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  • Sept. 22, 1866
  • Page 10
  • MASONIC NOTES AND QUERIES.
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The Freemasons' Monthly Magazine, Sept. 22, 1866: Page 10

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    Article THE NEMESIS: A TALE OF THE DAYS OF TRAJAN. ← Page 3 of 3
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The Nemesis: A Tale Of The Days Of Trajan.

before the emperor and thus , while dividing the popular attention with , heralded the approach of the great Trajan . Trajan sat in his car of state , his features indicating indifference ancl ennui , rather than pride

at his triumph . In fact , Trajan had too practical a mind to care much for the external pomp of power ; he loved better to enjoy the quiet reality . His eyes were oftener fixed upon the gallant Caius who rode before him , ancl upon his valiant army

who brought up the rear , than upon the gaping and bellowing crowd . Men who have faced the thunders of death in the battle field , care little for the admiring shouts of a crowd . Thus , Avhen the offerings had been made at the Capitol , and Trajan had returned to his palace , he said laughingly to Caius :

" To please the Romans , I have heartily tired myself . What sayest thou , my Cains ?" "I would sooner face the Dacians than the yells of a Roman mob . There was always rest with the barbarians after a meetinc ?; but I doubt if Ave

can say as much for the populace . " " They are children , my Caius , " said the Emperor , tapping him on the shoulder , " but Ave must exercise a strong parental hand to keep them in order . " ( To be continued ) .

Masonic Notes And Queries.

MASONIC NOTES AND QUERIES .

MASONIC TOMB IS CVPEUS . Attached to the Greek Cathedral Church and Shrine of St . Lazarus , at Larnaka in Cyprus , is a graveyard railed off , in which are several English tombs . Opposite the gateway is that of Michael De Vezin , descended of a Hugenot family , horn in Englandand Esquire of the Body of the Kingand

, , H . M . Consul in Cyprus , who died in 1792 . He was married to a lady named Pfeilz . The inscription is in Latin , headed by a coat-of-arms , and having at the bottom a square and compasses laid on a cushion , the whole well cut . The emblems were such as I have seen on Masonic tombs of the last century .

The whole Avas iu good . order or I Avouid have provided for its repair . It is evident that Mr . De Yezin was proud of his rank , which I take to be that of W . M . Perhaps some brother may find out of what lodge he was Master . —HCTE CEAKKE .

Larnaka , Cyprus , 31 st August , 1866 . THE PBEVAEICATIOIVS OF ALCIBIADES . In ~ So . 3-16 , page 135 , of the FREEMASONS' MAG-A-¦ ZESTE it is said that "it was a capital crime to divulge the mysteries of Ceres , and an indictable offence to perform the ceremonies incident thereto in any but the buildings specially consecrated for thafc purpose ;

that Alcibiades had to escape by immediate flight the Avrath of the people , called forth by his having held a priA-ate lodge in his OAVU house , & c . " May I ask what historical evidence there exists in support of these statements ?—ENQUIEEK . [ The facts here alluded to are well known to every one acquainted Avith the history of ancient Hellas iu

general , and of the Pelopennesian war in particular . The foot-note to the passage in question contains some quotations forming very sound " historical evidence . " The mysteries of Eleusis have been frequently mentioned in these Notes and Queries . See the communications on pages 349 , 369 , 391 , and 487 ,

vol . siv . of the FREEMASONS' MAGAZINE . The following additional quotation from Plutarch ' s " Life of Alcibiades" Avill fully bear out the statement respecting Alcibiades' transgressions . It is the commencement of Chapter XIX ., ancl runs thus : — In the meantime Androcles , the demagogue , produced several

of Alcibiailes' servants and housemates as witnesses * in support of tlie indictment charging tlie latter ancl his friends with having reproduced the mysterious signs and mocked the mysteries themselves while under the influence of wine ( fivcrrripiav itap' olvov axo . ai / iija-sis ) . It was stated that a certain Theodores had personated tlie herald ( iriipvQ , Polytion , the torch-bearer ( Sioovxos ) and Alcibiades himself , the Grand Prophet ( iepo < p &<;) , while other boon companions of bis performed the part of the

initiated (/ . IVO-TGI ) . All this was contained in the accusation preferred by Thessalos , Ciinon's son , charging Alcibiades Avitli the profanation of the divine rites ( aatPtiv jrepi rS > Bed ) . The people having in this manner become incensed and highly exasperated by Androcles , who was the most violent enemy oi Alcibiades , tho latter Avas involved in serious trouble .

The following passage from Grote ' s ( the present Vice-Chancellor of the University of London ) " History of Greece , " * vol . vii ., p . 282 , although it cannot be saicl to form any " historical evidence , " g ives a very clear precis of the subject , aud may not be thought out of place here : — Among all the ceremonies of Attic reliionthere was none

g , more profoundly or universally reverenced than the mysteries of Eleusis—origin \\\ -j enjoined by the Goddess Dewietev herself , in her visit to that place , to Eninolpus and the other Eleusinian patriarch , ancl transmitted as a precious hereditary privilege in their families . Celebrated annually in tlie month of August and September under the special care of r . lie lSnsilens or second Archon , these mysteries were attended by vast crowds from Athens as well as from other parts of Greece , presenting to tlie

eye a solemn raid imposing spectacle , and striking the imagination still more powerfully by the special initiation which they conferred , under pledge of secrecy , upon pious and predisposed communicants . Even the divulgation in words to the uninitiated , of that which was exhibited to the eye and ear of the assembly in the interior of the Eleusinian Temple , was accounted highly criminal : much more the actual mimicry of these ceremonies for the amusement of a convivial party . Moreoverthe

, individuals who held the great sacred offices at Eleusis , the Hierophant , the Daducli ( torch bearer ) , and the Koryx or herald , which were transmitted , by inheritance in the Eumolpidie ancl other great families of antiquity and importance , were personally insulted by such proceedings , and vindicated their own dignity at the same time that they invoiced punishment on the offenders iu the name of Demeter and Tersephone . The most

appalling legends were current among the Athenian public , and repeated on proper occasions even by the Hierophant himself , respecting the divine judgments which always overtook such impious men .

TEMPLARS AND MERCHANDISE . The fifth item in an enactment of a convention of Burrows , held at Stirling , in 1405 , is as follows : — " Na Templair sail intromit Avith any merchandise or

“The Freemasons' Monthly Magazine: 1866-09-22, Page 10” Masonic Periodicals Online, Library and Museum of Freemasonry, 11 July 2025, django:8000/periodicals/mmr/issues/mmr_22091866/page/10/.
  • List
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Title Category Page
GEMS FROM BRO. LAWRENCE STERNE. Article 1
PROFESSOR ROBERTSON ON FREEMASONRY. Article 2
EARS OF WHEAT FROM A CORNUCOPIA. Article 3
WHAT IS THE GOOD OF FREEMASONRY ? Article 3
Untitled Article 7
THE NEMESIS: A TALE OF THE DAYS OF TRAJAN. Article 8
MASONIC NOTES AND QUERIES. Article 10
CORRESPONDENCE. Article 11
Untitled Article 12
Untitled Article 12
MASONIC MEMS. Article 12
METROPOLITAN. Article 12
PROVINCIAL. Article 13
ROYAL ARCH. Article 15
RED CROSS KNIGHTS. Article 16
Obituary. Article 16
ADELPHI THEATRE. Article 16
REFLECTIONS OF A SOLDIER. Article 16
THE WEEK. Article 16
TO CORRESPONDENTS. Article 20
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.

The Nemesis: A Tale Of The Days Of Trajan.

before the emperor and thus , while dividing the popular attention with , heralded the approach of the great Trajan . Trajan sat in his car of state , his features indicating indifference ancl ennui , rather than pride

at his triumph . In fact , Trajan had too practical a mind to care much for the external pomp of power ; he loved better to enjoy the quiet reality . His eyes were oftener fixed upon the gallant Caius who rode before him , ancl upon his valiant army

who brought up the rear , than upon the gaping and bellowing crowd . Men who have faced the thunders of death in the battle field , care little for the admiring shouts of a crowd . Thus , Avhen the offerings had been made at the Capitol , and Trajan had returned to his palace , he said laughingly to Caius :

" To please the Romans , I have heartily tired myself . What sayest thou , my Cains ?" "I would sooner face the Dacians than the yells of a Roman mob . There was always rest with the barbarians after a meetinc ?; but I doubt if Ave

can say as much for the populace . " " They are children , my Caius , " said the Emperor , tapping him on the shoulder , " but Ave must exercise a strong parental hand to keep them in order . " ( To be continued ) .

Masonic Notes And Queries.

MASONIC NOTES AND QUERIES .

MASONIC TOMB IS CVPEUS . Attached to the Greek Cathedral Church and Shrine of St . Lazarus , at Larnaka in Cyprus , is a graveyard railed off , in which are several English tombs . Opposite the gateway is that of Michael De Vezin , descended of a Hugenot family , horn in Englandand Esquire of the Body of the Kingand

, , H . M . Consul in Cyprus , who died in 1792 . He was married to a lady named Pfeilz . The inscription is in Latin , headed by a coat-of-arms , and having at the bottom a square and compasses laid on a cushion , the whole well cut . The emblems were such as I have seen on Masonic tombs of the last century .

The whole Avas iu good . order or I Avouid have provided for its repair . It is evident that Mr . De Yezin was proud of his rank , which I take to be that of W . M . Perhaps some brother may find out of what lodge he was Master . —HCTE CEAKKE .

Larnaka , Cyprus , 31 st August , 1866 . THE PBEVAEICATIOIVS OF ALCIBIADES . In ~ So . 3-16 , page 135 , of the FREEMASONS' MAG-A-¦ ZESTE it is said that "it was a capital crime to divulge the mysteries of Ceres , and an indictable offence to perform the ceremonies incident thereto in any but the buildings specially consecrated for thafc purpose ;

that Alcibiades had to escape by immediate flight the Avrath of the people , called forth by his having held a priA-ate lodge in his OAVU house , & c . " May I ask what historical evidence there exists in support of these statements ?—ENQUIEEK . [ The facts here alluded to are well known to every one acquainted Avith the history of ancient Hellas iu

general , and of the Pelopennesian war in particular . The foot-note to the passage in question contains some quotations forming very sound " historical evidence . " The mysteries of Eleusis have been frequently mentioned in these Notes and Queries . See the communications on pages 349 , 369 , 391 , and 487 ,

vol . siv . of the FREEMASONS' MAGAZINE . The following additional quotation from Plutarch ' s " Life of Alcibiades" Avill fully bear out the statement respecting Alcibiades' transgressions . It is the commencement of Chapter XIX ., ancl runs thus : — In the meantime Androcles , the demagogue , produced several

of Alcibiailes' servants and housemates as witnesses * in support of tlie indictment charging tlie latter ancl his friends with having reproduced the mysterious signs and mocked the mysteries themselves while under the influence of wine ( fivcrrripiav itap' olvov axo . ai / iija-sis ) . It was stated that a certain Theodores had personated tlie herald ( iriipvQ , Polytion , the torch-bearer ( Sioovxos ) and Alcibiades himself , the Grand Prophet ( iepo < p &<;) , while other boon companions of bis performed the part of the

initiated (/ . IVO-TGI ) . All this was contained in the accusation preferred by Thessalos , Ciinon's son , charging Alcibiades Avitli the profanation of the divine rites ( aatPtiv jrepi rS > Bed ) . The people having in this manner become incensed and highly exasperated by Androcles , who was the most violent enemy oi Alcibiades , tho latter Avas involved in serious trouble .

The following passage from Grote ' s ( the present Vice-Chancellor of the University of London ) " History of Greece , " * vol . vii ., p . 282 , although it cannot be saicl to form any " historical evidence , " g ives a very clear precis of the subject , aud may not be thought out of place here : — Among all the ceremonies of Attic reliionthere was none

g , more profoundly or universally reverenced than the mysteries of Eleusis—origin \\\ -j enjoined by the Goddess Dewietev herself , in her visit to that place , to Eninolpus and the other Eleusinian patriarch , ancl transmitted as a precious hereditary privilege in their families . Celebrated annually in tlie month of August and September under the special care of r . lie lSnsilens or second Archon , these mysteries were attended by vast crowds from Athens as well as from other parts of Greece , presenting to tlie

eye a solemn raid imposing spectacle , and striking the imagination still more powerfully by the special initiation which they conferred , under pledge of secrecy , upon pious and predisposed communicants . Even the divulgation in words to the uninitiated , of that which was exhibited to the eye and ear of the assembly in the interior of the Eleusinian Temple , was accounted highly criminal : much more the actual mimicry of these ceremonies for the amusement of a convivial party . Moreoverthe

, individuals who held the great sacred offices at Eleusis , the Hierophant , the Daducli ( torch bearer ) , and the Koryx or herald , which were transmitted , by inheritance in the Eumolpidie ancl other great families of antiquity and importance , were personally insulted by such proceedings , and vindicated their own dignity at the same time that they invoiced punishment on the offenders iu the name of Demeter and Tersephone . The most

appalling legends were current among the Athenian public , and repeated on proper occasions even by the Hierophant himself , respecting the divine judgments which always overtook such impious men .

TEMPLARS AND MERCHANDISE . The fifth item in an enactment of a convention of Burrows , held at Stirling , in 1405 , is as follows : — " Na Templair sail intromit Avith any merchandise or

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