Prôtogónos, Who Gives Light

HellenicGods.org

HOME GLOSSARY RESOURCE ART LOGOS CONTACT

Phánîs - (Phanês, Φάνης. Pronounced: FAH-nees.)

Phánîs is "a divinity in the Orphic system, representing the first principle of life [1]," While essential in Orphic theogony, this deity is not even mentioned in Θεογονία Ἡσιόδου. He is fabulously called by many names: Firstborn, Prôtogónos (Prôtogonus, Πρωτογόνος), Mítis (Mêtis, Μῆτις), the son of Aithír (Aethêr, Αἰθήρ), and many more [2]. He is the primeval God of procreation in Orphic theogony. Phánîs is an impersonal deity, a great force of Aithír which both conceals and reveals all the forms that exist in nature, which includes every thing. As such, Phánîs is one of the most important deities of all Ællînismόs (Hellênismos, Ἑλληνισμός), the ancient Greek religion.

Etymology

The etymology of the name derives from the verb ϕαίνω which is defined:

bring to light, cause to appear, in physical sense, make known, reveal, disclose, come to light, appear [3].

Hence, Phánîs is he who reveals, the enlightening Aithír.

Kozmology and the First-Born

The primordial state of the Kózmos (Cosmos, Κόσμος) is called Unutterable or Ineffable, consisting of unexpressed material substances: Earth and Water [4]. From this primeval situation, Time (Χρόνος) united with Necessity (Ἀνάγκη) [5]. Time then gave birth to unbounded Kháos (Chaos, Χάος), moist Aithír, and misty Ǽrævos (Erebos = Darkness, Ἔρεβος) [6]. In the Aithír, Khrónos (Time) wrought a silvery egg [7] from which Phánîs leapt forth, and at the birth of Phánîs, the First-born (Πρωτόγονος) of the Gods, the chasm and the aithír were torn apart [8].

Phánîs has many names; he is also called Mítis, Irikæpaios (Ericapaeus, Ἠρικεπαῖος), Prôtógonos, Ǽrôs (Eros, Ἔρως), Diónysos (Dionysus, Διόνυσος) [9], Zefs (Ζεύς), and Pan (Πᾶν) [10].

Phánîs made the imperishable house of the Immortals [11], the sun, the earth, and the moon [12]. He gave his scepter, the Kirýkeion (Caduceus, Κηρύκειον) which unites the three worlds and emanates prophecy, to Nyx (Night, Νύξ) [13], who gave birth to Yaia (Gaia, Γαῖα) and Ouranós (Uranus, Οὐρανός) [14].

"The Triple God born from the Egg was called Phanis, and also Metis and Ericapæus, the three being aspects of one Power." [15]

"Of the three aspects, Phanis is said to be the 'father', Ericapæus the 'power', and Metis the 'intellect', in Platonic terms (see Δαμάσκιος Quæst. p. 380)." [16]

The Orphic hymn to Phánîs calls him Prôtógonos, the First-Born, and states that Phánîs is the origin of both Gods and mortals [17]. He is called Antavyís (Antaugês, Ἀνταυγής) in the poem, "he who reflects the Light."

Iconography

In iconography, Phánîs is depicted as marvelously beautiful, emitting great light.

"With four eyes gazing hither and thither [18]. With golden wings fluttering this way and that [19]. Roaring like a bull and a fierce lion." [20]

He is also described marvelously in the Orphic hymn dedicated to the God:

The Orphic Hymn to Prôtogónos (Phánîs) This link takes you to Orphic fragment 87, which is a very literal translation of the hymn. For a more poetic translation, here is Thomas Taylor's effort:

Prôtogónos [21]

O Mighty first-begotten, hear my pray'r,

Two-fold, egg-born, and wand'ring thro' the air,

Bull-roarer, glorying in thy golden wings,

From whom the race of Gods and mortals springs.

Ericapæus, celebrated pow'r,

Ineffable, occult, all shining flow'r.

From eyes obscure thou wip'st the gloom of night,

All-spreading splendour, pure and holy light;

Hence Phanes call'd, the glory of the sky,

On waving pinions thro' the world you fly.

Priapus, dark-ey'd splendour, thee I sing,

Genial, all-prudent, ever-blessed king,

With joyful aspect on our rights divine

And holy sacrifice (τελετή) propitious shine.

Thomas Taylor comments on the hymn [22]:

"Phanes, or Protogonus, who subsists at the extremity of the intelligible triad, and is therefore νοῦς νοητός, or intelligible intellect, and the exemplar of the universe, is denominated by Plato in the Timæus (Τίμαιος) τό αὐτοζῷον, animal itself, as being the primordial cause of all animal life, and was symbolically represented by Orpheus as adorned with the heads of a ram, a bull, a serpent, and a lion. But Jupiter (Ζεὺς), or the Demiurgus (Δημιουργός) of the universe, is in the intellectual what Phanes is in the intelligible order of Gods; and hence he is said by Orpheus to have absorbed Phanes prior to his fabrication of the world; the Theologist (Orpheus) indicating by this his participation of all the primary paradigmatic causes of things which subsist in Phanes. As Porphyry, therefore, in his treatise De Antro Nympharum, informs us, 'that the Persian deity Mithra, as well as the bull, is the Demiurgus and lord of generation,' the reason is obvious why Protogonus is called in this hymn bull-roarer, the roaring signifying the procession of ideas to the formation of the world. And this is conformable to what is asserted respecting ideas in the Chaldæan Oracles, viz.

Νοῦς πατρός ἐρροίζησε νοήσας ἀκμάδι βουλή Παμμορϕοῦς ἰδέας

"The intellect of the father made a crashing noise, understanding with unwearied counsel omniform ideas."

...for the crashing noise indicates the same thing as the roaring of Protogonus."

Phánîs is the first Vasiléfs

Phánîs is the first constituent of the evolutionary progression of Aithír known as the dynasty of the Six Vasileis (Basileis = Kings, Βασιλεῖς [Βασιλεύς is singular]): Phánîs, Nyx, Ouranós, Krónos, Zefs, and Diónysos. From Phánis comes Nyx, then Ouranós, Krónos, and Zefs. Zefs enters the Cave (Ántron, Ἄντρον) of Nyx, "swallows" (utilizes, controls) Phánîs [23], and renews or re-orders the universe:

And then Zefs went to the Sacred Cave and asked,

“Good mother, highest of the Gods, immortal Nyx, show me this, how am I to set up my stout-hearted rule among the Deathless Ones [24]? How can I have all things one yet each one apart?” And blessed (μάκαιρα) Nyx, gleaming with the blue of dawn (κυαναυγής), answered him saying,

“Take hold round about all things with the unutterable Aithír, and in its midst place the vault of heaven, the immense earth, the sea, and all the constellations crowning heaven… and bind them all with a golden aithirial chain.” [25]

Thus then taking hold of the power of first-born Irikæpaios (Ἠρικεπαῖος)

He carried the form of all things in the hollow of his own belly,

He mingled his own limbs with the power and strength of the God,

for that reason with him all things within Zefs were made new. [26]

Phánîs and the Generations of Man

Phánîs rules over the first generation: the Golden Age. [27]

For those who study Greek

The declensions for Φάνης are as follows.

Ἐνικὸς:

Ὀνομαστυκὶ: ὁ Φάνης

Γενικὴ: τοῦ Φάνητος

Δοτικὴ: τῷ Φάνητι

Αἰτιατικὴ: τόν Φάνητα

Κλητικὴ: (ὦ) Φάνης

Πλκτθυντικὸς:

Ὀνομαστυκὶ: οἱ Φάνητες

Γενικὴ: τῶν Φανήτων

Δοτικὴ: τοῖς Φάνησι / Φάνησιν

Αἰτιατικὴ: τούς Φάνητας

Κλητικὴ: (ὦ) Φάνητες

Please visit this page for the mythology of the Six Kings: Orphic Theogony. This is the most important page on the entire website.

The Orphic Hymn to Prôtógonos (Phánis) suggests an offering of myrrh to the God.

The Epithets of Phánîs

NOTES:

[1] Greek-English Lexicon by H.G. Liddell and R. Scott, 1843.

[2] Orphic frag. 73. (57) Lactantius, Institutiones Divinae I, 5, 4-6 p. 13, 13 Brandt.

πρωτόγονος Φαέθων περιμήϰεος Αἰθέρος υἱός

"First-born Phaethon, son of towering Aithír."

Orphic frag. 85. (61) Kern. Ἑρμαϊκὰ XXIII 1888, 483 n. IV; Holwerda 308 (This quotation is frequently attributed to σχόλιον Πρόκλου επὶ Τιμαίου Πλάτωνος 31a (I 451, 6 Diehl), but that is incorrect; the quotation cannot be found in this commentary. It is due to a printing mistake in Kern.):

δαίμονα σεμνόν, Μῆτιν σπέρμα φέροντα θεών κλυτόν, ὅν τε Φάνητα πρωτόγονον μάκαρες κάλεον κατά μακρόν Ὄλυμπον

“Revered Goddess, Mítis (Μῆτις) bearing the seed of the glorious Gods, who was called Phánîs the firstborn (πρωτογόνος) by the happy ones (μάκαρες) above in Ólympos (Ὄλυμπος).”

[3] Greek-English Lexicon by H.G. Liddell and R. Scott, 1843.

[4] Orphic frag. 54. (36) ἀπορίαι καὶ λύσεις περὶ τῶν πρώτων ἀρχῶν Δαμασκίου (First Princ.) 123 bis (I 317, 15 Rue.):

ὕδωρ ἦν, φησίν, ἐξ ἀρχῆς καὶ ὕλη, ἐξ ἧς ἐπάγη ἡ γῆ,

δύο ταύτας ἀρχὰς ὑποτιθέμενος πρῶτον, ὕδωρ καὶ γῆν, ταύτην

μὲν ὡς φύσει σκεδαστήν, ἐκεῖνο δὲ ὡς ταύτης κολλητικόν τε καὶ συνεκτικόν,

"Water exists, so he (Orpheus) says, from the beginning, and mud, from which the earth became solid: these two of origination he holds as first principles, water and earth, the latter indeed producing dissolution, the former glutinous and holding together."

[5] Δαμάσκιος Orph. Fr. 54 continued from note 4 above.

τὴν δὲ τρίτην ἀρχὴν μετὰ τὰς δύο γεννηθῆναι μὲν

ἐκ τούτων, ὕδατός φημι καὶ γῆς, δράκοντα δὲ εἶναι κεφαλὰς ἔχοντα

προσπεφυκυίας ταύρου καὶ λέοντος, ἐν μέσῳ δὲ θεοῦ πρόσωπον, ἔχειν δὲ καὶ

ἐπὶ τῶν ὤμων πτερά, ὠνομάσθαι δὲ Χρόνον ἀγήραον καὶ Ἡραλῆα τὸν αὐτόν·

συνεῖναι δὲ αὐτῷ τὴν Ἀνάγκην, φύσιν οὖσαν τὴν αὐτὴν καὶ Ἀδράστειαν,

δισώματον διωργυιωμένην ἐν παντὶ τῷ κόσμῳ, τῶν περάτων αὐτοῦ ἐφαπτομένην.

"But the third principle posterior to these two, water and earth, and which is generated from them, is a dragon, naturally endued with the heads of a bull and a lion, but in the middle having the countenance of the God himself. They add likewise that he has wings on his shoulder, and that he is called undecaying Time (Χρόνος), and Hercules (Ἡρακλῆς); that Necessity (Ἀνάγκη) resides (is united, συνεῖναι) with him, which is the same as Nature, and incorporeal Adrastia, which is extended throughout the universe, whose limits she binds in amicable conjunction." (trans. Thomas Taylor, 1824.)

[6] Δαμάσκιος Orph. Fr. 54 continued from note 5 above.

Χρόνος ἀγήραος καὶ Αἰθέρος καὶ Χάους πατήρ· ἀμέλει καὶ κατὰ

ταύτην ὁ Χρόνος οὗτος ὁ δράκων γεννᾶται τριπλῆν γονήν, Αἰθέρα φησὶ

νοτερὸν καὶ Χάος ἄπειρον, καὶ τρίτον ἐπὶ τούτοις Ἔρεβος ὀμιχλῶδες. τὴν

δευτέραν ταύτην τριάδα ἀνάλογον τῇ πρώτῃ παραδίδωσι, δυναμικὴν οὖσαν,

ὡς ἐκείνην πατρικήν· διὸ καὶ τὸ τρίτον αὐτῆς Ἔρεβος ἐστιν ὀμιχλῶδες, καὶ τὸ

πατρικόν τε καὶ ἄκρον Αἰθήρ, οὐχ ἁπλῶς, ἀλλὰ νοτερός, τὸ δὲ μέσν αὐτόθεν

Χάος ἄπειρον. ἀλλὰ μὴν ἐν τούτοις, ὡς λέγει, ὁ Χρόνος ᾠὸν ἐγέννησεν, τοῦ

Χρόνου ποιοῦσα γέννημα καὶ αὕτη ἡ παράδοσις, καὶ ἐν τούτοις τικτόμενον, ὅτι

καὶ ἀπὸ τούτων ἡ τρίτη πρόεισι νοητὴ τριάς. τίς οὖν αὕτη ἐστί ; τὸ ᾠόν· ἡ δυὰς

τῶν ἐν αὐτῷ φύσεων, ἄρρενος καὶ θηλείας, καὶ τῶν ἐν μέσῳ παντοίων

σπερμάτων τὸ πλῆθος· καὶ τρίτον ἐπὶ τούτοις θεὸν δισώματον, πτέρυγας ἐπὶ

τῶν ὤμων ἔχοντα χρυσᾶς, ὃς ἐν μὲν ταῖς λαγόσι προσπεφυκυίας εἶχε ταύρων

κεφαλάς, ἐπὶ δὲ τῆς κεφαλῆς δράκοντα πελώριον παντοδαπαῖς μορφαῖς

θηρίων ἰνδαλλόμενον. τοῦτον μὲν οὖν ὡς νοῦν τῆς τριάδος ὑποληπτέον, τὰ δὲ

μέσα γένη τά τε πολλὰ καὶ τὰ δύο τὴν δύναμιν, αὐτὸ δὲ τὸ ᾠὸν ἀρχὴν πατρικὴν

τῆς τρίτης τριάδος. ταύτης δὲ τῆς τρίτης τριάδος τὸν τρίτον θεὸν καὶ ἥδε ἡ

θεολογία πρωτόγονον ἀνυμνεῖ καὶ Δία καλεῖ πάντων διατάκτορα καὶ ὅλου τοῦ

κόσμου, διὸ καὶ Πᾶνα καλεῖσθαι.

"...undecaying Time, the father of æther and chaos, was the principle: but in this Time is neglected, and the principle becomes a dragon. It likewise calls triple æther, moist; and chaos, infinite; and Erebus, cloudy and dark; delivering this second triad analogous to the firs: this being potential, as that was paternal. Hence the third procession of this triad is dark Erebus: its paternal and summit æther, not according to a simple but intellectual subsistence: but its middle infinite chaos, considered as a progeny or procession, and among these parturient, because from these the third intelligible triad proceeds. What then is the third intelligible triad? I answer, the egg; the duad of the natures of male and female which it contains, and the multitude of all-various seeds, residing in the middle of this triad: and the third among these is an incorporeal God, bearing golden wings on his shoulders; but in his inward parts naturally possessing the heads of bulls, upon which heads a mighty dragon appears, invested with the all-various forms of wild beasts. This last then must be considered as the intellect of the triad; but the middle progeny, which are many as well as two, correspond to power, and the egg itself is the paternal principle of the third triad: the the third God of this third triad, this theology celebrates as Protogonus, and calls him Jupiter (Ζεὺς), the disposer of all things and of the whole world; and on this account denominates him Pan.

(trans. Thomas Taylor, 1824.)

Orphic frag. 66 (52) σχόλιον Πρόκλου επί Πολιτείας Πλάτωνος II 138:

Αἰθέρα μὲν Χρόνος οὗτος ἀγήραος, ἀφθιτόμητις γείνατο καὶ μέγα χάσμα πελώριον ἔνθα καὶ ἔνθα καὶ μικρὸν ὕστερον fr. 72

"Of indeed Time (Χρόνος), the undecaying one, of immortal counsel, begot Aithír and a vast prodigious open chasm on this side and on that, and little (one) after."

[7] Orphic frag. 70. (53) ἀπορίαι καὶ λύσεις περὶ τῶν πρώτων ἀρχῶν Δαμασκίου, First Principles 55 (I 111, 17 Rue):

ἔπειτα δ' ἔτευξε μέγας Χρόνος Αἰθέρι δίωι ὠεὸν ἀργύφεον.

“Thereupon mighty Khrónos wrought in the heavenly Aithír a silvery egg.”

[8] Orphic frag. 72. σχόλιον Πρόκλου επί Πολιτείας Πλάτωνος II 138, 18 Kr. v. fr. 66:

κάσμα δ' ὑπ' ἠέριον καὶ νήνεμος ἐρράγη αἰθὴρ ὀρνυμένοιο Φάνητος.

“The misty chasm below and the windless Aithír were torn apart at the arising of Phánis.”

[9] Orphic frag. 65. (56) Χρονογραφία Ἰωάννου Μαλάλα IV 89 p. 74 Dind. ~ Georg. Cedren. I 102, 8 Bekk. (v. etiam I 148, 7) ~ Suid. s.:

οὗ ὄνομα ὁ αὐτὸς Ὀρφεὺς ἀκούσας ἐκ τῆς μαντείας (v. fr. 62) ἐξεῖπε,

Μῆτιν, Φάνητα, Ἠρικεπαῖον

“whose name Orphéfs himself heard from an oracle, and thus declared,

‘Mítis (Μῆτις), Phánîs (Φάνης), Irikæpaios (Ἠρικεπαῖος)!’ ”

Orphic frag. 73. (57) Lactantius, Institutiones Divinae I, 5, 4-6 p. 13, 13 Brandt.

πρωτόγονος Φαέθων περιμήϰεος Αἰθέρος υἱός

“First-born (πρωτόγονος) Phaethon, son of towering Aithír.”

As is well known, Phánîs is Prôtógonos. In Orphic hymn 6 Πρωτογόνου, the God is addressed as Irikæpaios (Ericapaeus, Ἠρικεπαῖος) at line 4, as Phánîs at line 8, and as Príapos (Πρίαπος) and Antavyís (Antauges, Ἀνταυγής) at line 9:

line 4: σπέρμα πολύμνηστον, πολυόργιον, Ἠρικεπαῖον

"much-remembering seed, much-desired (or from ὄργια, "many-rites"), Irikæpaios"

line 8: ... ἀφ’ οὗ σε Φάνητα κικλήσκω,

line 9: ἠδὲ Πρίηπον ἄνακτα, καὶ Ἀνταύγην ἑλίκωπον.

"...and so I call you Phánis,

and king Príapos, and quick-glancing Antavyís."

In Orphic hymn 52 Τριετηρικοῦ line 6, Diónysos is called Irikæpaios, Prôtógonos, and both the father of the Gods as well as their son:

πρωτόγον’, ἠρικεπαῖε, θεῶν πάτερ ἠδὲ καὶ υἱέ·

Prôtógonos, Irikæpaios, of Gods the father and son

In Orphic frag. 170, Phánis is called Vrómios (Bromius, Βρόμιός), which is to say Diónysos: Orphic frag. 170. (71) σχόλιον Πρόκλου επί Τιμαίου Πλάτωνος 29 a. b (I 336, 6 Diehl):

πάλαι γὰρ ὁ θεολόγος ἔν τε τῷ Φάνητι τὴν δημιουργικὴν αἰτίαν ἀνύμνησεν· ἐκεῖ γὰρ ἦν τε καὶ προῆν, ὥσπερ ἔφη καὶ αὐτός·

Βρόμιός τε μέγας καὶ Ζεὺς ὁ πανόπτης,

ἵνα δὴ τῆς διττῆς δημιουργίας ἔχῃ τὰς οἱονεὶ πηγάς· καὶ ἐν τῷ Διὶ τὴν παραδειγματικήν· Μῆτις γὰρ αὖ καὶ οὗτός ἐστιν, ὥς φησι· καὶ Μῆτις πρῶτος γενέτωρ καὶ Ἔρως πολυτερπής (fr. 168 vs. 9), αὐτὸς δὲ ὁ Διόνυσος καὶ Φάνης καὶ Ἠρικεπαῖος συνεχῶς ὀνομάζεται.

“For the theologist [Orpheus] long before us, celebrates the demiurgic cause in Phanes. For there, as he says,

the great Bromios, and all­ seeing Jupiter (Ζεὺς), was, and antecedently existed;

in order that he might have as it were the fountains of the twofold fabrication of things. He also celebrates the paradigmatic cause [i.e. Phanes] in Jupiter (Ζεὺς). For again, he likewise is, as he says, Metis the first generator, and much ­pleasing Love (Ἔρως). He is also continually denominated by him, Dionysos, and Phanes, and Ericapæus.”

(trans. Thomas Taylor, 1824)

[10] Δαμάσκιος Orph. Fr. 54 (partial quotation, more in above notes):

ταύτης δὲ τῆς τρίτης τριάδος τὸν τρίτον θεὸν καὶ ἥδε ἡ

θεολογία πρωτόγονον ἀνυμνεῖ καὶ Δία καλεῖ πάντων διατάκτορα καὶ ὅλου τοῦ

κόσμου, διὸ καὶ Πᾶνα καλεῖσθαι

"the third God of this third triad, this theology celebrates as Protogonus, and calls him Jupiter (Ζεὺς), the disposer of all things and of the whole world; and on this account denominates him Pan."

(trans. Thomas Taylor, 1824.)

In Ὀρφέως Ἀργοναυτικά 12-15 it is told a little differently:

αρχαίου μέν πρώτα χάους αμέγαρτον ανάγκην

καί Κρόνον ός ελόχευσεν απειρεσίοισιν υφ' ολκοίς

Αιθέρα καί διφυή περιωπέα κυδρόν Ερωτα

Νυκτός αειγνήτης πατέρα κλυτόν: όν ρα Φάνητα

Ὁπλότεροι καλέουσι βροτοί· πρῶτος γάρ ἐφάνθη.

(Orphéfs speaking: To mortals and mystics I disclosed:)

"First dreadful Necessity of ancient kháos (χάος),

and Time, who begot within his boundless furrows

Aithír and two-natured, wide-eyed, glorious Ǽrohs (Ἔρως),

immortal renowned father of Nyx, who is Phánîs.

as men of later generations invoke, for he was the first to appear."

[11] Orphic frag. 89. Lactantius, Divinae Institutiones I:

ἔκτισεν ἀθανάτις δόμον ἄφθιτον.

"He founded for the Immortals an everlasting house."

[12] Orphic frag. 91. (81) σχόλιον Πρόκλου επί Τιμαίου Πλάτωνος 32b (II 48, 15 Diehl):

μήσατο τʹ ἄλλην γαίαν ἀπείριτον, ἥν τε σελήνην ἀθάνατοι κλήιζουσιν, ἐπιχθόνιοι δέ τε μήνην, ἣ πόλλ' οὔρεʹ ἔχει, πόλλ' ἄστεα, πολλὰ μέλεθρα.

"he contrived another immense world, which the deathless ones celebrate as Sælǽni (Σελήνη) and the earthly ones call Míni (Μήνη), with many boundaries, many cities, many houses."

Orphic frag. 94. (77) σχόλιον Πρόκλου επί Τιμαίου Πλάτωνος 22e (I 123, 2 Diehl):

διώρισε δ' ἀνθρώποισι χωρὶς ἀπ' ἀθανάτων ναίειν ἕδος.

"He divided out for mortals a dwelling place to settle apart from the deathless ones."

Orphic frag. 95. (83) σχόλιον Πρόκλου επί Τιμαίου Πλάτωνος 21d (I 94, 13 Diehl):

καὶ φύσεως κλυτὰ ἔργα μένει καὶ ἀπείριτος αἰών

"...and the glorious works of nature are retained and of boundless generation."

Orphic frag. 96. (79) σχόλιον Πρόκλου επί Τιμαίου Πλάτωνος 41c (III 227, 31 Diehl):

τοῦτον (sc. Ἥλιον) γάρ ἐπέστησε τοῖς ὅλοις ὁ δημιουγός (sc. Φάνις) καὶ φύλακ' αὐτὸν ἔτευξε κέλευσέ τε πᾶσιν ἀνάσσειν

"And the Dimiourgós (Φάνις) established him (the Sun) guardian and gave him command and to be master over all."

Orphic frag. 97. (84) σχόλιον Πρόκλου επί Τιμαίου Πλάτωνος (I 312, 5 Diehl)

ταῦτα ρατὴρ ποίησε κατὰ σπέος (cave) ἠεροειδές.

"These the Father produced down in the murky cave."

[13] Orphic frag. 101. (86) σχόλιον Πρόκλου επί Κρατύλου Πλάτωνος 396b (54, 21 Pasqu.):

σκῆπτρον δ' ἀριδείκετον εἷο χέρεσσιν θῆκε θεᾶς Νυκτὸς ἑκούσης ὑποδέχεται τὴν ἐπικράτειαν τῶν ὅλων.

"He laid his glorious staff in the hands of the Goddess Nyx, that she undertake the entire dominion."

Orphic frag. 102. (87) σχόλιον Ἀλεξάνδρου του Ἀφροδισιεύς επί τὰ μετὰ τὰ φυσικά Ἀριστοτέλους N 4 p. 1091 b 4 (821, 19 Hayd.):

(of Nyx): σκῆπτρον ἔχουσ' ἐν χερσὶν ἀριπρεπὲς Ἠρικεπαίου.

"Holding the bright staff of Irikæpaios in her hands."

Orphic frag. 103. (88) Ἑρμείου φιλοσόφου εἰς τὸν Πλάτωνος Φαῖδρον σχόλια 247c (p. 147, 20 Couvr.):

μαντοσύνην δ' οἱ δῶκεν ἔχειν ἀψευδέα πάντηι. καὶ αὕτη λέγεται μαντεύειν τοῖς θεοῖς.

"And he (Φάνης) offered her (Νύξ) the art of prophecy to bear the truth in every way. And she says this herself, prophesying to the Gods."

[14] Orphic frag. 109. (89) Ἑρμείου φιλοσόφου εἰς τὸν Πλάτωνος Φαῖδρον σχόλια 247d (154, 23 Couvr.):

ἣ δὲ πάλιν Γαῖάν τε καὶ Οὐρανὸν εὐρὺν ἔτικτε·

δεῖξέν τ' ἐξ ἀφανῶν φανεροὺς οἵ τ' εἰσὶ γενέθλην.

"In turn, she (Νύξ) gave birth to Yaia (Γαῖα) and vast Ouranos;

making manifest both the unseen and the visible that come from that generation."

[15] Orpheus by G.R.S. Mead, 1895-6.

[16] Ibid. Mead, p.109.

[17] Orphic Hymn 6 Πρωτογόνου, line 3:

γένεσιν μακάρων θνητῶν τ' ἀνθρώπων

“origin of the happy Gods and mortal men”

[18] Orphic frag. 76. (64) Ἑρμείου φιλοσόφου εἰς τὸν Πλάτωνος Φαῖδρον σχόλια 246e (138, 11 Couvr.):

τετράσιν ὀφθαλμοῖσιν ὁρώμενος ἔνθα καὶ ἔνθα.

"with four eyes gazing hither and thither."

[19] Orphic frag. 78. (65) Ἑρμείου φιλοσόφου εἰς τὸν Πλάτωνος Φαῖδρον σχόλια 246e (142, 13 Couvr.):

χρυσείαις πτερύγεσσι φορεύμενος ἔνθα καὶ ἔνθα.

“with golden wings fluttering this way and that.”

[20] Orphic frag. 79. (63) σχόλιον Πρόκλου επί Τιμαίου Πλάτωνος 30c-d (I 427, 20 Diehl):

βρίμας ταυρείους ἀφιεὶ(ς) χαροποῦ τε λέοντος

“roaring like a bull and a fierce lion.”

[21] Orphic Hymn 6 Πρωτογόνου, trans. Thomas Taylor 1792.

[22] Taylor's commentary in The Mystical Hymns of Orpheus, 1792, pp. 36-37.

[23] One of the names of Phánis is Mítis (Μῆτις); in Θεογονία Ἡσιόδου 886-891, Zefs swallows Mítis before she was about to give birth to Goddess Athiná (Athena, Ἀθηνᾶ). In the fragments, after Zefs swallows Phánis (frag. 167), and following the mighty Rhapsodic hymn to Zefs (frag. 168), the fragments then talk of Athiná (beginning at frag. 174 and continuing through 178), described as the one who accomplishes her father's will (frag. 177).

[24] Orphic frag. 164. (117) σχόλιον Πρόκλου επί Τιμαίου Πλάτωνος B prooem (I 206, 26 Diehl):

μαῖα, θεῶν ὑπάτη, Νὺξ ἄμβροτε, πῶς, τάδε φράζε, πῶς χρή μ' ἀθανάτων ἀρχὴν κρατερόφρονα θέσθαι; καὶ ἀκούει παρ' αὐτῆς

“(Zeus speaks to Nyx) Good mother, highest of the Gods, immortal Nyx, show me this, how am I to set up my stout-hearted rule among the Deathless Ones? and she hears him”

[25] Orphic frag. 165. (122) σχόλιον Πρόκλου επί Τιμαίου Πλάτωνος I 28c (I 313, 31 Diehl):

πῶς δέ μοι ἕν τε τὰ πάντ' ἔσται καὶ χωρίς ἕκαστον; αἰθέρι πάντα πέριξ ἀφάτωι λάβε, τῶι δ' ἐνὶ μέσσωι οὐρανόν, ἐν δέ τε γαῖαν ἀπείριτον, ἐν δὲ θάλασσαν, ἐν δὲ τὰ τείρεα πάντα τά τ' οὐρανὸς ἐστεφάνωται.

(Zefs speaks to Nyx):

"How can I have all things one yet each one apart? (Nyx answers:) 'Take hold round about all things with the unutterable Aithír, and in its midst place the vault of heaven, the immense earth, the sea, and all the constellations crowning heaven.' ”

[26] Orphic frag. 167. (120. 121) σχόλιον Πρόκλου επί Τιμαίου Πλάτωνος I 29a (I 324, 14 Diehl):

ὣς τότε πρωτογόνειο χαδὼν μένος Ἠρικεπαίου

τῶν πάντων δέμας εἶχεν ἑῆι ἐνὶ γαστέρι κοίλῃ,

μεῖξε δ' ἑοῖς μελέεσσι θεοῦ δύναμίν τε καὶ ἀλκήν,

τοὔνεκα σὺν τῶι πάντα Διὸς πάλιν ἐντὸς ἐτύχθη.

“Thus then taking hold of the power of first-born Irikæpaios (Ἠρικεπαῖος)

he carried the form of all things in the hollow of his own belly,

he mingled his own limbs with the power and strength of the God,

for that reason with him all things within Zefs were made new."

σχόλιον Πρόκλου επί Τιμαίου Πλάτωνος 28c (I 312, 26 Diehl):

αἰθέρος εὐρείης ἠδ' οὐρανοῦ άγλαὸν ὕψος,

πόντου τ' ἀτρυγέτου γαίης τ' ἐρικυδέος ἕδρη,

Ὠκεανός τε μέγας καὶ νείατα Τάρταρα γαίης

καὶ ποταμοὶ καὶ πόντος ἀπείριτος ἄλλα τε πάντα

πάντες τ' ἀθάνατοι μάκαρες θεοί ἠδὲ θέαιναι,

ὅσσα τ' ἔην γεγαῶτα καὶ ὕστερον ὁππός' ἔμελλεν,

(v. fr. 169)

ἐνγένετο, Ζηνὸς δ' ἐνὶ γαστέρι σύρρα πεφύκει.

"the luminous summit of immense aithír and heaven,

the seat of the barren sea and illustrious earth,

great Ocean and deep Tártaros (Τάρταρος) beneath the earth,

and rivers and the limitless sea and all other,

all the deathless happy Gods and Goddesses,

all that existed and all that will to come to be,

all come about and bestrewn in the belly of Zefs (Ζεὺς).”

(trans. by the author)

[27] Orphic frag. 140. σχόλιον Πρόκλου επί Πολιτείας Πλάτωνος II 74, 26 Kr.

ὁ μὲν θεολόγος Ὀρφεύς τρία γένη παραδέδωκεν ἀνθρώπων· πρώτιστον τὸ χρυσούν, ὅπερ ὑποστῆσαι τὸν Φάνητά φησιν· δεύτερον τὸ ἀργυροῦν, οὗ φησιν ἄρχαι τὸν μέγιστον Κρόνον· τρίτον τὸ Τιτανικόν, ὅ φησιν ἐκ τῶν Τιτανικών μελῶν τὸν Δία συστήσασθαι.

“The theologian Orphéfs (Ὀρφεύς) taught that there are three generations of men: the very first a golden age, which, he says, Phánîs (Φάνης) was the very one to create; the second is silver, where he says that the sovereignty was with mighty Krónos (Κρόνος); the third is the Titanic age, he says, which Zefs (Ζεύς) composed from the limbs of the Titans."

Orphic frag. 141. σχόλιον Πρόκλου επὶ Ἔργων καὶ Ἡμερῶν Ἡσιόδου 126 (Gaisf. II 121, 18):

ὁ μὲν Ὀρφεὺς τοῦ ἀργυροῦ γένους βασιλεύειν φησὶ τὸν Κρόνον

“Truly, Orphéfs (Ὀρφεὺς) says Krónos reigns over the silver race.”

Unlike this Orphic idea, Plátôn (Plato, Πλάτων) and others describe the ages of man differently. Plátôn calls the reign of Krónos and Rǽa a golden age, as can be found in Πολιτικός Πλάτωνος 268e-272c. Cf. Ἔργα καὶ Ἡμέραι Ἡσιόδου 109-201.

"When a human is born, Phánis cries; when a God is born, Phánis laughs"

The story of the birth of the Gods: Orphic Theogony.

We know the various qualities and characteristics of the Gods based on metaphorical stories: Mythology.

Dictionary of terms related to ancient Greek mythology: Glossary of Hellenic Mythology.

Introduction to the Thæí (the Gods): The Nature of the Gods.

How do we know there are Gods? Experiencing Gods.

PLEASE NOTE: Throughout these pages, you will find fascinating stories. These narratives are known as mythology, the traditional stories of the Gods and Heroes. While these tales are great mystical vehicles containing transcendent truth, they are symbolic and should not be taken literally; a literal reading will frequently yield an erroneous result. The meaning of the myths is often concealed in code. To understand them requires a key. For instance, when a God kills someone, this usually means a transformation of the soul to a higher level. Similarly, sexual union with a God is a transformation .

The story of the birth of the Gods: Orphic Theogony.

We know the various qualities and characteristics of the Gods based on metaphorical stories: Mythology.

Dictionary of terms related to ancient Greek mythology: Glossary of Hellenic Mythology.

SPELLING: HellenicGods.org uses the Reuchlinian method of pronouncing ancient Greek, the system preferred by scholars from Greece itself. An approach was developed to enable the student to easily approximate the Greek words. Consequently, the way we spell words is unique, as this method of transliteration is exclusive to this website. For more information, visit these three pages:

Pronunciation of Ancient Greek

Transliteration of Ancient Greek

Pronouncing the Names of the Gods in Hellenismos

PHOTO COPYRIGHT INFORMATION: The many pages of this website incorporate images, some created by the author, but many obtained from outside sources. To find out more information about these images and why this website can use them, visit this link: Photo Copyright Information

DISCLAIMER: The inclusion of images, quotations, and links from outside sources does not in any way imply agreement (or disagreement), approval (or disapproval) with the views of HellenicGods.org by the external sources from which they were obtained.

Further, the inclusion of images, quotations, and links from outside sources does not in any way imply agreement (or disagreement), approval (or disapproval) by HellenicGods.org of the contents or views of any external sources from which they were obtained.

For more information: Inquire.hellenicgods@gmail.com

For answers to many questions: Hellenismos FAQ

© 2010 by HellenicGods.org. All Rights Reserved.

HOME GLOSSARY RESOURCE ART LOGOS CONTACT