Initiation into the Ancient Secret Society of Egyptian Priests

[cast] aside this Crown from yourself, and trample it under your feet 29).

The Sovereign immediately cried out: "Insult! Vengeance!" and raising the sacrificial axe, he struck the Melanephoris very gently on the head with it 30).

Both Tapixents funerary attendants responsible for handling the body threw the new Melanephoris to the ground from behind, and the Paraschists original: Paraskisty. From the Greek paraschistes, the ritual embalmers who made the initial incision in a corpse wrapped him in mummy bandages. During this action, all the others lamented him. Then they carried him again to the gates, above which was written: The Sanctuary of Spirits. At the opening of these, lightning flashed, and loud claps of thunder were heard around the supposed dead man 31).

29. Tertullian, On Baptism, Chapter V. The author likely refers to Tertullian’s "De Corona" (The Crown), where he discusses Christians refusing to wear laurel wreaths, though the text cites "On Baptism."
30. The Emperor Commodus, once while performing this duty, did so in earnest. Aelius Lampridius, Life of the Emperor Commodus. The Roman Emperor Commodus was known for his cruelty; the text suggests that during a ritual reenactment, he actually killed or seriously injured a participant instead of merely pretending.
31. Apuleius, The Metamorphoses, Book 2, near the end. While the text cites Book 2, the famous description of Egyptian initiation ceremonies actually occurs in Book 11 of Apuleius's work, also known as "The Golden Ass."