Page:A Collection of Esoteric Writings.djvu/241

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227

Kosmou" was throughout the whole mythos attributed to Persephone, the daughter of Demeter or supermundane Intelligence.

Isis never represented the soul or sixth Principle (third) of the universe, but the eighth sphere; not properly a Principle, but an influence. Passages from the best authors are cited in my essay to prove this fact, and many more can be adduced. If, as is certain, Isis was identified with the Moon, and wore as an ensign the double horns of Selene, it is placed beyond doubt that she symbolised the Occult Power of Increase and Decrease, Good and Evil, and cannot possibly, therefore, be identified with the Soul whom she rejoices or afflicts according to an inflexible law. I cannot in the least understand your reviewer's reference to the Egyptian pantheon in connection with Dionysos-Zagreus. No pretence is made in my essay or elsewhere in the work, that Dionysos occupied such a place, although, of course, he had his correspondence therein. But the whole of my exposition follows the Greek mysteries, and deals with their presentations. That Dionysos-Zagreus personified in these mysteries the seventh Principle (Hermetically, the Fourth) in the universe,—that is—the Divine and vitalizing Spirit, is no surmise or assumption of mine, but an undoubted fact, placed beyond controversy by the authorities already mentioned. This Dionysos-Zagreus, (Dionusos Chthonios) the Mystic Dionysos, must not be confounded with the later god, identical with Bacchus, the son of Semele. I will only add that there is no such inconsistency in my essay as your reviewer charges on me. Dionysos represents the Spirit or Seventh Principle (Fourth) whether macrocosmically or microcosmically, and, as such, has been identified with Osiris, the Egyptian presentation of the same Principle. And Persephone is alike, in both aspects, greater and lesser, the Soul. But the Greek Mysteries dealt ostensibly with the macrocosmic presentation of the divine drama, and with its individual meaning by implication only. Hence Persephone is generally taken to signify the Soul in her larger acceptation, as "Kore Kosmou," and hence also, her son Dionysos, represents rather the son of God in the World than the son of God in Man.

And, in this connexion, in order further to elucidate the function and position of Isis in the macrocosm as it is expounded by Hermetists and neo-Platonists, I may add that her counter-partal analogy in the microcosm, or individual, is found in the Genius:—the gurdain angel of Christian theosophy. This Genus is good or bad, helpful or hindering, bright or dark, favorable or hostile, according to the state of grace (Karma) which the Soul has acquired. The Genius sheds upon the Soul the light derived from her own celestial Sun. (see pp. 88 and 89 of the "Perfect Way.")

In the Discourse accompanying the allegory of the "Virgin of the World," I understand Isis to represent the Illuminatrix or Revealer; Osiris, the Saviour or Redeeming Principle; and Horos, the Initiate,—