The ancient Eleusinian mysteries get a new incarnation

In the perpetual rivalry between ancient Greek cities, one of the assets boasted by Athens was control of a numinous place called Eleusis, about 20km to its west. For centuries, seekers of illumination processed along the Sacred Way from the foot of the Acropolis to a seaside temple where they underwent a secret rite. It was forbidden on pain of death to disclose what happened. All that is known is that having fasted for three days, initiates would quaff a drink and then be presented with “things enacted, things shown, things said” that celebrated the return of the goddess Persephone from her abduction to the underworld.