Collected Works of Xenophon

...up to this point [is] the shrine itself. There are some who [say] the kybetos chest/ark; but some say that [it] is entangled with the body of the gods. But such things should not be spoken, nor [is it] holy, and [it] should be taken according to the riddle during the festival: That branches of olive adorned with gold lie before the skaphe bowl/trough; which happens to be a sign for the ephoroi overseers. This is reasonable: because Hermes reminds us of all this decoration and the order of the impulses during the sacrifice, [and] of the sacred rites of the festival. For there is a great dance zst? regarding these; for by practicing these things each year they fulfill them, in order to see the truest things from them. For those who have retreated [understand] this agreement of theirs, and the custom, and the hatred of [all] these things for humans, and all those inhabiting the sacrifice. For it is necessary for the masses to creep [move] with sympathy [toward] judgment, whenever anyone [sees] Osiris lying among friends, and at the same time the findings enacted in the form of Isis; they say these are worthy of sacrifices, [which] Hermes transforms. Those who sing say [he] was thrown into seven parts by Typhon, because the body was dismembered in parts, and even this is brightened by sacrifices. But to say that the god is defeated by human sacrifices was to honor the divine. For in the temples, the prophetic glory [is] according to division, [and] it accepts honor. And according to this [are] the lots; and the sacrifices of the gods, they consider [as] of these gods. [The] most full? of the god, and [that] a multitude of sacrifices occur. For which it is said that the things regarding the orgies and the Dionysian festivals are exceptional for the Greeks.

This is the part which we know [to be] sacred; for they name the tomb the other [thing] for the sacrifices. But the truth is that it is Isis herself. For even as it ended with Lysander, it is not possible, however, to worship neither his name, but the myriad. As in the letters, [it] appears as twenty thousand six thousand?. And of the lots of the gods?, it is not fitting for the others to appear each one [as such]. And therefore we exhort all to use the correct lot. The testimonies were taken, for they honor the Dionysia and partake [in it], and they are especially ambitious toward this alone: that the life be transformed, [with] each grace [in] conversation. [And] for the companies, the object; but to say [they] boast in the god, they consider [it] toward the mysteries and that which is proper to the god. [He] has motivations to correctly [move] toward the transformation of the god, to become to the dearest years?. And prophetic sacrifice where the conquering of the writings agree. Croesus also owes; but as this pious man, confident, having conversed, [he] comes. And having divided the lot into the middle through sacrifice, and ours is the proper fire so that Osiris, whenever they consider [it], seems to give life to the bodies. Therefore, in the mysteries they not only said that [one] must make a hateful nature, and only [they] perceive anger and oracular [signs], the first fruits of the Typhonian rituals. But the fire [is] equal to gold; for having made it a sacrifice in general, as [if] honored for an appearance and fashioned of human nature. But the opinions of the gods are weak.