The temples and ritual of Asklepios at Epidauros and AthensTwo lectures delivered at the Royal Institution of Great Britain . at Convalescence, is not seen here so often along with Asklepioson ex-votos and coins, as at Pergamos and some other Temples. Plate XXX represents a number of small figures of Hygieiaand of Asklepios from the Hieron. Every devout Greek who came as a suppliant to Asklepioswould find here also a shrine of his own favourite deity. To those who had been initiated at Eleusis, and whoseadvanced age or incurable sickness gave little prospect of life, ASKLEIMOS AT EITDAUROS AND
The temples and ritual of Asklepios at Epidauros and AthensTwo lectures delivered at the Royal Institution of Great Britain . at Convalescence, is not seen here so often along with Asklepioson ex-votos and coins, as at Pergamos and some other Temples. Plate XXX represents a number of small figures of Hygieiaand of Asklepios from the Hieron. Every devout Greek who came as a suppliant to Asklepioswould find here also a shrine of his own favourite deity. To those who had been initiated at Eleusis, and whoseadvanced age or incurable sickness gave little prospect of life, ASKLEIMOS AT EITDAUROS AND ATHENS 3S the calm and dignified forms of Demeter, Persephone, andIakchos would suggest patience and the hope of a pure spiritualafter-life, free from all bodily infirmity, for the Greek orRoman heart . was as full, in many cases fuller, of thehope of immortality than our own.* Those of the sick who were not too ill, would ascend thehill of Kynortion to visit the temple of Apollo, or climb theneighbouring hill of Titthion, sacred to the infancy of would engage in the exercises of the gymnasium or the. PLATE XXX—Figures of Asklepios and Hygieia stadium ; if unable to participate in these more active pursuits,they would become spectators of them. The comedies ortragedies played in the theatre would often so immerse theaudience in merriment or pathos as to banish for the timeindividual troubles ; both priest and patient attended themconstantly. Music, the singing of Orpheic hymns, religiousdances, processions, and festivals would vary the interest andoccupations of the day. The studious man could occupyhimself with manuscripts from the library, and, reposing in the * Modern Pjnuas, V, Part ix, Ch. 5, § 3. 36 THE TEMPLES AND RITUAL OF shelter-seats, would dream over history, plays, or poetry. Thesolemn rites of the temple, the sacrifices, the study of themultitudinous tablets, would all tend to a calm and hopefulcondition of mind, eminently helpful to recovery
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