THE ORPHIC FRAGMENTS

OF OTTO KERN


13. ΘΥΗΠΟΛΙΚΟΝ

(SACRIFICE)

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


With this title, Kern in Hermes LII 1917, p. 150 assessed that the corpus of Hymns was indicated, this (title) transmitted by the Souda alone, after Bernhard Ludwig Giseke in Rhein. Mus. VIII 1953, p. 92 speculated, that the poet of the Orphic Argonautica, at verse 34

καὶ ἣ σπλάγχνων θέσις ἐστίν

“And where is placement of the entrails” [1]

which he thought at that time referred to Θυηπολικὸν (“Sacrifice”).

In the Laurentian codice of Hymns 32, 45 from the first hymn (Εὐχὴ πρὸς Μουσαῖον “Prayer to Mousaeus” at the very beginning of the Orphic Hymns) verse 45 (= Hymn. I 1 Ab.) that the word ΘŸΗΠΛΟ [2] has been added in the margin is not of small importance. Cf. Εὐχὴ πρὸς Μουσαῖον vs. 44:

τήνδε θυηπολίην ἱερὴν, σπονδήν τ’ ἐπὶ σεμνήν

“this holy sacrifice, and libation to the divine”

and Πολιτεία Πλάτωνος 2.364 e (fr. 3):

βίβλων δὲ ὅμαδον (ὁρμαθὸν Lobeck and Diels) παρέχονται (sc. ἀγύρται καὶ μάντεις) Μουσαίου καὶ Ὀρφέως, Σελήνης τε καὶ Μουσῶν ἐκγόνων, ὥς φασι, καθ᾽ ἃς θυηπολοῦσιν

“And they produce a host of books written by Musaeus and Orpheus, who were children of the Moon and the Muses — that is what they say — according to which they perform their ritual (θυηπολοῦσιν)”

(trans. Benjamin Jowett, 1892)

and Publii Ovidii Nasonis Metamorphoses 4.11; Kern Berlin. Philol. Wochenschr. XXXII 1912, 1440:

turaque dant Bacchumque vocant Bromiumque Lyaeumque

ignigenamque satumque iterum solumque bimatrem;

additur hic Nyseus indetonsusque Thyoneus

et cum Lenaeo genialis consitor uvae

Nycteliusque Eleleusque parens et Iacchus et Euhan, 15

et quae praeterea per Graias plurima gentes

nomina, Liber, habes etc.

“Then incense burn, and, Bacchus, thee adore,

Or lov'st thou Nyseus, or Lyaeus more?

O! doubly got, O! doubly born, they sung,

Thou mighty Bromius, hail, from light'ning sprung!

Hail, Thyon, Eleleus! each name is thine:

Or, listen parent of the genial vine!

Iachus! Evan! loudly they repeat,

And not one Grecian attribute forget,

Which to thy praise, great Deity, belong.”

(trans. Sir Samuel Garth, John Dryden, et al, 1717)

TRANSLATOR’S NOTES:

[1] This verse is talking about divination using the entrails of animals and birds.

[2] θυηπλο or θυηπο must refer to words like θυηπολέω (“to sacrifice”) or θυηπολία (“a sacrifice” or “a rite”) θυηπολικός (“sacrificial”).


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.