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

SUMMARY: These fragments say that Bacchus completes the works of his father.

218. (192. 299) σχόλιον Πρόκλου επὶ Τιμαίου Πλάτωνος 42 e (III 316, 3 Diehl):

ὃ γὰρ εἶπε περὶ τῆς μονάδος τῶν νέων θεῶν ὁ Ὀρφεύς·

κραῖνε μὲν οὖν Ζεὺς πάντα πατήρ, Βάκχος δ’ ἐπέκραινε,

τοῦτο καὶ περὶ τῶν νέων θεῶν ῥητέον, ὅτι δὴ τὴν δημιουγίαν ἐπιτελοῦσι τοῦ πατρός, ἣν ἐκεῖνος αὐτῶι τῶι νοεῖν ὑπέστησεν, ὥσπερ δή φησι καὶ τὸ λόγιον (Kroll De oraculis Chaldaicis 46);

‘ταῦτα πατὴρ ἐνόησε, βροτὸς δέ οἱ ἐψύχωτο’.

“For what Orpheus says of the monad of the junior Gods,

‘Though all things by the father Jove (Ζεὺς) were form’d,

Yet their completion they to Bacchus (Βάκχος) owe;’

“this also must be said of the junior Gods, viz. that they give perfection to the fabrication, which the father constituted by intellection itself; just as the [Chaldean] Oracle likewise says (Kroll De oraculis Chaldaicis 46),

‘These things the father understood, and the mortal nature became animated for him.’ ”

(trans. Thomas Taylor, 1820)

Ἀπορίαι καὶ λύσεις περὶ τῶν πρώτων ἀρχῶν εἰς τὸν Πλάτωνος Παρμενίδην Δαμασκίου 245 (II 117, 2 Rue., Add. 386):

καὶ δὴ καὶ ὁ Διόνυσος <ἐπικραίνει> τὰ τοῦ Διὸς ἔργα, φησὶν Ὀρφεύς, ὁλοποιοῦ τοῦ Διὸς ὄντος· ἀλλὰ καὶ ἡ ἀρχὴ καὶ τὸ μέσον καὶ τὸ τέλος μέρη ἄττα· ἀλλ’ ἤδη ἕστηκεν ἀπ’ ἀλλήλων· τὰ δὲ ἁπλῶς μέρη συννεύει μάλιστα πρὸς τὸ ὅλον.

“And Diónysos certainly fulfils the works of Zefs (Ζεύς), Orphéfs says, from Zefs being creator of the whole; but also, the beginning, middle, and end are parts, but (they are parts) which have already established themselves distinct from one another; nonetheless, the single* parts quite do converge towards the whole.”

(trans. by the author)

*Translator’s note: The word ἁπλῶς can be translated as an adverb “simply,” “singly,” or “plainly,” or as an adjective “single,” “simple,” or “absolute.”

Ἀπορίαι καὶ λύσεις περὶ τῶν πρώτων ἀρχῶν εἰς τὸν Πλάτωνος Παρμενίδην Δαμασκίου 160 (II 44, 3 Rue.):

ἕνωσις μὲν δημιουργικὴ ὁ μονοειδὴς εἷς δημιουργός· ὁλότης δέ, ὁ ἤδη μὲν τὰ μέρη προφαίνων, οὔπω δὲ μεριζόμενος, οἷος ὁ Σαβάζιος, ὁ δὲ Διόνυσος, τὸ ἄπειρον ἤδη μεριζόμενον πλῆθος. διὸ καὶ ὁ Διόνυσος καὶ ὁ Ζεύς καὶ οἱ τελετάρχαι ἀναλογοῦσιν τῶι Φάνητι κατὰ τὸ ἄπειρον πλῆθος.

“Indeed, the Dîmiourgós is one simple dimiourgic unity; but wholeness, in truth, already manifests parts, but not yet dividing itself, illustrated as such by Savázios (Σαβάζιος), but Diónysos (illustrates) the infinite multitude already dividing itself. And, on which account, Diónysos, Zefs (Ζεύς), and the Tælætárkhai (τελετάρχαι) are analogous to Phánîs (Φάνης) as concerns infinite multiplicity.”

(trans. by the author)

Herm. XXVI; Lobeck I 553; Kern De Theogon. 47; Herm. XXIII 1888, 485 n. XIII.

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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