μυστήριον: Difference between revisions

|Definition=τό, ([[μύστης]], [[μυέω]])<br><span class="bld">A</span> [[mystery]] or [[secret rite]]: mostly in plural, <b class="b3">τὰ μυστήρια</b> = [[the mysteries]], first in Heraclit.14, cf. [[Herodotus|Hdt.]]2.51 (of [[the mysteries]] of the [[Cabiri]] in [[Samothrace]]), etc.; esp. those of [[Demeter]] at [[Eleusis]], A.''Fr.''479, S. ''Fr.''804, E.''Supp.''173, Ar.''Ra.''887, etc.; <b class="b3">μυστηρίοις τοῖς μείζοσιν, τοῖς ὀλείζοσιν μ.</b>, ''IG''12.6.93,96; but usu., <b class="b3">τὰ μεγάλα μυστήρια, τὰ μικρὰ μυστήρια</b>, Sch.Ar. ''Pl.''846, cf. ''IG''12.313.144, 22.1672.4, [[Plato|Pl.]]''[[Gorgias|Grg.]]'' 497c, etc.; πρὸ τῶν μεγάλων μ. τὰ μικρὰ παραδοτέον Iamb.''Protr.''2; <b class="b3">ἀπιέναι πρὸ τῶν μ.</b>, i.e. before you have reached the heart of the matter, Pl.''Men.''76e; <b class="b3">τὰ τῆς θεοῦ</b> (''[[sc.]]'' <b class="b3">Μεγάλης Μητρὸς</b>) μ. ''OGI''540.21 (Pessinus, i A.D.); οἱ θεοὶ οἷς τὰ μ. ἐπιτελεῖται ''IG''5(1).1390.2 (Andania, i B.C.); τὰ μυστήρια ποιεῖν And.1.11, Lys.14.42, cf. Th.6.28 (Pass.); <b class="b3">μ. ἐρεῖν</b> And.l.c.: later in sg., ''PMag.Leid.W.''3.42 (ii/iii A.D.).<br><span class="bld">2</span> [[mystic]] [[implement]]s and [[ornament]]s, σεμνὰ στεμμάτων μυστήρια E.''Supp.''470; esp. [[properties]], such as were carried to [[Eleusis]] at the celebration of the mysteries, [[ὄνος ἄγω μυστήρια]] = [[my part is to carry burdens]], [[proverb|prov.]] of an [[overloaded]] [[beast]], Ar.''Ra.'' 159.<br><span class="bld">b</span> later, [[object used in magical rites]], [[talisman]], δότε [[πνεῦμα]] τῷ ὑπ' ἐμοῦ κατεσκευασμένῳ μ. ''PMag.Leid.V.''10.19 (iii/iv A.D.).<br><span class="bld">3</span> metaph., [[ὕπνος]], τὰ μικρὰ τοῦ θανάτου μυστήρια = [[sleep]], the [[lesser]] mysteries of [[death]] Mnesim.11; <b class="b3">τῆς Ῥωμαίων ἀρχῆς σεμνὸν μυστήριον</b>, of the [[military]] [[sacramentum]], Hdn.8.7.4: generally, [[mystery]], [[secret]], [[Plato|Pl.]]''[[Theaetetus|Tht.]]''156a; μυστήριόν σου μὴ κατείπῃς τῷ φίλῳ Men.695, cf. [[LXX]] ''Si.''27.16, ''To.''12.7; <b class="b3">προσήγγειλε τὰ μυστήρια τοῖς πολεμίοις</b> ib.''2 Ma.''13.21; μυστήρια βίου Sor.1.3; <b class="b3">τοὐμὸν τὸ μυστήριον</b> [the remedy] is my [[secret]], Aret.''CD''2.7: hence, of a medicine, Gal.13.96, Alex.Trall. 5.4.<br><span class="bld">4</span> [[secret revealed by God]], i.e. [[religious]] or [[mystical]] [[truth]], Corp. Herm.1.16, etc.; τὰ μυστήρια τῆς βασιλείας τῶν οὐρανῶν ''Ev.Matt.''13.11; πνεύματι λαλεῖν μυστήρια ''1 Ep.Cor.''14.2; <b class="b3">τὸ μυστήριον τῆς ἀνομίας</b> the [[mystery]] of [[iniquity]], ''2 Ep.Thess.''2.7; τὸν Ἀντιπάτρου βίον οὐκ ἂν ἁμάρτοιτις εἰπὼν κακίας μ. J.''BJ''1.24.1; especially of the Gospel or parts of it, τὸ μυστήριον τοῦ εὐαγγελίου ''Ep.Eph.''6.19, cf. 3.9, ''Ep.Col.''1.26, al.; [[symbol]], τὸ μυστήριον τῶν ἑπτὰ ἀστέρων ''Apoc.''1.20, cf. 17.7.<br><span class="bld">5</span> <b class="b3">σύνηθές τι μυστήριον</b> some [[vulgar]] [[superstition]], Sor.1.4.<br><span class="bld">II</span> Dionysius the tyrant called [[mouse]]-[[hole]]s [[μυστήρια]] ([[μῦς]], [[τηρεῖν]]), Ath.3.98d.