in Grecian antiquity, a festival kept in honour of Ceres, every fourth year by some states, but by others every fifth. The Athenians celebrated it at Eleusis, a town of Attica; whence the name.

Ceres, says an Athenian orator (Isocrates), wandering in quest of her daughter Proserpine, came into Attica, where some good offices were done her, which it is unlawful for those who are not initiated to hear. In return she conferred two unparalleled benefits; to wit, the knowledge of agriculture, by which the human race is raised above the brute creation; and the mysteries, from which the partakers derive sweeter hopes than other men enjoy, both as to the present life and to eternity. It was the popular opinion, that the Eleusinian goddesses suggested prudent counsel to their votaries, and influenced their conduct; that these were respected in the infernal regions, and had precedence in the assemblies of the blessed; while the unhallowed were in utter darkness, wallowing in mire, or laboring to fill a leaky vessel. The Athenians were solicitous to secure these advantages to their children, by having them initiated as soon as was allowed.

Ceres was supposed to be particularly partial to Eleusis and its vicinity. There were the memorials of her presence and of her bounty; the well-named Calliborus, by which she had refted, in the reign of Erechtheus; the stone on which she sat, named the sorrowful; the Rharian plain, where barley was first sown; and the threshing-floor and altar of Triptolemus, a herdman whom she instructed in the culture of that grain, the use of which succeeded to acorns. Her mysteries continued to possess a pre-eminence in holiness, and to be accounted as much superior to all other religious festivals as the gods were to the heroes. Even the garments worn at the solemnity were supposed to partake of their efficacy, and to be endowed with signal virtues. It was usual to retain them until they were purified; and then to dedicate them in the temple, or to reserve them for the purpose of wrapping new-born children.

The mystic temple, as it was called, provided by Pericles for the solemnity, created such awe by its sanctity as could be equalled only by the effect of its beauty and magnitude, which excited astonishment in every beholder. The profane or uninitiated were forbidden to enter it on any pretence. Two young Arcarnanians happened inadvertently to mix with the crowd at the season of the mysteries, and to go in; but the question suggested by their ignorance presently betrayed them, and their intrusion was punished with death. The chief priest, hierophant, or mystagogue, was taken from the Eumolpidae, a holy family flourishing at Athens, and descended from Eumolpus, a shepherd and favourite of Ceres. He was enjoined celibacy, and wore a stole or long garment, his hair, and a wreath of myrtle. The grand requisites in his character were strength and melody of voice, solemnity of deportment, magnificence, and great decorum. Under him, besides many of inferior station, was the daduchus or torch-bearer, who had likewise his hair, with a fillet; the priest, who officiated at the altar; and the hieroceryx or sacred herald; all very important personages. The latter was of a family which claimed the god Mercury and Aglauros the daughter of Cecrops for its ancestors.

The secrecy in which the mysteries were enveloped, served to enhance the idea of their consequence, and to increase the desire of participation. It was so particular, that no person was allowed even to name the hierophant by whom he had been initiated. Public abhorrence and detestation awaited the babbler, and the law directed he should die.

The Athenians suffered none to be initiated into these mysteries but such as were members of their city. This regulation, which compelled Hercules, Castor, and Pollux, to become citizens of Athens, was strictly observed in the first ages of the institution, but afterwards all persons, barbarians excepted, were freely initiated.

The festivals were divided into great and lesser mysteries. The lesser were instituted from the following circumstance. Hercules passed near Eleusis while the Athenians were celebrating the mysteries, and desired to be initiated. As this could not be done, because he was a stranger, and as Eumolpus was unwilling to displease him on account of his great power, and the services which he had done to the Athenians, another festival was instituted without violating the laws. It was called μαγεία, and Hercules was solemnly admitted to the celebration and initiated. These lesser mysteries were observed at Agrae near the Ilissus. The greater were celebrated at Eleusis, from which place Ceres has been called Eleusinia. In later times the smaller festivals were preparatory to the greater, and no person could be initiated at Eleusis without a previous purification at Agrae. This purification they performed by keeping themselves pure, chastest, and unpolluted, during nine days; after which they came and offered sacrifices and prayers, wearing garlands of flowers, called ἀρτεμία or ἀρτεμίας, and having under their feet Διός κάλυπτος, Jupiter's skin, which was the skin of a victim offered to that god. The person who assisted was called ὑδροποιός, from ὕδωρ, water, which was used at the purification, and they themselves were called συντετατοί, the initiated.

A year after the initiation at the lesser mysteries they sacrificed a sow to Ceres, and were admitted in the greater, and the secrets of the festivals were solemnly revealed to them, from which they were called ἐποικοδόμοι and ἐποικοδόμοι, inspectors.

This festival was observed in the month Boedromion or September, and continued nine days from the 15th till the 23rd. During that time it was unlawful to arrest any man or present any petition, on pain of forfeiting a thousand drachmas, or according to others on pain of death. It was also unlawful for those who were initiated to sit upon the cover of a well, to eat beans, mullets, or weasels. If any woman rode to Eleusis in a chariot, she was obliged by an edict of Lycurgus to pay 6,000 drachmas. The design of this law was to destroy all distinction between the richer and poorer sort of citizens. When the season approached, the mystae or persons who had been initiated only in the lesser mysteries, repaired to Eleusis to be instructed in the ceremonial. The service for the opening of the temple, with morning sacrifice, was performed. The ritual was then produced from the sanctuary. It was enveloped in symbolical figures of animals, which suggested words compendiously, in letters with ligatures, implicated, the tops huddled together, or disposed circularly like a wheel; the whole utterly inexplicable to the profane. The cake, which was called Petroma, consisted of two stones exactly fitted. The mysterious record was replaced after the reading, and closed up until a future festival. The principal rite was nocturnal, and confined to the temple and its environs. The mystae waited without, with impatience and apprehension. Lamentations and strange noises were heard. It thundered. Flashes of light and of fire rendered the deep succeeding darkness more terrible. They were beaten, and perceived not the hand. They beheld frightful apparitions, monsters, and phantoms of a canine form. They were filled with terror, became perplexed and unable to stir. The scene then suddenly changed to brilliant and agreeable. The propylaea or vestibules of the temple were opened, the curtains withdrawn, the hidden things displayed. They were introduced by the hierophant and daduchus, and the former showed them the mysteries. The splendor of illumination, the glory of the temple and of the images, the ringing and dancing which accompanied the exhibition, all contributed to soothe the mind after its late agitation, and to render the wondering devotee tranquil and self-satisfied. After this inspection, or, as it was called, the autopia, they retired, and others advanced. The succeeding days were employed in purification, in sacrifice, in pompous processions, and spectacles, at which they assisted, wearing myrtle-crowns. The second day was called ἀπὸ μορίας, to the sea, you that are initiated; because they were commanded to purify themselves by bathing in the sea. On the third day sacrifices, and chiefly a mullet, were offered; as also barley from a field of Eleusis. These oblations were called θυσίαι, and held so sacred that the priests themselves were not, as in other sacrifices, permitted to partake of them. On the fourth day they made a solemn procession, in which the ἁγιάσιον, holy basket of Ceres was carried about in a consecrated cart, while on every side the people shouted Ἀληθεῖ, Hail, Ceres! After these followed women, called κυκλώποι, who carried baskets, in which was saffron, carded wool, grains of salt, a serpent, pomegranates, reeds, ivy boughs, certain cakes, &c. The fifth was called ὁ τρίτος ἡμέρας ἐπιφάνεια, the torch day; because on the following night the people ran about with torches in their hands. It was usual to dedicate torches to Ceres, and contend which should offer the biggest, in commemoration of the travels of the goddess, and of her lighting a torch in the flames of mount Etna. The sixth day was called ἑξήμερος, from Iacchus, the son of Jupiter and Ceres, who accompanied his mother in her search after Proserpine with a torch in his hand. From that circumstance his statue had a torch in his hand, and was carried in solemn procession from the Geranious to Eleusis. The statue with those that accompanied it, called ἱεράγοντες, was crowned with myrtle. In the way nothing was heard but singing and the noise of brazen kettles as the votaries danced along. The way through which they issued from the city was called ἐπὶ ὁδός, the sacred way, the resting place ἐπὶ σταύρῳ, from a fig-tree which grew in the neighborhood. They also stopped on a bridge over the Cephissus, where they derided those that passed by. After they had passed this bridge, they entered Eleusis by a place called ἐπιφάνεια, the mystical entrance.

On the seventh day were sports, in which the victors were rewarded with a measure of barley, as that grain had been first sown in Eleusis. The eighth day was called ἐπιφάνεια, because once Asclepius at his return from Epidaurus to Athens was initiated by the repetition of the less mysteries. It became customary, therefore, to celebrate them a second time upon this, that such as had not hitherto been initiated might be lawfully admitted. The ninth and last day of the festival was called ἐπιφάνεια, earthen vessels, because it was usual to fill two such vessels with wine; one of which being placed towards the east, and the other towards the west; which, after the repetition of some mystical words, were both thrown down, and the wine being spilt on the ground was offered as a libation.

The story of Ceres and Proserpine, the foundation of the Eleusinian mysteries, was partly local. It was both verbally delivered, and represented in allegorical show. Proserpine was gathering flowers when she was stolen by Pluto. Hence the procession of the holy basket, which was placed on a car dragged along by oxen, and followed by a train of females, some carrying the mystic chests, shouting, Hail, Ceres! At night a procession was made with lighted torches, to commemorate the goddess searching for her daughter. A measure of barley, the grain which, it was believed, she had given, was the reward of the victors in the gymnastic exercises; and the transaction at the temple had a reference to the legend. A knowledge of these things and places, from which the profane were excluded, was the amount of initiation; and the mode of it, which had been devised by craft, was skilfully adapted to the reigning superstitions. The operation was forcible, and the effect in proportion. The priesthood flourished as piety increased. The dispensation was corrupt, but its tendency not malignant. It produced sanctity of manners and an attention to the social duties; desire to be as distinguished by what was deemed virtue as by silence.

Some have supposed the principal rites at this festival to have been obscene and abominable, and that from thence proceeded all the mysterious secrecy. They were carried from Eleusis to Rome in the reign of Adrian, where they were observed with the same ceremonies as before, though perhaps with more freedom and licentiousness. They lasted about 1800 years, and were at last abolished by Theodosius the Great.