[8] Gospel according to Matthew, xiii. 11, 13.
[9] “The accusations of atheism, the introducing of foreign deities, and corrupting of the Athenian youth, which were made against Socrates, afforded ample justification for Plato to conceal the arcane preaching of his doctrines. Doubtless the peculiar diction or ‘jargon’ of the alchemists was employed for a like purpose. The dungeon, the rack, and the fagot were employed without scruple by Christians of every shade, the Roman Catholics especially, against all who taught even natural science contrary to the theories entertained by the Church. Pope Gregory the Great even inhibited the grammatical use of Latin as heathenish. The offense of Socrates consisted in unfolding to his disciples the arcane doctrine concerning the gods, which was taught in the Mysteries and was a capital crime. He also was charged by Aristophanes with introducing the new god Dinos into the republic as the demiurgos or artificer, and the lord of the solar universe. The Heliocentric system was also a doctrine of the Mysteries; and hence, when Aristarchus the Pythagorean taught it openly, Cleanthes declared that the Greeks ought to have called him to account and condemned him for blasphemy against the gods,”—(“Plutarch”). But Socrates had never been initiated, and hence divulged nothing which had ever been imparted to him.
[10] See Thomas Taylor: “Eleusinian and Bacchic Mysteries,” p. 47. New York: J. W Bouton, 1875.
[11] Cousin, “History of Philosophy,” I., ix.
[12] “Theol. Arithme.,” p. 62: “On Pythag. Numbers.”
[13] Plato: “Parmenid.,” 141 E.
[14] See Stobœus’ “Ecl.,” i., 862.
[15] Sextus: “Math.,” vii. 145.
[16] “Metaph.,” 407, a. 3.
[17] Appendix to “Timæus.”