HellenicGods.org - 15. ΙΕΡΟΣΤΟΛΙΚΑ

THE ORPHIC FRAGMENTS

OF OTTO KERN

15. ΙΕΡΟΣΤΟΛΙΚΑ

(THE SACRED VESTMENTS)

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

The Souda (Σοῦδα; Orphic Critical Testimony no. 223 d):

Ὀρφεὺς ἔγραψε Τριασμούς (τριασμούς codd. v. s. ΤΡΙΑΓΜΟΙ)· λέγονται δὲ εἶναι Ἴωνος τοῦ τραγικοῦ. ἐν δὲ τούτοις τὰ Ἱεροστολικὰ καλούμενα, κλήσεις κοσμικαί.

“Orphéfs (Ὀρφεὺς) wrote On Triads (Τριαγμοῖς): but they are said to be by Íôn (Ἴων ὁ Χῖος) the tragedian. And among them are those named The Sacred Vestments (Ἱεροστολικὰ), Cosmic Invocations (Κλήσεις κοσμικαί).

(trans. by the author)

Hermann Diels in Die Fragmente der Vorsokratiker II³ at p. 163, 10, who translates this as ‘pagan litanies,’ concludes κλήσεις κοσμικαί to be a Christian scholion.

Christian Lobeck in Aglaophamus I 371. 727 (Ab. p. 213) and Paul Robert Schuster in De Veteris Orphicae Theogoniae p. 29 note 2, who bring together here Orphic Fragment 238, unite the poem Ἱεροστολικὰ (“Sacred Vestments) with Καταζωστικῶι (“Concerning the girding of statues;” see ahead p. 307 of Orphicorum Fragmenta or section 18. ΚΑΤΑΖΩΣΤΙΚΟΝ), transmitted by the Souda itself.

See Orpheus himself in Ὀρφέως Ἀργοναυτικὰ 448:

αὐτὰρ ἐμοὶ Κένταυρος ἑῆι γέρας ὤπασε χειρὶ

νεβρῆν παρδαλέην, ξεινήων ὄφρα φέροιμι.

“But the Kǽntavros (Κένταυρος, Centaur) gave me, with his own hand, the gift of

a leopard skin, in order that I might carry away a gift of hospitality.”

(trans. by the author)

With which compare to Orphic Fragment 238 verse 5 s.

Ἱεραφόροι καὶ Ἱεροστόλοι (“Bearers of the Holy Vessels and Priests Attending the Sacred Vestments”) of Isis in Ἠθικὰ Πλουτάρχου· 26.3 Περὶ Ἴσιδος καὶ Ὀσίριδος p. 352 b:

οὗτοι δ᾽ εἰσὶν οἱ τὸν ἱερὸν λόγον περὶ θεῶν πάσης καθαρεύοντα δεισιδαιμονίας καὶ περιεργίας ἐν τῆι ψυχῆι φέροντες ὥσπερ ἐν κίστηι καὶ περιστέλλοντες, τὰ μὲν μέλανα καὶ σκιώδη τὰ δὲ φανερὰ καὶ λαμπρὰ τῆς περὶ θεῶν ὑποδηλοῦντα οἰήσεως (νοήσεως Wytt.), οἷα καὶ περὶ τὴν ἐσθῆτα τὴν ἱερὰν ἀποφαίνεται.

“And these are such as have in their minds, as in an ark, the sacred doctrine about the Gods, cleansed from superstitious frights and vain curiosities, keeping out of sight all dark and shady colors, and exposing to sight the light and gay ones, to insinuate something of the like kind in our persuasion about the Gods as we have represented to us in the sacred vestments.”

(trans. William W. Goodwin, 1874)

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.

This logo is the principal symbol of this website. It is called the CESS logo, i.e. the Children of the Earth and the Starry Sky. The Pætilía (Petelia, Πετηλία) and other golden tablets having this phrase are the inspiration for the symbol. The image represents this idea: Earth (divisible substance) and the Sky (continuous substance) are the two kozmogonic substances. The twelve stars represent the Natural Laws, the dominions of the Olympian Gods. In front of these symbols is the seven-stringed kithára (cithara, κιθάρα), the the lyre of Apóllôn (Apollo, Ἀπόλλων). It (here) represents the bond between Gods and mortals and is representative that we are the children of Orphéfs (Orpheus, Ὀρφεύς).

PLEASE NOTE: Throughout the pages of this website, you will find fascinating stories about our Gods. These narratives are known as mythology, the traditional stories of the Gods and Heroes. While these tales are great mystical vehicles containing transcendent truth, they are symbolic and should not be taken literally. A literal reading will frequently yield an erroneous result. The meaning of the myths is concealed in code. To understand them requires a key. For instance, when a God kills someone, this usually means a transformation of the soul to a higher level. Similarly, sexual union with a God is a transformation.

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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