CHAP. XV. CHIEF PERSONS AT ELEUSIS. 329 



Eleusinian mysteries were accounted sacred, and 

 of no less efficacy to avert evils than charms and 

 incantations. They were therefore never cast off 

 till completely worn out. Nor was it then usual to 

 throw them away ; but they were made into swad- 

 dling clothes for children, or consecrated to Ceres 

 and Proserpine. 



*' The chief person who attended at the initiation 

 was called ispoipaurrig, ' the revealer of holy things.' 

 He was a citizen of Athens, and held his office 

 during life ; though amongst the Celeans and 

 Phliasians it was customary for him to resign his 

 place every fourth year, at the time of the fes- 

 tival. He was obliged to devote himself wholly 

 to divine service, and to live a chaste and single 

 life ; to which end it was usual for him to anoint 

 himself with the juice of hemlock, which, by 

 its extreme coldness, is said to extinguish in a 

 great measure the natural heat. The hierophantes 

 had three assistants ; the first of whom was called, 

 from his office, ha^ou^og, ^torch-hearer*,* and to 

 him it was permitted to marry ; the second was 

 the xr^po^, or * herald ;' the third ministered at 

 the altar, and was for that reason named o stti 

 TO) ^(jofjLcp. The hierophantes is said to have been 

 a type of the great Creator of all things, the ou- 

 ^ou^og of the Sun, the xTjpu^ of Mercury, and 

 STTI Ttp ^a)y.M of the Moon. 



* An inscription on one of the tombs of the Kings at Thebes was 

 written by a " daSovxof; tu)v ayuorarojv EXevmi'to}' /.ivariipioji'" in the time 

 of Constantine. This was about sixty years before those mysteries were 

 abolished by Theodosius. 



