Ceremony for the degree of Sublime Sage, or Grand Pontiff of Ogygia, 59°

Dit Amerikaanse rituaal dateert uit de tweede helft van de negentiende eeuw.



Explanation of the Poetic Myths of Antiquity. Mythology says that after the human race had developed a civilization of its own a thousand sorrows arose by the opening of the "Box of Pandora", with which the Gods had dowered her when she married Epemethius the brother of Prometheus, who as we have said, in previous degrees, stole heavenly fire to dower the Cabin. For centuries the races, thus illuminated, grew in skill and pride. At length a great flood arose to destroy them, it covered the land and everything perished. In Atlica and Boetia it is called the Ogygian Flood, after the legendary King Ogyges; in Argos the lndchiamn Flood after King Inachus. Sometimes it is called the Dukaion Flood, said to be the only son of Promethius and Pyrrlta the daughter of Epimethius; his son Hellen is said to be father of the Hellenes and his sons Ailos, Doros, Zanthos, Ion, and Acliaios, the Aryon Greeks who devasted the old Pelasgians.

Again Ulysses on leaving Troy arrives at the island of the goddess Circe whose hospitality has a herb potion which transformed his company into Swine, i.e. brutalised them by sensuality. Hermes the Greek name of Thoth, protects Ulysses and gave him a sacred plant, Black was the root, but milky white the flower; Moly the name, to mortals hard to find. Circe’s Magic arts failing, by the spiritual virtue of the plant, she proposes a Union, and swears,

By those dread oaths that tie the powers below, the blessed in the sky, and then restores her swine to human shape. After one year in this state, Ulysses is prepared to converse with the Shades and enters the Cimmerian Cavern leading to Tartarius. The necessary sacrifices are made, the blood of which is used by the Shades to enable themselves to assume a corporeal shape. After visiting Tartarius the hero begins his voyage and reaches the island of Ogygia, where lie begins a happy life with Calipso, and remains seven years with her till Hermes commands his return to his own land..

We have again the journey to fetch the golden fleece, which the Alchemists assert was their Transmutation, and they symbolised it by the plant Ably. Ogygia was the name of one of the gates of Thebes. The Mythology of Greece, like that of Egypt is threefold: human, cosmogonical, and spiritual; and we have a specimen of the latter in the beautiful fable of Cupid and Psyche.

Sign: place open right hand below the eyes, thumb erect, and forming a square on the temple.

Touch: left hand on sword guard, right on each others right shoulders.

Password: as last.

Secret Word: Ogygia.

Battery: *   *   *.

Jewel and Symbol: a square on which is a pen and above that a Star.

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