CHAPTER III

INITIATIONS AND ORDEALS

The Great Work—The four aspects of the Sphinx and the Shield of Achilles—Allegories of Hercules and Œdipus—The Secret Doctrine of Plato—Of Plato as Kabalist—Difference between Plato and St. John—Platonic theosophy—Fatal experiences—Homœpathy practised by the Greeks—The cavern of Trophonius—Science of Egyptian priests—Lactantius and the antipodes—The Greek hell—Ministry of suffering—The Table of Cebes and the poem of Dante—Doctrines of the Phædron—The burial of the dead—Necromancy 133

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