources for a “Famous” Accusation ?”) studies the sources related to Aeschylus’ accusation of impiety with regard to the Eleusinian Mysteries, adding new evidence and connecting these accusations to Aeschylus’ travels to Sicily towards the end of his life. Alice Clinch (“Epiphanic Encounters at Eleusis: Incandescent and Ephemeral Forms of Epiphany”) deals with Demeter’s epiphanies in Eleusis and, in particular, with non-anthropomorphic epiphanies, focusing mainly on revelations of the goddess experienced through fragrance and light. Eleni Fassa (“A Eumolpid in the Hellenistic oecoumene: The Case of Timotheus, the Eleusinian exēgētēs”) closes Part 1 suggesting that, in the Hellenistic period, mystic experience could eventually be accessible even far from Eleusis as presumed by the activity of the Eumolpid Timotheus who performed his hierophantic skills outside Eleusis and, in particular, in Ptolemaic Alexandria. Part II (Other Gods and Heroes) deals with rituals and cults related to gods – and heroes – other than Demeter and Persephone. This Part opens with Menelaos Christopoulos (“Dionysus’ Katabasis and the Mysteries of Lerna”), who studies a highly indecent narrative concerning Dionysus’ descent to the Underworld through the lake Alkyonia of Lerna, his encounter with Prosymnos, and the mystic cults performed on this occasion including a possible ritual re-enactment of that narrative. George W. M. Harrison (“Rome’s Embrace of Heracles”) studies the reception of Heracles in Rome and the two main concepts defining his heroic identity. During the Republic Heracles appears as “soterios”, (Hercules custos), a hero performing beneficial deeds. During the Empire this concept remains vigorous but a second Heracles emerges, a more “private”, sympotic Heracles, whose labors are paired with excess of power and outsized appetites. Ronald Blankenborg (“‘I will Pray to You as a God’: Menelaus’ Previewed Deification in the Odyssey”) focuses on Menelaus’ deification announced by Proteus in Odyssey 4 (in which he spots an aspect of mysticism) and associates this narrative with the worship of Menelaus and Helen in Sparta. Chiara Di Serio (“Julian and the Statue of the Mother of the Gods”) analyzes the journey of the statue of the Mother of the Gods from Phrygia to Rome and the display of the statue’s divine powers as narrated in Julian’s Hymn to the Mother of the Gods and elucidates the Greco-Roman ideas concerning the relationship between the gods and their statues. Andrea Sánchez i Bernet (“Ares’ Chthonic Connections in Classical Attic Sources”) examines the chthonic elements of Ares’ cult in Attica. Although his relation to war is dominant, the author detects some further characteristics related to frenzy and madness which may unexpectedly suggest a comparison with Dionysus. Elo-Mall Toomet (“Mysteries of the Argive Plain – Mysteries of the Argive polis ?”) closes the second Part by studying the cults of Dionysus, Demeter, and Hera in the Argive plain and exploring the incorporation of specific mythical narratives and cults into the official religion of the city of Argos. Part III (Ritual and Initiation) features papers associated with initiation rites. Olga Levaniouk (“Mystery Cows: Bovine Subplots in Initiation Narratives”) opens this Part with a chapter focusing on the phraseology, imagery, and symbolism generally associated with cows in narratives on Greek mysteries, whilst exploring, in particular, the specific significance attributed to bulls, cows, and calves. 8 Prologue Philip R. Bosman (“Julian the Sacrificer”) questions the story about Julian’s sacrificial practices, an odd story indeed since blood sacrifice was rather in decline in late antiquity. Julian’s practice may be linked to his theurgic persuasion (being one of Iamblichus’ disciples), his initiation into the Metroac mysteries and, finally, to the role he assigned to himself as emperor-priest. Marios Koutsoukos (“Visions of the Mithras Liturgy: The Role of Self-Initiation in Theurgic Ritual”) studies one of the most detailed descriptions of epiphanic experience we possess from Late Antiquity ( the ‘Mithras Liturgy’ found in the corpus of the Greek Magical Papyri) and tries to discover parallels between self-initiatory magical texts and Neoplatonic theurgy. Alessandra Giannuzzi (“Μονοκρήπιδες: The Symbol of the Barefoot”) studies the case of μονοκρήπιδες (persons wearing only one shoe) classifying them into three categories: 1) people who are about to be initiated 2) soldiers of primitive armies 3) people involved in a religious rite. She cites mythical examples for these categories and further questions the relationship between wearing one shoe and lameness. Jordi Redondo (“Literature, Ritual, Myth, and Gender Change: Mysticity and Mysticality”) studies literary evidence on cult and ritual concerning in particular gender change; he investigates Indo-european antecedents and explores the way hermaphroditism, transvestism, and bisexuality are perceived in the ancient Greek world. Part IV (Poetry and Philosophy) deals with literary genres associated par excellence with mysteries and cryptic cults. Richard Seaford (“Parmenidean Metaphysics and Mystic Initiation”) studies Parmenides’ thought starting from the assumption that Parmenides presents his ideas as if revealed in mystic initiation; further on, he explores the influence of mystic doctrine on the content of Parmenides’ thought, and in particular the unity of the cosmos and the unity of subject with object. Natasha Bershadsky (“Odysseus Running: Looms, Mirth, Dung, and Divine Presence”) examines the images on a skyphos from the Theban Kabiric sanctuary, which portray Odysseus with Circe on one side, and Odysseus running over the waves on the other, in combination with a scene of a footrace between Odysseus and Ajax from Iliad 23, featuring a simile of a weaving woman. She argues that in both cases the seemingly comical scenes contain references to the cultic subtext, respectively the banquets for the Kabiri in the case of the skyphos, and the Panathenaic festival in the Iliad scene. Giuseppe Zanetto (“Liturgical Eros: Sacred Space as a Space for Love”) studies religious festivals as a frequent topos where a girl and a boy meet for the first time and fall in love, and cites characteristic examples from Callimachus, Xenophon of Ephesus, and Chariton; he argues that, although this motif is mainly found in Hellenistic poetry and Greek novel, it can be considered as a variation of the Archaic oarismós already encountered in the Iliad. Smaro Nikolaidou-Arampatzi (“Paizein in Hades: Afterlife Bliss as a Playful and Innocent Condition”) argues that paizein depictions of the Underworld illustrate afterlife bliss as an innocent and playful condition, which can be considered as an eschatological version of immortality; she brings forward relevant examples from Pindar, Aristophanes, Plato, and Heraclitus indicating their subtle convergence and divergence. Efthymia Kafritsa (“Ἔρως as Mystic Initiation”) closes Part IV studying the representation of ἔρως as mystic initiation in Plato’s Symposium and Phaedrus, whilst searching for similar concepts in earlier texts (i. e. Aeschylus and Sophocles). She also stresses the similarity of structure that underlies the connection between erotic and mystic initiation. 9 Prologue Part V (Mysteries and Theater) explores the relation between mysteries and theater focusing, in particular, on Dionysian choreia and Greek Comedy. Vasiliki Kousoulini (“Dionysian Choreia as a Multisensory Experience in Ancient Greek Theater and Ancient Greek Literary Theory”) studies the performative forms in the dramatic appearances of Dionysian choreia in ancient Greek theater and examines their ‘reception’ by ancient Greek literary criticism, thereby displaying the interaction between ritual forms and aesthetic forms within the theatrical performance. Athina Papachrysostomou (“Blissful Afterlife and para prosdokian in Middle Comedy”) explores the way comic poets tried to exploit the mysteries without openly parodying them. To that end, she studies two representative comic fragments from Middle Comedy, where the playwrights satirize the belief about blissful afterlife through the ‘technique of disguise’, with no direct reference to the mysteries themselves. On the ground of the above mentioned studies, the editors hope that this volume provides a reliable, well documented, and multidimensional survey of the main questions pertaining to mysteries and cryptic cults in Greek and Roman antiquity. Our deepest thanks are addressed to the Department of Philology of the University of Patras for generously covering part of the expenses for the publication of this volume. Patras and Vienna, September 2023 Menelaos Christopoulos Marion Meyer Athina Papachrysostomou On December 6, 2023, our colleague and friend Richard Seaford passed away. We will greatly miss him and always remember him with admiration. Gratefully, we dedicate this volume to his memory. 10 Chiara Di Serio Julian and the Statue of the Mother of the Gods Abstract This paper focuses on the analysis of Julian’s passage in the Hymn to the Mother of the Gods regarding the journey of the statue of the goddess from Phrygia to Rome, following which her cult was first introduced to the city. Julian’s narrative provides us with fundamental elements for understanding the function of the cult statue of the Mother of the gods (Μήτηρ θεῶν). Julian recounts that the goddess showed the Romans that her statue was not an inanimate simulacrum, but indeed had divine power (Or. 8.160 a): since the ship carrying the statue of the goddess stopped at the mouth of the Tiber, only the young Claudia would be able to make it move and continue its journey upstream, after having girded the prow of the ship and invoked the goddess (Or. 8.160 b–d). Through these events, according to Julian, the goddess proved that no citizen could hide from her eyes (Or. 8.161 a). Julian’s account becomes clearer through comparison with other versions of the same episode. The aim of this study, therefore, is to clarify the elements of the story that highlight the Greco-Roman ideas concerning the relationship between the gods and their statues, and the cult actions performed by the worshippers. Key words: Emperor Julian, Mother of the Gods, cult statue, divine power, cult actions At the beginning of the Hymn to the Mother of the Gods (8.159 c –161 b)1 Julian dwells on the origins of the cult dedicated to the goddess.2 According to this account, the Romans, having listened to the Pythian god, transferred her statue from Phrygia to Rome, to gain her favor in the war against the Carthaginians.3 Julian provides several details on this episode. The Romans asked the kings of Pergamon and the Phrygians for the statue. Once they had received it, they boarded it on a ship and sailed to the mouth of the Tiber. The people of Rome, the senate, the priests and priestesses gathered to welcome the ship. As it approached, all prostrated themselves. Then – according to Julian’s words – the goddess wanted to prove that her simulacrum had supernatural powers. Therefore, when the ship touched the waters of the Tiber, the goddess suddenly stopped it in its tracks. The Roman citizens tried to pull the ship upstream, but it would not move. Then they tried to push it, but without success. At that point, a terrible suspicion arose in them that the virgin Claudia, consecrated to the priesthood of the goddess, had not remained pure, and that this sin must have angered the goddess. At first the maiden felt ashamed. Then she decided to act: she took off her girdle, wrapped it around the prow of the ship, ordered everyone to step aside and begged the goddess not to be unjustly defamed. Thus she succeeded in moving the ship: indeed, she even moved it upstream. These, in brief, are the events recounted in Julian’s narration. Soon after, he adds a series of observations on the interpretation of these events. Apart from the reconstruction of the historical context of the introduction of the cult of the Mother of the Gods (Magna Mater) in Rome – 1 The numbering of Julian’s orations follows the edition of Rochefort 1963. 2 On the cult of the Mother of the Gods, see Cumont 1906; Graillot 1912; Vermaseren 1977; Sfameni Gasparro 1985; Borgeaud 1996; Alvar 2008, 282 –293. 3 Historians date the episode to the Second Punic War, specifically to 204 BCE; cf. below n. 13. 101