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.