ORPHIC CRITICAL TESTIMONY 106

OTTO KERN

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

METRI HEROICI AUCTOR (Originator of the Heroic Meter)

SUMMARY: This testimony consists of several quotations which indicate that Orpheus may have invented heroic meter.

ORPHIC CRITICAL TESTIMONY 106.

Flavii Mallii Theodori De metris liber IV 1 p. 589, 20 (Keil GL VI):

metrum dactylicum hexametrum inventum primitus ab Orpheo Critias (Hermann Diels II³ 314,7) adserit.

“Critias asserts (Hermann Diels II³ 314,7) that the dactylic hexameter is a meter first invented by Orpheus.”

(trans. by the author)

Compare to Marii Plotii Sacerdotis Artium grammaticarum libri tres III 2 p. 502, 15 K:

heroicum metrum et Delphicum et theologicum nuncupatur, heroicum ab Homero, qui hoc metro heroum facta composuit, Delphicum ab Apolline Delphico, qui primus hoc usus est metro, theologicum ab Orpheo et Musaeo, qui deorum sacerdotes cum essent, hymnos hoc metro cecinerunt.

“It is called heroic, Delphic, and theological meter: heroic by Homer, who in this meter composed the stories of the heroes; Delphic by Delphic Apollo, who was first to use this meter; theological by Orpheus and Musaeus, who being priests of the Gods, sang songs in this meter.”

(trans. by the author)

Marium Victorinum Ars gramm. I 12 p. 50, 23 K:

in his enim (sc. dactylo et iambo) metrorum omnium fundamenta subsistunt. hoc quidam a Lino Apollinis antistita, alii ab Orpheo, nonnulli ab Homero inventum putant.

“In these (sc. dactylic and iambic), in fact, subsist the foundations of all the meters. Some suppose this was invented by Linus through the priestess of Apollo, others by Orpheus, some by Homer.”

(trans. by the author)

See also Ἀνθολογία Ἑλληνική (Anthologia Palatina) VII 9· Δαμάγητος in the sepulchral epigram about Orpheus nr. 126 v. 6:

Ὀρφέα Θρηικίηισι παρὰ προμολσιν Ὀλύμπου

τύμβος ἔχει, Μούσης υἱέα Καλλιόπης,

ὧι δρύες οὐκ ἀπίθησαν, ὅτωι σὺν ἀμ᾽ ἕσπετο πέτρη

ἄψυχος, θηρῶν θ᾽ ὑλονόμων ἀγέλα,

ὅς ποτε καὶ τελετὰς μυστηρίδας εὕρετο Βάκχου,

καὶ στίγον ἡρώιωι ζευκτὸν ἔτευξε ποδί.

ὃς καὶ ἀμειλίκτοιο βαρὺ Κλυμένοιο νόημα

καὶ τὸν ἀκήλητον θυμὸν ἔθελξε λύραι.

“The tomb on the Thracian skirts of Olympus holds Orpheus, son of the Muse Calliope; whom the trees disobeyed not and the lifeless rocks followed, and the herds of the forest beasts; who discovered the mystic rites of Bacchus, and first linked verse in heroic feet; who charmed with his lyre even the heavy sense of the implacable Lord of Hell, and his unyielding wrath.”

(trans. W. R. Paton, 1917)

ἐξήγησις ἐπὶ Ἰλιὰς Ὁμήρου τοῦ Ἰωάννου Τζέτζου 47, 19 Herm.:

ἡρωϊκὸν δὲ μετωνομάσθη, ἐπειδὴ τὰ ἡρώων πάθη καὶ ἀριστεύματα Ὀρφεύς τε καὶ ὁ Ὅμηρος ἐν τῶι τοιούτωι μέτρωι συνεγραφήκεσαν.

“And the name (of the meter) was changed to “heroic,” since both Orphéfs (Ὀρφεύς) and Ómîros (Ὅμηρος) had given account of the experiences and the glorious deeds of the heroes in this meter.”

(trans. by the author)

Christian Lobeck Aglaophamus I 234; Otto Kern Orpheus 28; Carl Robert Griechische Heldensage I 408.

On the invention of the alphabet see v. nrr. 123 and 172.

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.