Esoteric Herodotus

Let's talk about Herodotus.  We all know he was a Greek historian who is now considered the original historian because he left us complete writings on the lives of prominent kings, famous battles, and myths and ideologies of the the day; but did you know he was an esoteric, a side of him we seldom read about?  And so, let us read:

• Mystery Cults: 

  Herodotus describes initiation-based mystery cults, such as the Eleusinian Mysteries, which took place away from public view. His accounts of these events can be interpreted as revealing secret, spiritual practices. 
• Divine and Supernatural Elements:

   He reports on various supernatural events, including omens, dreams, and prophecies. Some interpretations see these not just as accounts of Greek beliefs but as potentially holding deeper symbolic or allegorical meanings. 
• Sacred Geography: 

  The concept of Hyperborea, a sacred land beyond the north wind inhabited by a long-lived people, has been interpreted in later esoteric traditions as a forgotten, advanced civilization. 
• Symbolic Numerology: 

  Herodotus's work contains numerous symbolic numbers and patterns. While sometimes interpreted as part of ancient mystical traditions, some scholars suggest they were inherited from his sources rather than being his own invention. 
• Metaphorical Practices: 

  Accounts of practices like the "sacred marriage" at Babylon were likely understood by Herodotus to be metaphorical rather than literal descriptions of religious rituals. 

Interpretations of these elements:

• Literary and Ethnographic Focus:

   Many scholars view Herodotus's inclusion of such elements as part of his literary technique to make his narratives more engaging and to provide ethnographic and cultural context for his stories. 
• Historical Accuracy: 

  While he is sometimes criticized for including myths, legends, and religious beliefs, he also provides valuable information that, when cross-referenced, shows a decent degree of accuracy. 
• Finally, from a page in the Herodotus Help Line written by Hugh Bowden - no shit, google it - we read: 

   

  Herodotus refers to a number of what we call mystery cults in his history. The term ‘mystery cult’ is generally used to refer to cults which involved initiation, and by extension certain ecstatic cults (like ‘bacchic’ worship of Dionysos), which often took place away from public view. Because secrecy was a significant element in their performance, we often have very limited information about what they involved. The best known festival was the Eleusinian Mysteries, celebrated at Eleusis in Attika every year. In his account of the events leading up to the Battle of Salamis, Herodotus describes how two exiles who are travelling with the Persian court, Dikaios, an Athenian, and Demaratos, ex-king of Sparta, see a great swirl of dust rising up from the plain near Eleusis, and hear the sound of 30,000 people shouting. Dikaios says that this was the sound of the procession to Eleusis for the Mysteries, and explains some of the public aspects of the festival to Demaratos. He says that it foretells defeat for the Persians, presumably thanks to intervention of the goddesses of Eleusis, Demeter and Kore. Herodotus elsewhere offers evidence that those who violated the sanctuary at Eleusis were punished. Herodotus however gives no indication about whether he was himself an initiate at Eleusis.

  The names of the gods honoured in mystery cults were often not directly referred to. So, at Eleusis Demeter’s daughter is always referred to as Kore (‘the maid’), and in the Peloponnese there are mysteries to a daughter of Demeter who is referred to as Despoina (‘the mistress’). A number of mysteries are in honour of ‘the Great Gods’ (known in Samothrace, and in Andania in Messenia and elsewhere) or of named groups like the Korybantes (known in Athens) or the Kabeiroi (known from Boeotia and Lemnos). We cannot assume that the identity of these nameless gods was actually known to anyone. It does seem likely that Herodotus was initiated into the mysteries of the Great Gods of Samothrake. He refers to these mysteries as belonging to the Kabeiroi, which was not the case (there is no reference to the Kabeiroi on any Samothrakian inscriptions). This would appear to be an example of Herodotus putting his own interpretation on an experience in which a lot was left unexplained. Herodotus also mentions the mysteries of Achaian Demeter, which he says are practised by an Athenian family, the Gephyraioi (the family of the Tyrannicides, Harmodios and Aristogeiton), and no other Athenians. Frustratingly, we know nothing more about this cult.

  Enough written!

  ~~ Eso Terry