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

SUMMARY: In the heart of Phanes is sightless (ἀνόμματος) Eros.

82. (68) σχόλιον Πρόκλου επὶ Τιμαίου Πλάτωνος 33 c (II 85, 23 Diehl):

οὔτε ἄρα ὀμμάτων δεῖται πρὸς τὴν ὅρασιν οὔτε ὤτων πρὸς τὴν ἀκοήν, καὶ ἔχει καὶ τοῦτο τὸ ἀνόμματον κατ’ εἰκόνα τοῦ νοητοῦ θεοῦ, πρὸς ὃν ἀπείκασται· καὶ γὰρ ἐκεῖνον ἀνόμματον Ἔρωτά φησὶν ἔχειν Ὀρφέα·

ποιμαίνων πραπίδεσσιν ἀνόμματον ὠκὺν ἔρωτα.

οὕτω δὴ οὖν καὶ τὸ πᾶν συνῆπται δι’ ἔρωτος τοῖς πρὸ αὐτοῦ, τὸ ἐν ἐκείνοις κάλλος διὰ τοῦ ἐν ἑαυτῶι βλέπον, τοῦτο δὲ οὐ μερισταῖς αἰσθήσεσιν ὁρῶν.

“Hence it neither requires eyes in order to see, nor ears in order to hear. It possesses also this eyeless peculiarity according to the image of the intelligible God (i.e. Phanes, or animal itself, the exemplar of the universe), to which it is assimilated. For Orpheus says that this God has eyeless (ἀνόμματος) Love (Ἔρως),

‘In his breast (πραπίδες “heart” “mind”) feeding (ποιμαίνων “tending” “cherishing”) eyeless (ἀνόμματος), rapid (ὠκύς) Love.’

“Thus therefore, the universe is conjoined through love to the natures prior to itself, and beholds the beauty which is in them through that which is in itself; and this not by perceiving with partible senses.”

(trans. Thomas Taylor, 1820)

Idem in σχόλιον Πρόκλου επὶ Τιμαίου Πλάτωνος 39 e (III 101, 9 Diehl):

διὸ δὴ καὶ Ὀρφεύς Φάνητά τε τὸν θεὸν τοῦτον προσηγόρευσεν ὡς ἐκφαίνοντα τὰς νοητὰς ἑνάδας καὶ ζώιων αὐτῶι μορφὰς ἀνέθηκεν ὡς ἐν αὐτῶι τῆς πρώτης αἰτίας τῶν νοητῶν ζώιων ἐκφανείσης καὶ ἰδέας πολυειδεῖς ὡς τῶν νοητῶν ἰδεῶν πρώτως περιληπτικῶι, καὶ κληῖδα νόου προσειπὼν κλεῖν [τε del. Schneid.] αὐτὸν ἐκάλεσε τοῦ νοῦ, διότι περατοῖ πᾶσαν τὴν νοητὴν οὐσίαν καὶ συνέχει νοερὰν ζωιήν. πρὸς δὴ τοῦτον τὸν τοσοῦτον θεὸν ὁ δημιουργὸς ἀνήρτηται τοῦ παντός, νοῦς μὲν καὶ αὐτὸς ὤν, ὥσπερ εἴπομεν πρότερον, ἀλλὰ νοερὸς νοῦς ὡς νοῦ διαφερόντως αἴτιος. διὸ καὶ ὁρᾶν λέγεται τὸ αὐτοζῶιον· ἴδιον γὰρ τὸ ὁρᾶν τῶν νοερῶν θεῶν, ἐπεὶ τόν γε νοητὸν νοῦν καὶ ἀνόμματον ὁ θεολόγος προσηγόρευσε· λέγει γοῦν περὶ αὐτοῦ· ποιμαίνων --- ἔρωτα, ἔστι γὰρ αὐτοῦ καὶ τὸ ἐνέργημα νοητόν. νοῦς δὲ ὁ δημιουργὸς ὢν οὐκ ἔστί τῶν μετεχομένων, ἵνα τών ὅλων ἦι δημιουργὸς καὶ ἵνα δύνηται πρὸς τὸ αὐτοζῶιον ὁρᾶν· ἀμέθεκτος δὲ ὢν ὄντως νοερός ἐστι νοῦς, καὶ διὰ μὲν τῆς ἁπλῆς νοήσεως συνήνωται πρὸς τὸ νοητόν, διὰ δὲ τῆς ποικίλης εἰς ἀπογέννησιν σπεύδει τῶν δευτέρων. ἐκείνην μὲν αὐτοῦ τὴν νόησιν ὅρασιν προσείρηκεν ὁ λόγος, ὡς διὰ τῆς ἁπλῆς νοήσεως προϊοῦσαν καὶ εἰς ἀπογέννησιν τῶν δημιουργικῶν ἔργων |^{102 Diehl} προχωροῦσαν. καὶ ὁ μὲν Πλάτων ὁρᾶν αὐτὸν εἰς τὸ αὐτοζῶιον εἶπεν, ὁ δὲ Ὀρφεὺς καὶ ἐπιπηδᾶν αὐτῶι καὶ καταπίνειν δειξάσης µέντοι (μέσης? Diehl) τῆς Νυκτός· ἀπὸ γὰρ ταύτης νοητῆς οὔσης ἅµα καὶ νοερᾶς ὁ νοερὸς νοῦς συνάπτεται πρὸς τὸ νοητόν.

“Hence likewise, Orpheus calls it the God Phanes, as unfolding into light the intelligible unities; and gives to it various forms, as exhibiting in itself the first cause of intelligible animals. He also inserts in it multiform ideas, as primarily comprehending intelligible ideas, and calls it the key of intellect, because it bounds every intelligible essence, and connectedly-contains intellectual life. From this so great a God therefore, the Demiurgus of the universe is suspended, being himself, as we have before said, intellect, but intellectual intellect, and in a particular manner the cause of intellect. Hence also, he is said to see animal itself: for sight is the peculiarity of the intellectual Gods. For the theologist calls intelligible intellect eyeless. He says therefore, concerning it:

‘In his breast feeding eyeless, rapid Love.’

“For the boundary of its energy is the intelligible. But the Demiurgus being intellect, does not rank among participated intellects; in order that he may be the Demiurgus of wholes, and that he may be able to look to animal itself. Being however imparticipable, he is truly intellectual intellect. And through simple intelligence indeed, he is united to the intelligible; but through various intellection, he hastens to the generation of secondary natures. Hence his intelligence is denominated vision, as being non-multitudinous, and as shining with intelligible light. But his second energy is called dianoëtic, as proceeding through simple intelligence, and advancing to the generation of demiurgic works. And Plato indeed says, that he looks to animal itself; but Orpheus, that he leaps to, and absorbs it, through the indication of Night. For through Night, who is intelligible and at the same time intellectual, intellectual intellect is conjoined to the intelligible.” (trans. Thomas Taylor, 1820)

Quoting the same verse in σχόλιον Πρόκλου επὶ Ἀλκιβιάδου αʹ Πλάτωνος 103 a p. 373, 9 Cous. et σχόλιον Ὀλυμπιοδώρου επὶ Φαίδωνος Πλάτωνος 78 b p. 78 b p. 75, 15 Norv.:

(ὃ καὶ Ὀρφεὺς ἐσημήνατο, νοητὸν βουλόμενος εἰπεῖν τὸν Ἔρωτα· ἔφη γὰρ κτλ.)

“Orphéfs (Ὀρφεύς) pointed out that the intelligible is Ǽrôs (Ἔρως), etc.” (trans. by the author)

Lobeck I 494; Holwerda 302; Kroll De orac. Chald. 25.

ὕμνος Ὀρφέως 58.4 Ἔρωτος:

διφυῆ, πάντων κληῗδας ἔχοντα.

“two-natured, possessing the key to everything.” (trans. by the author)

Cf. εἰδύλλιον 11.80 Θεοκρίτου:

οὕτω τοι Πολύφαμος ἐποίμαινεν τὸν ἔρωτα

Μουσίσδων· (ῥᾷον δὲ διᾶγ᾽ ἢ εἰ χρυσὸν ἔδωκεν.)

“Thus did Polyphemus tend his love-sickness with

music, (and got more comfort thereout than he could have had for any gold.)”

(trans. J. M. Edmonds, 1912)

Anonymous Anthology 12.99:

ἠγρεύθην ὑπ' Ἔρωτος, ὁ μηδ’ ὄναρ οὐδὲ μαθών πω (Duebn.] περ cod.) ἄρσενα ποιμαίνειν θερμὸν ὑπὸ κραδίας ἠγρεύθην.

“I am caught by Love, I who had never dreamt it, and never had I learnt to feed a male flame hot beneath my heart. (I am caught.)” (trans. W. R. Paton, 1916-18)

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

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

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

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