THE ORPHIC FRAGMENTS

OF OTTO KERN

14. ΙΕΡΟΣ ΛΟΓΟΣ [ΑΙΓΥΓΤΙΟΣ*]

SACRED LOGOS [EGYPTIAN]

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

*Translator’s note: Kern obviously means Αἰγύπτιος, the second Γ is not a gamma at all but hearkening to an earlier form of the the letter Π which looked like a gamma with a hook on the right side, not extending all the way down; but Kern is using a simple gamma, for reasons I am not aware of.

Ὀρφέως Ἀργοναυτικὰ 43-45; See Orphic Testimony No. 224:

ἠδ’ ὅτ’ ἓν Αἰγύπτωι ἱερὸν λόγον ἐξελόχευσα,

Μέμφιν ἐς ἠγαθέην πελάσας ἱεράς τε πόληας

Ἄπιδος, ἃς πέρι Νεῖλος ἀγάρροος ἐστεφάνωται·

“and the sacred discourse I brought forth going to Egypt,

when I went to most holy Memphis and the sacred cities

of Ápis (Ἆπις), around which the strong-flowing Nile confers honor”

(trans. by the author)

and line 32:

θρήνους τ’ Αἰγυπτίων καὶ τ’ Ὀσίριδος ἱερὰ χύτλα.

“and the dirges of the Egyptians and the sacred libations of Ósiris (Ὄσιρις).”

(trans. by the author)

Compare to ὕμνος Ὀρφέως 34.2 Ἀπόλλωνος·

Μεμφῖτ’, ἀγλαότιμος, ἰῃϊος, ὀλβιοδῶτα

“Memphian, renowned, exclaimed with cries of joy, bestower of bliss”

(trans. by the author)

ὕμνος Ὀρφέως 42.9 Μίσης·

σὺν σῆι μητρὶ θεᾶι μελανηφόρωι Ἴσιδι σεμνῆι

Αἰγύπτου παρὰ χεῦμα σὺν ἀμφιπόλοισι τιθήναις

“With thy dark mother Isis, where she reigns,

With nurses pure attended, near the flood

Of sacred Egypt, thy divine abode.”

(trans. Thomas Taylor, 1792)

ὕμνος Ὀρφέως 55.19 Εἰς Ἀφροδίτην·

Αἰγύπτου κατέχεις ἱερῆς γονιμώδεα λουτρά.

“Or flanked by your priests at the fruitful River of Egypt”

(trans. by the author)

See also section 17. ΚΑΤΑΒΑΣΙΣ ΕΙΣ ΑΙΔΟΥ “The Descent to Hades” (p. 305 in Kern’s book) and Hecataeus of Abdera (Ἑκαταῖος ὁ Ἀβδηρίτης); see Orphic Critical Testimonies numbers 95-98, where through carelessness I (ed. Kern) wrote of Hecataeus of Miletus (Ἑκαταῖος ὁ Μιλήσιος). Ernst Maaß Orpheus p. 114. 196; Otto Kern Genethliakon f. Carl Robert 1910, p. 90; Ulrich Wilcken Jahrbuch des Kaiserlich Deutschen Archäologischen Instituts XXXII 1917, p. 195 ss.

Perhaps the verse from Βιβλιοθήκη ἱστορικὴ Διοδώρου Σικελιώτου I.11.3 and Ἀριστόκριτος Μανιχαῖος in the Tübingen Theosophy 8 (v. fr. 237 p. 250) is taken from this poem:

τοὔνεκά μιν (sc. Ὄσιριν) καλέουσι Φάνητά τε καὶ Διόνυσον

“And this is why men call him Shining One (Φάνης) And Dionysus.”

(trans. Charles Henry Oldfather, 1933)

See section 4. ΙΕΡΟΙ ΛΟΓΟΙ ΕΝ ΡΑΨΩΙΔΙΑΙΣ ΚΔʹ Orphic Fragments 60-235.

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.