Dictionary of all Scriptures & Myths

PESTILENCE CAUSED BY APOLLO

The operations of the Higher Self in raising the lower nature cause unbalanced conditions upon the lower planes whereby the lower qualities are afflicted and destroyed.

“Therefore hath the Far-darter (Apollo) brought woes upon us, yea, and will bring. Nor will he ever remove the loathly pestilence from the Danaans till we have given the bright-eyed damsel (Chryseis) to her father, unbought, unransomed, and carried a holy hecatomb to Chryse; then might we propitiate him to our prayer.” — Iliad, Bk. I.

Hence the Higher Self is the means of disquieting the lower self. Nor will the erroneous theories of the lower mind be got rid of until the intuition of Truth (Chryseis) is recovered by the inner memory, and voluntary effort is made on the part of the lower self to raise the consciousness to the spiritual understanding (Chryse), in which case the reconciliation between the Higher Will and the lower mind will have been effected.

“God is hunting you through every false experience in which your soul seeks rest, tracking you down through sorrow after sorrow, driving you forth from everything unreal, that in the end he may grasp and hold you eternally, the willing prisoner of his love.” — R. J. Campbell, Serm., God Pursuing the Soul.

“Sometimes the religious man with good intentions, but wanting wisdom and strength, tries to palliate the evils of life, to cover its dark features, to exaggerate its transient pleasures, for the purpose of sheltering God’s goodness from reproach. But this will not avail. The truth cannot be hidden. Life is laid open to every eye, as well as known by each man’s experience; and we do and must see that suffering, deep suffering, is one of the chief elements in our lot. It is not a slender, dark thread winding now and then through a warp of dazzling brightness; but is interwoven with the whole texture. … This I state, that we may all of us understand that suffering is not accidental, but designed for us, that it enters into God’s purpose, that it has a great work to do, and that we know nothing of life till we comprehend its uses, and have learned how to accomplish them.” — W. E. Channing, Works, Vol. III, p. 204.

See Also

APOLLO
ARGIVES
ARROWS (Divine)
CENSERS
CHRYSE
CHRYSEIS
FUNERAL
GOATS (unblemished)
HECATOMB
NINE DAYS
QUIVER
REMINISCENCE
SLAUGHTER
WRATH OF APOLLO