sdi

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Happy Hermes-Day! Can we talk about Teiresias for a second? That whole thing with the snakes [item 3] has been bothering me.

So if you're recall, one day blind Teiresias was walking on Mount Kullene (the birthplace of Hermes), stumbled across two snakes entwined in sex, and he accidentally crushes one or both of them with his staff. Hera was infuriated at this and changed Teiresias into a woman. Teiresias becomes a priestess of Hera. At some point, Apollo advises Teiresias that if he ever happens upon the same situation to crush one or the other of the snakes with his staff; in the eighth year of being a woman, Teiresias does and is restored to his original form.

This is clearly a story about reincarnation in order to learn a particular lesson: Teiresias is each of us, Teiresias's sex-change is reincarnating into different bodies, Hera is "mother Earth" and becoming her priestess is to devote oneself to learning her lessons; Apollo is the mysteries and his advice is the mystery teachings; eight years is a "great year" representing one's greater life (Apollodoros, Library III iv §2).

All that is very straightforward, I think; the only question is, what is the lesson to be learned? It has something to do with polarity, certainly, which already puts me at a disadvantage since I'm of a monistic bent and have a difficult time making sense of dualities; but it is further complicated by the fact that almost every version of the story we possess tells it differently. I tend to trust Apollodoros more than the others, but his version is itself ambiguous, so we're on our own.

Thinking about this, though, reminded me of the Ra Material; if you're not familiar with it, it's one of the major channeled texts of the New Age movement. (Since it's a channeled text, we're already in super-grain-of-salt-territory, but bear with me.) "Ra" states that there are seven degrees of consciousness, and that each degree of consciousness has a lesson to learn in order for beings of that consciousness to move to the next degree of consciousness. First degree beings (like minerals) are static and inanimate, and their lesson is to learn to move and grow. Second degree beings (like plants and animals) are animate but unselfconscious, and their lesson is to learn individuality. We humans are third degree beings, and our lesson is to learn to relate the individual to the all. "Ra" says that there are two polarities of relating to the all: the positive pole of giving to others or compassion, and the negative pole of taking from others or selfishness; since all is one, both the love of others and the love of self are ways of loving the all, and so either way can carry one upwards, but the crucial point is to develop enough reflective capacity and will to be capable of actively choosing a path.

Of course, all models are wrong, but some are useful: true or not, "Ra's" model certainly has the merit of making sense of the snakes. The female snake is the negative pole (and let me stress that I'm not denouncing women, I am referring strictly to the inward-attracting direction of any negative pole); the male snake is the positive pole (as outward-emitting); Teiresias is doomed to reincarnation by being incapable of choosing a path (his first killing is accidental); over a great year he studies the lessons of earth, guided by the mysteries; finally, he is freed from reincarnation by choosing a path (his second killing is willed). Perhaps it even makes sense of why so many variants of the story are recorded: a "pure" version of the story, like the "Ra" material, stresses the free will of the individual to choose as they please; however, "moralistic" versions of the story might urge the individual to prefer one or the other polarity. (And I can certainly sympathize with this: I would, myself, much rather hasten to the light in love than sound the darkness in isolation.)

Penises (as emblematic of male sexuality) are really all over the mysteries, from the phalluses in the temples of Osiris to the thursoi of Dionusos. (Hell, if you haven't read De Dea Syria, there's a veritable boatload of penises in there for you.) I've always thought that's pretty weird to say the least, but if it's an injunction towards the positive pole, that would at least make some sense of it.

It is interesting to me that Hermes picked up the image of the story as his symbol, carrying always the kerukeion with it's two snakes coiling around Teiresias's cornel-wood staff, topped by the wings which the development of will grants. It is interesting that this became Hermes's symbol even though Athena also figures prominently in the Teiresias myth; we see just the opposite in the Perseus myth, where Perseus is guided by both gods, but only Athena took her symbol—the head of Medousa affixed to a shield—from there.

For all the time I've spent lately on the deeds of Akhilles and the cunning of Odusseus, it is worth noting that the only Homeric example of avoiding Haides is the love of Menelaos:

σοι δ᾽ οὐ θέσφατόν ἐστι, διοτρεφὲς ὦ Μενέλαε,
Ἄργει ἐν ἱπποβότῳ θανέειν καὶ πότμον ἐπισπεῖν,
ἀλλά σ᾽ ἐς Ἠλύσιον πεδίον καὶ πείρατα γαίης
ἀθάνατοι πέμψουσιν, ὅθι ξανθὸς Ῥαδάμανθυς,
τῇ περ ῥηίστη βιοτὴ πέλει ἀνθρώποισιν:
οὐ νιφετός, οὔτ᾽ ἂρ χειμὼν πολὺς οὔτε ποτ᾽ ὄμβρος,
ἀλλ᾽ αἰεὶ Ζεφύροιο λιγὺ πνείοντος ἀήτας
Ὠκεανὸς ἀνίησιν ἀναψύχειν ἀνθρώπους:
οὕνεκ᾽ ἔχεις Ἑλένην καί σφιν γαμβρὸς Διός ἐσσι.

"But it is not ordained for you, blessed Menelaos,
to die and meet your end in pastoral Argos,
but to the Elusion plain at earth's end
the immortals will send you, where auburn Rhadamanthus is,
where life is easiest for men—
neither snow nor heavy storms nor rain,
but always gusts of Zephuros's whistling breezes
Okeanos sends up to refresh men—
because you have Helene and they consider you Zeus's family."

(Proteus speaking. Homer, Odyssey IV 561–9, as translated—hopefully not too badly!—by yours truly.)

The first men on earth to receive knowledge of the gods, and to build temples and shrines and to summon meetings for religious observances are said to have been the Egyptians. They were the first, too, to take cognizance of holy names, and to repeat sacred traditions. Not long after them the Assyrians heard from the Egyptians their doctrines as to the gods, and they reared temples and shrines: in these they placed statues and images.

(Pseudo-Lucian, On the Syrian Goddess II.)

Okay, this is wild-eyed speculation, but hear me out.

The original mystery cult was that of Isis and Osiris. This cult got around, but everyone interpreted it differently, and consequently you ended up with multiple competing chains of transmission, and by the time they all got to Greece, prospective initiates had quite an array of Mysteries to choose from. This was itself mythologized in the Judgement of Paris: the golden apple is the soul, but the three goddesses contending for the apple are representative of the ways in which the cult teachings were interpreted, and how a prospective initiate (Paris) would have to select between them.

The first line of transmission focuses on devotion and participation in mythic relationships, hence is symbolized by Aphrodite. The initiate would gain "the love of the most beautiful girl in the world," that is, the consideration of some divinity who would remain mindful of the them and support them after death. (I think, here, of how Aphrodite is always whisking Her own from the killing fields of Troy.) Cults and myths in this line of transmission include:

• Inana's Descent to the Netherworld (Sumer)
• Ishtar's Descent to the Netherworld (Assyria)
• Cult of Astarte (Phoenecia)
• Aphrodite and Adonis (Greece by way of Cyprus)

The second line of transmission focuses on understanding reality and using that understanding to transcend human existence, hence is symbolized by Athena. The initiate would gain knowledge which would allow them to navigate the after-death world in such a way as to avoid reincarnating. Cults and myths in this line of transmission include:

• Theseus and the Minotaur (Crete)
• Cult of Dionysus (Greece by way of Crete? Note how Dionysus marries Ariadne, suggesting a claim of legitimate succession to the Minoan cult.)
• Cult of Orpheus (Greece by way of Cyprus? Note how Orpheus was torn to shreds by Mainads, suggesting competition with the cult of Dionysus.)
• The Epic Cycle (Greece. Note how the whole stupid thing is Odysseus' fault (but that Aphrodite is repeatedly blamed and belittled, suggesting competition with Her cult), and that his return home is effected through his cleverness and the intervention of Athena.)
• Cupid and Psyche (Rome)

The third line of transmission focuses on overcoming one's limitations through the development of one's inherent (but latent) divine powers, hence is symbolized by Hera. The initiate would gain power and mastery over the world (by gaining power and mastery over themselves). Cults and myths in this line of transmission include:

• Cult of Gilgamesh (Sumer, Assyria. Note how Gilgamesh spurns Ishtar, while Dumuzid embraces Her, suggesting competition with that cult.)
• The Labors of Heracles (Greece)
• The Cult of Orion (Greece, and especially Boeotia)
• Jason and the Argonauts (Greece)

Finally, there are a great many myths that touch on these themes and so are part of the general framework, but don't explicitly teach a way out and so are more basic, introductory, or universalizing:

• The Garden of Eden (Canaan)
• The Eleusinian Mysteries (Greece)
• Narcissus (Greece)
• Parable of the Prodigal Son (Judea)

Socrates. [...] I think, indeed, that [Hesiod] calls [dæmons] a "golden race," not as naturally composed from gold, but as being beautiful and good: but I infer this, from his denominating our race an "iron" one.

(Plato, Cratylus 397e)

When asked how men might live most virtuously and most justly, Thales said, "If we never do ourselves what we blame in others."

(Diogenes Laertius, The Lives and Opinions of the Eminent Philosophers I ii "Thales" §19)

One wonders if the "golden race" is "golden" because they practice the "golden rule?"

Let your mind be dispassionate, and your heart, compassionate.

I went out for a walk to do my prayers this morning. While I was walking, I heard an awful croak above me. I turned to look and ducked just in time, as a crow nearly struck me as it was chased by a dove. I watched them scuffle for a few moments before the crow finally flew off, apparently defeated.

Plato (in the Symposium) and Plotinus (in III v "On Love" and VI ix "On the Good") made a pretty big deal of the distinction between vulgar love and heavenly love, treating the former as being of the sensible world and the latter as being of the intelligible world, and therefore capital-B Better. But I'm not so sure this is so: is it not the case that the nature of the sensible world is separation, while the nature of the intelligible world is unity?

This would lead me to expect that while there are many kinds of love here in the sensible world, all of them should blend together into a harmonious whole There in the intelligible world. Here we speak of physical sex, emotional affection, imaginal devotion; but There, Love is all of these at once and more. Here, we have Aphrodite Pandemos and Aphrodite Ourania; but There, there is only Aphrodite.

Cupid and Psyche is obviously an allegory of the descent and reascent of the soul, and keys to unlocking it can be found in Plato's Republic and Symposium and Plotinus' Enneads (III v, VI ix). But it is helpful to have an outline of the fable so one can unpack it, point by point. On this day of Venus, in the hopes of helping any who are interested in hazarding the attempt, here is a first draft of such an outline—I do not believe I have missed any salient points, but I'll do another pass over it at some point to double-check (and welcome any corrections in the comments)!

Going through the story like this, so as to pick out each important feature, was a very valuable exercise! There were a number of points in the story that I hadn't noticed or paid much attention to, and which are crucial to the philosophy behind it.

1. A king and queen have three beautiful daughters. The youngest and loveliest daughter is named Psyche.

2. The multitude worships Psyche instead of Venus.

3. Venus is enraged and summons Cupid to punish Psyche by causing her to fall in love with the most wretched of men.

4. Cupid is enchanted with Psyche, pricks Himself with one of His arrows, and resolves to marry her.

5. Psyche's sisters are happily married. Psyche, worshipped only from afar, sorrows her loneliness and hates her beauty.

6. Psyche is told in an oracle that she is to be wed to a monster fearsome even to Jove. Her family laments and her wedding is celebrated as if it were a funeral, but Psyche resigns herself to her fate.

7. Psyche is left alone on a lofty mountain. Zephyr carries her to a richly decorated palace in a beautiful valley.

8. Psyche discovers that the palace is hers by marriage and is filled with servants which she can hear but not see. She enjoys the palace.

9. Cupid and Psyche are illicitly wed. Cupid comes to Psyche every night, but always leaves before morning and Psyche never sees Him.

10. Psyche's family is in mourning.

11. Cupid warns Psyche against her sisters. Psyche sorrows her loneliness and begs permission to see her sisters and give them gifts. Cupid consents on the condition that Psyche tell her sisters nothing of Him and that she never attempt to look at Him.

12. Psyche entertains her sisters at her palace and gives them lavish gifts. The sisters inquire after her husband, but Psyche keeps Him a secret. The sisters burn with envy and resolve to destroy her.

13. Cupid tells Psyche that she is pregnant, and again warns her against her sisters, saying that if she keeps Him a secret from them, the child will be divine; but if she reveals Him, the child will be mortal. Psyche rejoices.

14. Psyche again entertains her sisters at her palace. The sisters again inquire after her husband, but Psyche keeps Him a secret. Psyche's sisters nonetheless deduce that she has married a god and burn with greater envy.

15. Psyche's sisters convince her that her husband is a monster and urge her to take a lamp and a dagger in the middle of the night, look upon him, and slay him. Psyche is tormented by fear and worry.

16. Psyche discovers her husband is Cupid and intentionally pricks herself with one of His arrows. Cupid awakens, sees that his wife has broken her promise, admonishes her, and takes flight.

17. Psyche throws herself into a river, intending to kill herself, but the river carries her to a riverbank downstream.

18. Psyche meets Pan. Pan advises her to cease attempting suicide, lay aside her sorrow, and instead assuage Cupid through worship.

19. Psyche wanders. She chances to meet her sisters, one after the other, telling them that her husband was Cupid, and that, as punishment for her attempted murder, banished her and would wed the sister, instead. Each sister, blind with lust, rushes to Cupid's palace and dies.

20. A seagull gossips Cupid and Psyche's story to Venus. Venus is scandalized. She berates Cupid and locks Him in a room, but is prevented from punishing Him further through the intervention of Ceres and Juno.

21. Psyche wanders. She eventually chances upon a temple of Ceres and a temple of Juno, one after the other, and beseeches aid. Ceres and Juno each refuse, but do not detain Psyche.

22. Venus summons Mercury to proclaim to all that She has placed a bounty on Psyche. Psyche hears of it and hastens to the temple of Venus.

23. Venus taunts and torments Psyche.

24. Venus assigns Psyche the task of sorting a large heap of mixed grains under a severe time limit. Psyche is stupified by the enormity of the task. A colony of ants take pity on Psyche and complete the task for her.

25. Venus assigns Psyche the task of collecting fleece from a flock of violent sheep. Psyche attempts to drown herself in a neighboring river, but a reed takes pity on Psyche and advises her on how to complete the task safely, and she does so.

26. Venus assigns Psyche the task of filling a jar from a Stygian spring guarded by fierce dragons. The spring advises Psyche not to make the attempt and she is petrified with fear. An eagle takes pity on Psyche and fills the jar for her.

27. Venus assigns Psyche the final task of taking a box to Hades and asking Proserpine to fill it with some of Her beauty. Psyche climbs a lofty tower with the intent of jumping from its top, but the tower takes pity on Psyche and advises her on how to complete the task safely, even amid traps laid by Venus, and she does so.

28. Anxious to be reunited with Cupid and hopeful of claiming a little of the beauty within, Psyche opens the box before delivering it to Venus; however, the box contains only death. Psyche dies.

29. Cupid escapes confinement, puts death back into its box, and awakens Psyche with one of his arrows.

30. Psyche delivers the box to Venus.

31. Cupid pleads his case to Jove. Jove summons all the gods and legitimates Cupid and Psyche's marriage.

32. Psyche is fetched to Olympus and given ambrosia, making her divine. A wedding feast is held.

33. Psyche bears Cupid a daughter, whom they name Pleasure.

In the fable of Cupid and Psyche, Psyche is required to undertake various tasks on behalf of Venus in order to reascend from the sensible world to the intellectual world. Each of these is meant to destroy her, but each time, she receives aid:

• Her first task is to sort a large pile of seeds and grains by type under severe time constraints. She is aided by a colony of ants, a creature of the earth.

• Her second task is to collect fleece from a flock of man-eating sheep. She is advised by a reed, a creature of the water.

• Her third task is to fill a pitcher from a Stygian spring guarded by fierce dragons. She is aided by an eagle, a creature of the air.

• Her fourth task is to descend to Hades and fetch some of Proserpine's beauty. She is advised by an tower enchanted by a spirit, a creature of fire.

That the elements give aid to Psyche is an obscure way of saying that our sojourn here in the sensible world is governed by Providence: it is not a punishment for sin but rather how we learn to apprehend Love.

The tasks themselves, too, are representative of what we need to learn in the body: the tedium of manual labor (growing and managing of grain), the crafts of civilized life (animal husbandry and the spinning of wool), the mastery of social custom (the Styx is representative of oaths), and finally the overcoming of death itself (going to and returning alive from Hades).

III 5: On Love

Love is simply the action of the soul: when we say that soul moves in orbits, the soul is the lover, the focus of the orbit the beloved, and the gravitational attraction binding one to the other is desire.

This is what is meant when the Theologists speak of Aphrodite: Aphrodite Ourania is the highest divine Soul itself, being the daughter of Kronos, the highest divine Mind. Aphrodite Pandemos is a lower divine soul, being the daughter of Zeus, the demiurge. Eros, said to be Aphrodite's son, is the desire that prompts Her motion.

Lower souls act in imitation of these higher ones: we have spoken of this process already, and this is why Eros is said by Plato to be a dæmon: He is the production of a soul, and a production must be of a lower category. In this sense, Eros is not one but many: just as superdivine Aphrodite begets a divine Eros, so too does a divine soul—like our own—beget a dæmonic Eros in imitation of Her.

So too does Plato speak of Poverty and Plenty and the garden of Zeus and so on: these are not meant literally, but as metaphors for this process by which the soul imitates and strives toward the Good.

I think it's elegant how Plotinus makes Ouranos to be that which is beyond, Kronos to be the definition of Beauty, Aphrodite Ourania is the most beautiful thing so defined, and Eros to be the mediator by which She operates, weaving all the while a fractal universe out of this. (The above is the hypercosmic order; the same process repeats a level down to produce the cosmic; the same process repeats a level down to produce the microcosmic; etc.) In a sense, Plotinus' whole philosophy is a philosophy of Love. Plotinus' own discussion of this is in §§2–4.

As for Plato, well, Diotima did say that she was speaking of the "higher mysteries" of Love, so I guess Plotinus is justified in taking her words to be veiled. Still, as an open and frank person, I rather dislike it. Plotinus' unpacking of Plato begins in §5.