Eliade's Chapter on Nostalgia for Paradise and How It Relates to The Magus

The paradisiac myth is a common theme seen in cultures all over the world. These myths all include the idea of Heaven being close to Earth and there being an easy and direct connection between the two during the illo tempore. On page 65, Eliade states, “Now, we know that, in illo tempore, in the mythic time of Paradise, a Mountain, a Tree or a Pillar or a liana connected Earth with Heaven, so that primordial man could easily go up into Heaven by climbing it. Communication with Heaven in illo tempore was simple, and meeting with the gods took place in concreto.”

Bourani can be thought of as a pseudo illo tempore. It is a place where Nicholas goes to escape the rest of his life on Phraxos. The rest of his troubles appear seemingly unimportant when he is at Bourani and he longs for the weekends he spends there, which are usually comprised of good food and good company. There are also many mystical aspects about Bourani that suggest it being an illo tempore. During one of Nicholas’s first visits, he watches a display acted out in which a nymph is being chased by a satyr, both of which are being observed by Apollo. He also observes a jackal-headed guard at the villa. Conchis’s manner is mystical in itself in that so much mystery shrouds his true identity. In a way, when Nicholas spends time at Bourani, he is closer to “heaven”, or at least another realm.

Eliade also notes the paradisiac symbolism of churches and monastery gardens. Conchis’s home is also described as a very beautiful place, with an elaborate villa filled with exquisite artwork and a private beach. This is but another parallel between Bourani and the illo tempore.