Ἕκτη Μεσοῦντος/ Ἕκτη ἐ&pi

Ἕκτη Μεσοῦντος/ Ἕκτη ἐπὶ δέκα /Ἑκκαιδεκάτη, XVI day
From today’s sunset: sixteenth day of Boedromion.
‘Elasis’ (from Halade mystai- initiates to the sea’) - “Halade mystai: a day of the Mysteries celebrated in Athens.”

‘Halade mystai’ is the command of the Hierophant. At dawn, the initiates, each along with his/her mystagogos, go down to the sea-shore of Phaleros or Pireos (or at the Rheitoi, or in Eleusis), to purify themselves and the piglets they have to sacrifice to Demeter on their return to Athens (“as a mystic initiate was washing a pig in the harbour of Cantharus”). This day is associated then with purifications of all kinds (sea-water, water from the Rheitoi lakes, piglets’ blood, Dios koidion, etc…)

“Chabrias won the naval battle of Naxos on the sixteenth day of Boedromion, considering it as an auspicious day for that battle, because it was one of the days during which were celebrated the Mysteries…Chabrias had as ally the cry ‘initiates to the sea’.”

“So, to those that approach the Holy Celebrations of the Mysteries, there are appointed purifications and the laying aside of the garments worn before…”
(Plotinus, First Ennead VI, 7)

(See Hesychius, s.v. halade mystai; Plutarch, Phokion 28.3, de Glor. Ath. 349; Mylonas 1961, pp. 249-50; Polyaenos 3.11.2; Etym. M. s. v.: hiera hodos; Suda s.v. Dios koidion)

(Kore purifying a candidate for initiation; Museum of Eleusis)