ὄργι-α,ίων,τά,
A. secret rites, secret worship,practised by the initiated, a post- Hom. word ; used of the worship of Demeter at Eleusis, h.Cer. 273 , 476 . Ar. Ra. 386 , Th. 948 ; of theritesof the Cabeiri and Demeter Achaia, Hdt. 2.51 , 5.61 ; of Orpheus, Id. 2.81 ; of Eumolpus, App.Anth. 1.318 ; of Cybele, E. Ba. 78 (lyr.): most freq. of theritesof Dionysus, Hdt. 2.81 , E. Ba. 34 , al., Theoc. 26.13 .
II. generally,rites, sacrifices, SIG 57.4 (Milet.,v B. C.), A. Th. 179 (lyr.), S. Tr. 765 , Ant. 1013 ; ὄργια Μουσῶν
Ar. Ra. 356
.
2. metaph.,mysteries,without reference to religion, ἐπιστήμης
Hp. Lex 5
; τοῖς τῆς Ἀφροδίτης ὀ. εἰλημμένον
Ar. Lys. 832
, cf. Ach.Tat. 4.1 ; τὰ Ἐπικούρου θεόφαντα ὄ.
Metrod. 38
.—The sg.ὄργιονis rare, Jahresh. 13
Beibl. 29 No. 3 (Erythrae,iv B. C.), Luc. Syr.D. 16 , Orph. H. 52.5 . (Prob. cogn. withἔρδω, ῥέζω,cf.ἔργον, ὀργεών.)