Theos-Talk Archives (September 2004 Message tt00680)

THE KABEIRIA MYSTERIES

...If one studies comparative Theogony, it is easy to find that the 
secret of these "Fires" was taught in the Mysteries of every ancient 
people, pre-eminently in Samothrace. There is not the smallest doubt 
that the Kabeiri, the most arcane of all the ancient deities, gods 
and men, great deities and Titans, are identical with the Kumaras 
and Rudras headed by Kartikeya... [[Vol. 2, Page]] 86 THE SECRET 
DOCTRINE.


Those who know anything of the Samothracian mysteries will also 
remember that the generic name of the Kabiri was the "Holy Fires," 
which created on seven localities of the island of Electria (or 
Samothrace). According to Pindar (See "Philosophumena," Miller's 
edition, p. 98), this Kabir, whose name was Adamas, was, in the 
traditions of Lemnos, the type of the primitive man born from the 
bosom of the Earth. He was the Archetype of the first males in the 
order of generation, and was one of the seven autochthonous 
ancestors or progenitors of mankind (ibid, p. 108). If, while 
coupling with this the fact that Samothrace was colonised by the 
Phœnicians, and before them by the mysterious Pelasgians who came 
from the East, one remembers also the identity of the mystery gods 
of the Phœnicians, Chaldeans, and Israelites, it will be easy to 
discover whence came also the confused account of the Noachian 
deluge. S D, Vol. 2 - page 3

You say:
Stesimbrotos, Herodotos, Mnaseas and those you quote are considerred 
outsiders.

SO I quote also Orpheus and he might also be considered an outsider 
but A.Schachter is considered an insider?

"We can confirm that the Kabiroi were father and son, for the 
Theban Kabiroi appear in the earliest documents as Kabiros and Pals, 
the latter occasionally being referred to as the Pais of Kabiros; 
that is, the son.”

Which earlier documents he refers too? 

The first systematic excavations on Samothrace were conducted by the 
Austrian A. Conze, in 1873 and 1875. His work was not only limited 
to Samuthrace but also Lemnos and Imbros islands. He found in one of 
this islands a plaque that says: The Great Gods are the Kabeirion.

The Kabeirion mysteries were held in many areas of Greece not only 
Thebes. In Imbros the Kabeirion mysteries were connected to Aries, 
in Thessaloniki they also found an archeological site referring to 
the Kabereirion Mysteries of Thessaloniki. Also it was believed that 
Minoans and Trojan were practicing the Kabeirion mysteries. 

Ancient documents that have influenced deeply the Greece thought and 
culture point out that Orpheus himself was iniciated in the 
Kaveirion mysteries of Samuthrace, for this reason Samuthrace in 
antiquity was considered a holy land and also an asylum. 

I did not mention in any of my e-mails that they found archeological 
evidences in Samuthrace. The Mysteries of this island are still very 
enigmatic. But ancient writers they give us clear clues about the 
nature of their mysteries and the origin of the Kabeirion. You wish 
to hold a theory of an arqueologists it is your right. I do consider 
the writings of Orpheus, Herodotos and many others valuable material 
that give us some hints of the past.

Erica Letzerich 



--- In theos-talk@yahoogroups.com, "worlduni_news" 
<worlduni_news@y...> wrote:
> A balanced view I think is presented by A.Schachter in Cults of 
> Boiotia 5: in BICS . Institute of Classical Studies, London, when 
he 
> writes;
> 
> "We can confirm that the Kabiroi were father and son, for the 
> Theban Kabiroi appear in the earliest documents as Kabiros and 
Pals, 
> the latter occasionally being referred to as the Pais of Kabiros; 
> that is, the son. In the cult aition as told to Pausanias, the 
> recipients of the mystic rites were Prometheus and Aitnaios. Their 
> role at the Theban Kabirion was to act as intermediaries between 
the 
> goddess and her worshippers. In the story they are humans, 
> Kabeiraioi (according to the manu¬scripts), but their own names 
are 
> divine, and moreover are found in other Kabiric contexts. Although 
> the aition is clearly influenced by the Homeric Hymn to Demeter, 
it 
> may nevertheless mask the reality in which two Kabiroi, father and 
> son, acted as the medium for initiates to approach the unnamed 
> goddess. In cult, as opposed to myth, the Mysteries were 
celebrated 
> in honour of the Kabiroi as well as the Mother. This apparent 
> contradiction can be reconciled by regarding the Kabiroi as the 
> goddess' servants, on a lower level, but still, by virtue of their 
> connection with the rites, within the for¬bidden circle. 
Pausanias' 
> history of the cult also refers to occasions on which the cult was 
> interrupted and subsequently resumed under, as it were, new 
> management; and elsewhere he mentions the Athenian Methapos as one 
> who had organized the Mysteries at the Theban Kabirion. An 
> examination of the archaeological evidence has allowed us to 
> identify two of these breaks and reorganizations. And finally, the 
> story Pausanias was told shows signs of how the cult was 
influenced 
> by the mystery cults of Eleusis, Samothrace, and Lemnos. The 
> sanctuary of Demeter Kabeiria and Kore, and indeed the very 
presence 
> of Kore, were probably imported from Eleusis, while the story of 
how 
> Demeter came to the city of the Kabeiraioi and gave the rites to 
two 
> of them is straight out of the Homeric Hymn to Demeter; the names 
> Pelarge and Telondes have a Samothracian ring about them, while 
> Prometheus and Aitnaios seem to reflect the Lemnian cult"
> 
> Their nature was never fully understood by Greek commentators, and 
> from the earliest times they were confused with the `Great Gods' 
of 
> Samothrace.
> 
> Again, there is no archeological evidence in situ for Kabeiroi at 
> Samothrace, you can check this with James R. McCredie, director of 
> the excavations in Samothrace conducted by the Institute of Fine 
> Arts of New York University for the American School of Classical 
> Studies.
> 
> Another specialized person is (see his Current Projects);
> 
> http://www.arts.cornell.edu/Classics/Faculty/KMC.htm
> 
> 
> 
> --- In theos-talk@yahoogroups.com, "Erica Letzerich" 
> <eletzerich@y...> wrote:
> > Dear friend,
> > 
> > You said:
> > 
> > ...There where no Kabeiroi as it is called, in Samothrace...
> > 
> > First of all I have been studying the Greek mysteries for few 
> years 
> > now, and my description has nothing to do with early twenty 
> century 
> > as you mentioned. Which references you would like me to offer 
> first? 
> > Blavatsky or Orpheus? Historical or Mythological?  
> > 
> > According with Orpheus the beginning of the Greek Mysteries and 
> > Rites was with the mysteries of Samothrace (Kabeiria Mysteries) 
> and 
> > the Eleusian mysteries are derived from them. The Kaveiria 
> Mysteries 
> > were dedicated to the Mystery of Human Birth, and the Eleusian 
> > Mysteries dedicated to the Mysteries of death. 
> > 
> > They were also practicing the Kabeiria mysteries in other areas 
of 
> > Greece, in Thessaloniki they used to have coins also in honor to 
> the 
> > Samuthrace mysteries. Jason is accounted as the person that 
took 
> > the Kabeiria mysteries from Samothrace to Thebes and Trojan.
> > 
> > Also Pausanias refers to the Athenian Methapos, who had 
> reorganized 
> > the Mysteries there, as having also established the celebration 
of 
> > the Mysteries of the Kabeiroi for the Thebans. Pausanias (4, 1, 
> 7). 
> > 
> > The mysteries of Samuthrace interest me from long time now. In 
the 
> > island there is one of the highest mountains of Greece whose 
pick 
> > name is Selene (moon) in Greek. The island is famous for its 
> healing 
> > waters and many nascents. The Temple of the Kabeiria mysteries 
is 
> > still there and it is called the temple of the Megalon Theon - 
> Great 
> > Gods. Unfortunately such place today here in Greece is used for 
> > satanists performing obscure rites.
> > 
> > The word Kabeiria is probably from the arabian: 
> > 
> > Kebir: Great. 
> > 
> > Or Sanscrit: ÇAWIRA Strong.
> > 
> > Lets see what Blavatsky says about it:
> > 
> > The earliest Mysteries recorded in history are those of 
> Samothrace. 
> > 
> > (The Object of Mysteries)
> > 
> > Samuthrache: An island famous for its Mysteries, perhaps the 
> oldest 
> > ever established in our present race. The Samothracian Mysteries 
> > were renowned all over the world. (Theosophical Glossary)
> > 
> >  
> > 
> > Now let us see other quotes:
> > 
> > You say:
> > 
> > ...There where no Kabeiroi as it is called, in Samothrace...
> > 
> > Grottoes of the Kabeiroi and Korybantian cliffs on the island of 
> > Samothrake.&#148; &#150;Dionysiaca 4.184
> > 
> > Diodorus Siculus 5.48.2
> > 
> > Zeus desired that the other of his two sons Iasion of Samothrake 
> > might also attain honour, and so he instructed him in the 
> initiatory 
> > rites of the mysteries [of the Kabeiroi of Samothrake, which had 
> > existed on the island since ancient times but was at that time, 
so 
> > to speak, put in his hands; it is not lawful, however, for any 
but 
> > the initiated to hear about the mysteries. And Iasion is reputed 
> to 
> > have been the first to initiate strangers into them and by this 
> > means to bring the initiatory rite to high esteem. After this 
> > Kadmos, the son of Agenor, came in the course of his quest for 
> > Europe [his sister abducted by Zeus] to the Samothrakians, and 
> after 
> > participating in the initiation [into the mysteries of 
Samothrake] 
> > he married Harmonia, who was the sister of Iasion and not, as 
the 
> > Greeks recount in their mythologies, the daughter of Ares ...
> > Now the details of the initiatory rite [of the Mysteries] are 
> > guarded among the matters not to be divulged and are 
communicated 
> to 
> > the initiates alone; but the fame has travelled wide of how 
these 
> > gods [the Kabeiroi] appear to mankind and bring unexpected aid 
to 
> > those initiates of their who call upon them in the midst of 
> perils. 
> > The claim is also made that men who have taken part in the 
> mysteries 
> > become both more pious and more just and better in every respect 
> > than they were before. And this is the reason, we are told, why 
> the 
> > most famous both of the ancient heroes and of the demi-gods were 
> > eagerly desirous to taking part in the initiatory rite; and in 
> fact 
> > Jason and the Dioskouroi, and Herakles and Orpheus as well, 
after 
> > their initiation attained success in all the campaigns they 
> > undertook, because these gods appeared to them. 
> > 
> > Herodotus 2.50.1
> > 
> > "The Athenians were then already counted as Greeks when the 
> > Pelasgians came to live in the land with them and thereby began 
to 
> > be considered as Greeks. Whoever has been initiated into the 
rites 
> > of the Kabeiroi, which the Samothrakians learned from the 
> Pelasgians 
> > and now practice, understands what my meaning is. Samothrake was 
> > formerly inhabited by those Pelasgians who came to live among 
the 
> > Athenians, and it is from them that the Samothrakians take their 
> > rites. The Athenians, then, were the first Greeks to make 
> > ithyphallic images of Hermes, and they did this because the 
> > Pelasgians taught them. The Pelasgians told a certain sacred 
tale 
> > about this, which is set forth in the Samothracian mysteries.
> > 
> > Strabo Bk 7 Frag 47
> > 
> > Iasion and Dardanos, two brothers, used to live in Samothrake. 
But 
> > when Iasion was struck by a thunderbolt because of his sin 
against 
> > Demeter, Dardanos sailed away from Samothrake, went and took up 
> his 
> > abode at the foot of Mount Ida, calling the city Dardania, and 
> > taught the Trojans the Samothrakian Mysteries.-
> > 
> > Argonautica 1.916f
> > 
> > They [the Argonauts] beached this ship at Samothrake &#133; He 
> [Orpheus] 
> > wished them, by holy initiation, to learn something of the 
secret 
> > rites, and so sail on with greater confidence across the 
> formidable 
> > sea. Of the rites I say no more, pausing only to salute the isle 
> > itself and the Powers [the Kabeiroi] that dwell in it, to whom 
> > belong the mysteries of which we must not sing.
> > 
> > Diodorus Siculus 4.43.1
> > 
> > There came on a great storm and the chieftains [Argonauts] had 
> given 
> > up hope of being saved, when Orpheus, they say, who was the only 
> one 
> > on ship-board who had ever been initiated in the mysteries of 
the 
> > deities of Samothrake [the Kabeiroi, offered to these deities 
> > prayers for their salvation. And immediately the wind died down 
> and 
> > two stars fell over the heads of the Dioskouroi, and the whole 
> > company was amazed at the marvel which had taken place and 
> concluded 
> > that they had been rescued from their perils by an act of 
> providence 
> > of the gods. For this reason, the story of this reversal of 
> fortune 
> > for the Argonauts has been handed down to succeeding 
generations, 
> > and sailors when caught in storms always direct their prayers to 
> the 
> > deities of Samothrake and attribute the appearance of the two 
> stars 
> > to the epiphany of the Dioskouroi. 
> > 
> > Diodorus Siculus 4.48.6
> > 
> > The Argonauts] had already reached the middle of the Pontic Sea 
> when 
> > the ran into a storm which put them in the greatest peril. But 
> when 
> > Orpheus &#133; offered up prayers to the deities of Samothrake 
> [the 
> > Kabeiroi], the winds ceased and there appeared near the ship 
> Glaukos 
> > the Sea-God, as he is called ... and he counselled them, 
> > accordingly, that so soon as they touched their lands they 
should 
> > pray their vows to the gods [the Kabeiroi] through the 
> intervention 
> > of whom they had twice already been saved. 
> > 
> > Diodorus Siculus 4.49.8
> > 
> > The Argonauts, they say, set forth from the Troad and arrived at 
> > Samothrake, where they again paid their vows to the great gods 
> [the 
> > Kabeiroi] and dedicated in the sacred precinct the bowls which 
are 
> > preserved there even to this day. 
> > 
> > Aelian On Animals 15.23
> > 
> > They say that the pilot-fish is sacred not only to Poseidon but 
is 
> > also beloved of the gods of Samothrake the Kabeiro. 
> > 
> > Valerius Flaccus 2.431
> > 
> > Electra&#146;s island [Samothrake] grows larger [as the 
Argonauts 
> sail 
> > towards the island], guarding the secret of the Thracian rites 
[of 
> > the Kabeiroi and other gods]; for here dwells the great and 
> terrible 
> > god, and here are ordained penalties for an unguarded tongue. No 
> > storm sent by Jove [Zeus] ever dares to beat with its billows 
upon 
> > this land; of his own will the god makes fierce his waves, what 
> time 
> > he would forbid faithless sailors to touch his shores. But 
Thyotes 
> > the priest meets the Minyae [Argonauts] and bids them welcome to 
> the 
> > land and to the temples, revealing their Mysteries to his 
guests. 
> > Thus much, Samothrace, has the poet proclaimed thee to the 
nations 
> > and the light of day; there stay, and let us keep our reverence 
> for 
> > holy mysteries. The Minyae, rejoicing in the new light of the 
sun 
> > and full of their heavenly visions, seat themselves upon the 
> thwarts 
> > [and depart from the island. 
> > 
> > Erica Letzerich
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > --- In theos-talk@yahoogroups.com, "worlduni_news" 
> > <worlduni_news@y...> wrote:
> > > Reg."Kaviria mysteries held in the Greek Island Samothrace" 
> > > 
> > > There where no Kabeiroi as it is called, in Samothrace. Also 
the 
> > > description you quote seems typical for an early twentieth 
> century 
> > > interpretation when Eugenetics became a buzword and 
occultists  
> > next 
> > > started claiming they knew of an 'ancient' and of course 
> > > very 'secret' Eugenic Occultism.Rudolf Steiner was one of them 
> but 
> > > also Aleister Crowley started mentioning 'magical' operations 
to 
> > > create a ('moon') child.
> > > 
> > > The derivation of the name from 
Semitic/kabir/, "lord", "mighty 
> > one" 
> > > was proposed by J.J. Scaliger in 1619. And at Lemnos there 
were 
> > > three Kabeiroi and three Kabeirid nymphs, and the Kabeiroi 
were 
> > > associated at an early date with the principal deity of the 
> > island, 
> > > Hephaistos. At Thebes, there were two Kabiroi , who were also 
> > > associated - but only in a casual, unsystematic way - with 
> > Dionysos 
> > > and his circle, or with Hermes and Pan.
> > > 
> > > They were Greek and it seems there where not many of them, 
> > perhaps 
> > > only a family group, who settled in the countryside west of 
> > Thebes. 
> > > 
> > > Although mentioned by Diodoros , the following passages by 
> > > Pausanias are generally accepted as the best available primary 
> > > source. I found a good translation in Anth. Palat. 6, 245),;
> > > When one has gone on for 25 stades from here [i.e. the 
deserted 
> > > western suburbs of Thebes], there is a grove of Demeter 
Kabeiria 
> > and 
> > > Kore: those who have been initiated are permitted to enter. 
The 
> > > sanctuary of the Kabeiroi is about seven stades away from this 
> > > grove. With regard to who the Kabeiroi are, and the nature of 
> the 
> > > rites performed for them and the Mother, I must be excused by 
> men 
> > of 
> > > good will if I keep silent. But nothing hinders me from 
> revealing 
> > at 
> > > least what the Thebans say was the origin of the rites. For 
once 
> > > upon a time, they say, there was a city in this place, and men 
> > named 
> > > Kabeiraians, and Demeter came to know Prometheus, one of the 
> > > Kabeiraians, and Aitnaios son of Prometheus, and entrusted 
> > > some¬thing to them. It seemed to me impious to write down what 
> > this 
> > > thing was, and what happened to it: sufficc@»it to say that 
the 
> > > cele¬bration of the mystery is a gift of Demeter to the 
> > Kabeiraians.
> > > 
> > > At the time of the expedition of the Epigonoi and the capture 
of 
> > > Thebes, the Kabeiraioi were uprooted by the Argives, and the 
> > > cele¬bration of the mystery lapsed for a time. Later on, they 
> say, 
> > > Pelarge, daughter of Potneus, and her husband Isthmiades 
> > established 
> > > the ritual, to begin with at the same place, but then 
> transferred 
> > it 
> > > to the so-called Alexiarous. But because Pelarge had performed 
> > > initiations outside the ancient boundaries, Telondes and those 
> of 
> > > the clan of Kabeiritai who were left, returned to the 
Kabeiraia. 
> > > They were required, in accordance with an oracle from Dodona, 
to 
> > > establish various rites in honour of Pelarge, including the 
> > > sacrifice of a beast bearing another in its womb.
> > > 
> > > The wrath which emanates from the Kabeiroi cannot be avoided 
by 
> > men, 
> > > as has been made clear on many occasions. For some laymen had 
> the 
> > > temerity to perform the Theban rites in the same way at 
> Naupaktos, 
> > > and punishment came upon them soon there¬after. And again, 
when 
> > some 
> > > members of Xerxes' army who had been left in Boiotia with 
> > Mardonios, 
> > > slipped into the sanctuary, possibly in the hope of plunder, 
but 
> > > more, I think, through impiety, they were immediately driven 
mad 
> > and 
> > > perished by throw¬ing themselves off cliffs and into the sea. 
> And 
> > > when Alexander, victorious in battle, was setting fire to 
Thebes 
> > > itself and the whole of the Thebais, some men from Macedonia 
who 
> > had 
> > > come into the sanctuary of the Kabeiroi, as being in enemy 
> > > territory, were struck by thunder and lightning and killed. 
This 
> > is 
> > > how revered this sanc¬tuary has been from the very beginning.
> > > (Pansanias 9, 25, 5-10)
> > > 
> > > Elsewhere, in writing about the Mysteries of Andania in 
> Messenia, 
> > > Pausanias refers to the Athenian Methapos, who had reorganized 
> the 
> > > Mysteries there, as having also established the celebration of 
> the 
> > > Mysteries of the Kabeiroi for the Thebans (4, 1, 7).
> > > 
> > > Pausanias wrote much of his work during the reign of Marcus 
> > Aurelius 
> > > (AD 161-180). This was a time when renewed interest in the  
past 
> > of 
> > > Hellas was at its highest point. Sanctuaries which had 
> previously 
> > > fallen into disuse were open once again, and rituals and 
> festivals 
> > > which had lapsed were being practised and celebrated anew. 
Many 
> of 
> > > those which Pausanias describes had been revived fairly 
> recently. 
> > So 
> > > it was, too, with the Kabirion and its cult. It is hardly to 
be 
> > > expected, therefore, that there would have been consistency 
any 
> > more 
> > > than there was continuity of activity. make this clear. (See 
M. 
> B. 
> > > Cosmopoulos, ed., Greek Mysteries: The Archaeology And Ritual 
Of 
> > > Ancient Greek Mystery Cults, 2003, pp. 112-114).
> > > 
> > > 
> > > Called In ancient Greek its called --- In theos-
> > > talk@yahoogroups.com, "Erica Letzerich" <eletzerich@y...> 
wrote:
> > > > In ancient Greece the Kaviria mysteries held in the Greek 
> Island 
> > > > Samothrace, it was the most ancient mystery and it was 
> dedicated 
> > > to 
> > > > the mystery of human birth. They believed that they could 
> > attract 
> > > > enlightened souls to reborn. So with special way of life the 
> > women 
> > > > that were part of the misteries were preparing themselves to 
> > have 
> > > > the possibility to be mothers of enlightened souls.
> > > > 
> > > > Olympia the mother of Great Alexander when she left Egypt 
and 
> > went 
> > > > to Samothrace she was taking part of the Kaviria mysteries, 
> > > actually 
> > > > she meet Philip her husband there. But of course they were 
not 
> > > > making anything bizarre. This was part of an ancient and 
very 
> > > > mysterious rite they had in antiquity. After many years the 
> > > Kabiria 
> > > > mysteries were as many others corrupted and lost their 
> original 
> > > > meaning taking different forms and different interpretations 
> > > through 
> > > > history.
> > > > 
> > > > Erica