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For links to many more fragments: The Orphic Fragments of Otto Kern.

SUMMARY: These two fragments discuss marriage between Gods.

112. (91) σχόλιον Πρόκλου επὶ Τιμαίου Πλάτωνος 30e (III 176 10 Diehl):

ἀπὸ δὲ τούτον δευτέρα πρόεισι δυάς, Ὠκεανὸς καὶ Τηθύς, οὐ κατὰ συνδυασμὸν γενεσιουργὸν οὐδὲ κατά τινα σύνοδον τῶν κεχωρισμένων οὐδὲ κατὰ μερισμὸν οὐδὲ κατά τινα ἀποτομὴν τῆς ἀπογεννήσεως ταύτης γενομένης --- πάντα γὰρ ταῦτα ἀλλοτρίως τῶν θεῶν διαδοξάζουσί τινες ---, ἀλλὰ κατὰ μίαν ἕνωσιν καὶ συμπλοκὴν τῶν δυνάμεων ἀδιαίρετον, <ὃν add. Schneid.> καὶ εἰώθασι γάμον οἱ θεολόγοι προσαγορεύειν· οἰκεῖος γὰρ καὶ ὁ γάμος τῆι τάξει ταύτηι, καθά φησιν ὁ θεολόγος· πρώτην γὰρ νύμφην ἀποκαλεῖ τὴν Γῦν καὶ πρώτιστον γάμον τῦν ἕνωσιν αὐτῆς τὴν πρὸς τὸν Οὐρανον· οὐ γὰρ ἐν τοῖς μάλιστα ἡνωμένοις ὁ γάμος, διὸ Φάνητος οὐκ ἔστι γάμος καὶ Νυκτός, ἡνωμένων ἀλλήλοις νοητῶς, ἀλλ' ἐν τοῖς μετα τῦς ἑνώσεως καὶ τὸ διηιρημένον τῶν δυνάμεων καὶ τῶν ἐνεργειῶν ἐπιδεικνυμένοις καὶ ἔοικε διὰ ταῦτα καὶ Οὐρανῶι τούτωι καὶ Γῆι <ταύτηι add. Diehl> προσήκειν ὁ γάμος, ὡς ἐκεῖνον οὐρανὸν καὶ γῆν ἐκείνην ἐνεικονιζομένοις. ὃ δὴ καὶ οἱ θεσμοὶ τῶν Ἀθηναίων εἰδότες προσέταττον Οὐρανῶι καὶ Γῆι προτελεῖν τοὺς γάμους κτλ.

“From these however, a second dyad proceeds, Ocean (Ὠκεανὸς) and Tethys (Τηθύς), this generation not being effected by copulation, nor by any conjunction of things separated, nor by division, nor according to a certain abscission, for all these are foreign from the Gods; but they are accomplished according to one union and indivisible conjunction of powers. And this union theologists are accustomed to call marriage. For marriage, as the theologist Orpheus says, is appropriate to this order. For he calls Earth (Γαῖα) the first Nymph (woman), and the union of her with Heaven (Οὐρανός) the first marriage; since there is no marriage in the divinities that are in the most eminent degree united. Hence there is no marriage between Phanes and Night who are intelligibly united to each other. And marriage appears on this account to be adapted to the Heaven and Earth which we are at present considering, so far as they adumbrate (ed. suggest, outline) the intellectual Heaven and Earth; which the sacred laws of the Athenians likewise knowing, ordered that the marriages of Heaven and Earth should be celebrated, as preparatory to initiation into the Mysteries.”

(trans. Thomas Taylor, 1820.)

The same in σχόλιον Πρόκλου επὶ Κρατύλου Πλάτωνος 402 b (83, 1 Pasqu.):

ὅτι γαμεῖν λέγεται ὅ τε Ὠκεανὸς τὴν Τηθὺν καὶ Ἥραν ὁ Ζεὺς καὶ τὰ τοιαῦτα, ὡς κατὰ τὴν τῶν ὑφειμένων ἀπογέννησιν τὴν πρὸς αὐτὴν κοινωνίαν ἐνστησάμενος· ἡ γὰρ ὁμονοητικὴ σύνταξις τῶν θεῶν καὶ ἡ ὁμοφυὴς συνέργεια πρὸς τὰς ποιήσεις γάμος ἀποκαλεῖται παρὰ τοῖς θεολόγοις. Compare also in σχόλιον Πρόκλου επὶ Τιμαίου Πλάτωνος 41 d (III 248, 5 Diehl).

“That Ocean (Ὠκεανὸς) is said to have married Tethys (Τηθύς), and Jupiter (Ζεὺς) Juno (Ἥρα), and the like, as establishing a communion with her, conformably to the generation of subordinate natures. For an according co-arrangement of the Gods, and a connascent co-operation in their productions, is called by theologists marriage.” Compare also in σχόλιον Πρόκλου επὶ Τιμαίου Πλάτωνος 41 d (III 248, 5 Diehl).

(trans. Thomas Taylor, 1816)

Lobeck I 503; Schuster 11; Kern De Theogon. 43; Gruppe Suppl. 696. 701; Dieterich Nekyia² 105.

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.

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

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