Zalmoxis stands before us as a many-sided
personality – a godlike man, comparable with Cronus, a great priest, keeper
of knowledge and sacraments, a mystic, a philosopher, an ideologist, a
law-giver, a prophet, a healer, etc. The combination of the solar and the
chthonic principles with the belief in immortality was done by the anthropo-demon
Zalmoxis. That is the religion of a closed aristocratic society, led by
a king-priest, who did the religious sacraments and oblations and after
his death ascended to heaven. Zalmoxis was at the same time a ruler, a
priest and served the basic rituals and mysteries of the cult. The anthropo-demon
Zalmoxis was able to heal neurotic and psychic sicknesses by both wording
magic conjuration or wailing and herbs. Zalmoxis was a simple earth-born
man, sold as a slave, then grown rich and having returned to his Motherland.
He built a hall for meetings and feasts where he invited tribal chieftains
and entertained them royally. He persuaded them that neither they nor he
would die, but just go to a place where everything would be in abundance.
They built for him an underground chamber where he disappeared from the
world for three years. The fourth year, as soon as he went out they believed
in him.