III. Γεωργία

(Agriculture)

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PREFACE

The Orphic poem, to which the name Γεωργία (“Agriculture”) was inscribed, with the exception appearing in Προλεγόμενα τοῦ σοφοῦ Ὀρφέως τοῦ Κωνσταντίνου Λάσκαρη in Marmora Taurinensia Augustae Taurinorum I 98, which has the title Γεωργικά “Agricultural” (See Orphic Critical Testimony 225; compare to Anton Baumstark Philol. I III [N. F. VII] 1894, 687; Josef Heeg Die Angeblichen Orphischen Ἔργα καὶ Ἡμέραι - Inaugural Dissertation 50) Tzetzes is one witness in many places. They are of great weight, which is acknowledged at the beginning of ἐξήγησις τοῦ Ἰωάννου Τζέτζου εἰς τὰ Ἔργα καὶ τὰς Ἡμέρας τοῦ Ἡσιόδου 17 (Thomas Gaisford Poetæ Minores Græci II 19, 19):

Ἡσιόδου Ἔργα καὶ Ἡμέραι τὸ βιβλίον ἐπιγέγραπται, ἤτοι διδασκαλία γεωργίας καὶ ἡμερῶν, καθ’ ἃς δεῖ τόδε καὶ τόδε ποιεῖν. οὕτω δὲ ἐπιγέγραπται πρὸς ἀντιδιαστολὴν τῶν ἑτέρων |^{20 Gaisf.} αὐτοῦ πεντεκαίδεκα βιβλίων Ἀσπίδος Θεογονίας Ἡρωογονίας, Γυναικῶν καταλόγου καὶ λοιπῶν ἁπασῶν· ἔτι δὲ καὶ πρὸς ἀντιδιαστολὴν τῶν τοῦ μεγάλου Ὀρφέως Ἔργων καὶ Ἡμερῶν, ὧν Ἔργων Ὀρφέως ἤτοι τοῦ Περὶ Γεωργίας οὕτως ἐστὶν ἡ ἀρχή·

“The book of Isíodos (Ἡσίοδος) was entitled Works and Days, or instruction on farming and the days through which this and that ought be done. And it was titled in this way to distinguish it from his other fifteen books: The Shield, Theogony, Genealogy of the Heroes, Catalog of Women, and all the others; and yet also to distinguish it from the Works and Days of the great Orphéfs (Ὀρφεύς); in this way is the beginning of Orphéfs’ Works and Days or On Agriculture.”

(trans. by the author)

See Orphic fragment 280; Christian Lobeck Aglaophamus I 414 which he excludes together with Thomas Gaisford Ἔργων Ὀρφέως ἤτοι τοῦ Περὶ Γεωργίας, Josef Heeg Die Angeblichen Orphischen Ἔργα καὶ Ἡμέραι p. 49. It seems the whole passage of Tzetzes is corrupted. Or rather that τῶν ἑτέρων - ἀντιδιαστολὴν (“from others – to distinguish it”) may be a gloss? (Translator’s note: I think Kern is saying this because ἀντιδιαστολὴν is a noun but Tzetzes seems to be using it as a verb)

Tzetzes says in ἐξήγησις τοῦ Ἰωάννου Τζέτζου εἰς τὰ Ἔργα καὶ τὰς Ἡμέρας τοῦ Ἡσιόδου at vs. 568 that Orpheus expounded agrarian matters astrologically (μαθηματικῶς) (οἷον Σελήνης τρεχούσης περὶ Παρθένον πάντα φυτεύειν πλὴν μόνων ἀμπέλων “As for example, when the Moon runs around Virgo, to plant any tree except the grapevine”); v. Josef Heeg Die Angeblichen Orphischen Ἔργα καὶ Ἡμέραι p. 46.

It is not possible to demonstrate that this poem was dedicated to Musaeus (compare to Orphic fragment 271), which in opposition to C. G. Lenzium (De fragmentis Orphicis ad astronomiam et agrorum culturam spectantibus commentatio Diss. Carl Gotthold Lenz. 1789, 15) Josef Heeg correctly advised on p. 48.

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.