44 Firmicus Maternus, On the Error of Profane Religions 18.1:
44Firmicus Maternus, On the Error of Profane Religions 18.1:
ἐϰ τυμπάνου βέβϱωϰα,
ἐϰ ϰυμβάλου πέπωϰα,
γέγονα μύστης ”Aττεως
(“I have eaten from the drum, I have drunk from the cymbal, I have become an initiate of Attis”). See E. Peterson, EIΣ ΘEOΣ (Göttingen, 1926), p. 132; F. Cumont, Les religions orientales dans le paganisme romain (Paris, 41929), p. 226, n. 46. Firmicus quotes other rhythmical formulae from a variety of mystery cults, but in different meters from this. H. Schlier mentions similar calls to wake up from sleep, drunkenness, or death in Odes of Solomon 8.3-5; Acts of Thomas 110.43-48; Corpus Hermeticum 1.27. They are too late to have much relevance; still later are the Mandaean analogies which he adduces (Der Brief an die Epheser, pp. 240-41). The same applies to Manichaean parallels quoted from Turfan texts by R. Reitzenstein, Das iranische Erlösungsmysterium, pp. 3, 11-12; H. Jonas, The Gnostic Religion (Boston, 21963), p. 83.