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

SUMMARY: Several fragments concerning the relationship of various Gods and the arts, especially Hephaestus and brass, and how he is a kozmic artisan who is involved in the creation of the heavens.

180. (211) σχόλιον Συριανοῦ τὰ μετὰ τὰ φυσικά Ἀριστοτέλους B 2 p. 997 b 34 (26, 23 ss. Kr.):

ὅτι μέντοι τὰς ἀνάλογον (sc. ἁπασῶν τῶν τεχνῶν αἰτίας) καὶ ἐν θεοῖς ἔστιν ἐπινοεῖν, δηλοῦσι καὶ οἱ θεόλογοι Κύκλωπας καὶ Ἥφαιστον χαλκέας καὶ οἰκοδόμους οὐκ ὀκνοῦντες καλεῖν, οὐδὲ Ἀθηνᾶι καὶ Κόρηι τὴν ὑφαντικὴν ἀποκληροῦν.

“That, to consider, however, an analogy (of the causes of all the arts) also in the Gods, and the theologians do not hesitate to show the Kýklôpæs (Κύκλωπες) and Íphaistos (Ἥφαιστος) as coppersmiths and architects, nor to allot weaving to Athîná (Ἀθηνᾶ) and Kórî (Κόρη).”

(trans. by the author)

σχόλιον Πρόκλου επὶ Τιμαίου Πλάτωνος 23 d. e (I 143, 7 Diehl):

διὰ ταῦτα γὰρ καὶ ὑπὸ τῶν θεολόγων [sc. ὁ Ἥφαιστος] λέγεται χαλκεύειν, ὡς στερεῶν καὶ ἀντιτύπων ἐργάτης, καὶ διότι χάλκεος ὁ οὐρανὸς ὡς μίμημα ὢν τοῦ νοητοῦ καὶ ὁ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ποιητὴς χαλκεύς.

“On this account also he (Ἥφαιστος) is said by theologists to fashion things from brass, as being the artificer of resisting solids. And because the heavens are [said to be] brazen, as being an imitation of the intelligible, the maker of the heavens is likewise [fabled to be] a brazier.”

(trans. Thomas Taylor, 1820)

A little earlier in the same text σχόλιον Πρόκλου επὶ Τιμαίου Πλάτωνος (I 142, 18 Diehl):

([I 142, 14 Diehl] Περὶ τῆς Ἡφαίστου δημιουργίας πῶς ἄν τις διαταττόμενος μὴ παντάπασιν τῆς τοῦ θεοῦ δυνάμεως ἀποπίπτοι; τὰ μὲν γὰρ τοῖς πολλοῖς λεγόμενα περὶ αυτοῦ τῶν παντελῶς ἐστι κατεγνωσμένων· ἃ δὲ οἱ νεώτερον διαλαβόντες φασίν, ἔστι μὲν ἀληθῆ, δεῖται δὲ οὐκ ὀλίγης συστάσεως.)

ἄνωθεν οὖν ἡμεῖς ἀπὸ τῶν θεολόγων τὰς περὶ αὐτοῦ [sc. Ἡφαίστου] πίστεις ἐπενέγκωμεν ταῖς ἡμετέραις παραδόσεσιν. ὅτι μὲν οὖν τῦς δηιουργικῆς ἐστι σειρᾶς, ἀλλ' οὐχὶ τῆς ζωιογονικῆς ἢ συνοχικῆς ἢ ἄλλης τινός, δηλοῦσιν οἱ θεολόγοι χαλκεύοντά τε αὐτὸν καὶ κινοῦντα τὰς φύσας καὶ ὅλως ἐργοτεχνίτην παραδιδόντες.

“(With respect to Vulcan [Ἥφαιστος], how may some one decide, so as not perfectly to fail in his conceptions of the power of the God? For the assertions of the multitude concerning him, belong to things which must be entirely rejected. But that which is said by those whose notions are more intellectual is indeed true, but requires no small degree of confirmation.)

We shall therefore introduce to our discussion from theologists, credibility concerning this divinity. That Vulcan then is of the demiurgic, but not of the vivific, or connective, or any other series, is manifested by theologists, when they represent him as fashioning things from brass, employing the bellows, and, in short, when they call him the artificer.”

(trans. Thomas Taylor, 1820)

The same in σχόλιον Πρόκλου επὶ Παρμενίδου Πλάτωνος 130 c p. 829, 16 Victor Cousin:

αὐτὸς δὲ ὁ μέγας Ἥφαιστος συμβολικῶς ἂν λέγοιτο χαλκεύειν τὸν οὐρανόν, v. in Tim. 36 d (II 281, 20 s. Diehl).

“Whereas mighty Íphaistos (Ἥφαιστος) is only symbolically said to have made the vault of heaven of bronze.”

(trans. by the author)

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.

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

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