brilliant orbs of the galaxy." 60 The same author also speaks
of certain philosophers who flourished before his time, "whose
opinions encouraged the belief that souls departing from bodies
would arrive at heaven as their proper dwelling place." 61 He
afterwards stigmatizes the notion that the life succeeding death
is subterranean as an error,62 and in his own name addresses his
auditor thus: "I see you gazing upward and wishing to migrate into
heaven." 63 It was the common belief of the Romans for ages that
Romulus was taken up into heaven, where he would remain forever,
claiming Divine honors.64 The Emperor Julian says, in his Letter
on the

55 Essay on Mysteries, by M. Ouvaroff, Eng. trans. by J. D. Price,
p. 55.

56 Aneid, lib. vi. 11. 125-130.

57 Ecl. v. 11. 57, 58, 64.

58 De Antro Nympharum.

59 Phado sects. 136-138.

60 Soma. Scipionis.

61 Tusc. Quast., lib. i. cap. xi.

62 Ibid. cap. xvi.

63 Ibid. cap. xxxiv.

64 Ennius, e. g., sings, "Romulus in coelo cum diis agit avum"

Duties of a Priest, "God will raise from darkness and Tartarus the
souls of all of us who worship him sincerely: to the pious,
instead of Tartarus he promises Olympus." "It is lawful," writes
Plato, "only for the true lover of wisdom to pass into the rank of
gods." 65 The privilege here confined to philosophers we believe
was promised to the initiates in the Mysteries, as the special
prerogative secured to them by their initiation. "To pass into the
rank of the gods" is a phrase which, as here employed, means to
ascend into heaven and have a seat with the immortals, instead of
being banished, with the souls of common mortals, to the under
world.

In early times the Greek worship was most earnestly directed to
that set of deities who resided at the gloomy centre of the earth,
and who were called the chthonian gods.66 The hope of immortality
first sprung up and was nourished in connection with this worship.
But in the progress of time and culture the supernal circle of
divinities who kept state on bright Olympus acquired a greater
share of attention, and at last received a degree of worship far
surpassing that paid to their swarthy compeers below. The
adoration of these bright beings, with a growing trust in their
benignity, the fables of the poets telling how they had sometimes
elevated human favorites to their presence, for instance,
receiving a Ganymede to the joys of their sublime society, the
encouraging thoughts o