Misteria eleuzyńskie według Arnobiusza z Sicca. Wersja orficka, homerycka czy afrykańska?
The eleusinian mysteries according Arnobius of Sicca

Summary/Abstract: The purpose of this article is to present the Polish readers the contribution of Arnobius of Sicca in the transmission of the tradition concerning the eleusinian mysteries. The first part of the article is a translation of a fragment of the fifth book of Arnobius’s Adversus Nationes. Arnobius describes the eleusinian mysteries as he knew them, at his times. A large part of his description coincides with Protreptikos, a work that Clemens of Alexandria wrote. It seems that Arnobius mentions the orphic version of the eleusinian mysteries. He is applying Orphic Hymns rather than Homeric Hymns. My analysis is not an in-depth analysis; I am mostly interested in external elements, names, persons. Arnobius uses this description to indicate that heathens have a wrong idea about God, which therefore results in a wrong worship and morality. He is not interested in going into details as regards the mysteries. He refuses an alegorical approach to the text, because according to him this would be erroneous hermeneutic, which would not lead us to the truth. It is surprising that Clement of Alexandria did not seek to apply the alegorical interpretation to the eleusinian mysteries. Maybe this was due to the fact that both Clement and Arnobius knew these cults not only from descriptions and interesting hymns but also from their own experience. Before he becomes a Christian, surely knew well the cult of Venus at the famous Temple in the hometown of Sicca Veneria.

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