Profana: the mysteries in Greek and Roman literature

Thesis

This thesis explores the relationship between the Mysteries and Greco-Roman literature from the 6th century BCE to the 1st century CE. The study of the mystery cults of ancient Greece and Rome--the Eleusinian mysteries, Bacchic cult, and the Orphic tradition—has largely been confined to the historical reconstruction of their secret rites, exclusive communities, doctrines, and experiences; current scholarship has treated ancient literature, both poetic and philosophic texts, merely as docum...

Expand abstract

Authors: Liu, C

• DOI: 10.5287/ora-xkrm4zo2z
• Type of award: DPhil
• Level of award: Doctoral
• Awarding institution: University of Oxford
• Language: English
• Keywords: intertextuality; Greek literature; poetry; mysteries; Roman literature; ancient religion
• Subjects: Civilization, Greco-Roman, in literature; Latin literature; Poets, Greek, in literature; Eschatology, Greco-Roman