HellenicGods.org - ORPHIC CRITICAL TESTIMONY 123

ORPHIC CRITICAL TESTIMONY 123

OTTO KERN

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

SUMMARY: This testimony, with quotations from Alcidamas and Pausanias, say that Orpheus was killed by a thunderbolt from Zeus.

ORPHIC CRITICAL TESTIMONY 123

Ὀδυσσεύς κατὰ παλαμήδους προδοσίας τοῦ Ἀλκιδάμαντος 1.24 p. 190 Bl.:

γράμματα μὲν δὴ πρῶτος Ὀρ|^{191 Bl.}φεὺς ἐξήνεγκε, παρὰ Μουσῶν μαθών, ὡς καὶ τὰ ἐπὶ τῶι μνήματι αὐτοῦ δηλοῖ ἐπιγράμματα·

‘Μουσάων πρόπολον τῆιδ᾿ Ὀρφέα Θρῆικες ἔθηκαν, ὃν κτάνεν ὑψιμέδων Ζεὺς ψολόεντι βέλει, Οἰάγρου φίλον υἱόν, ὃς Ἡρακλῆ ἐξεδίδαξεν, εὑρὼν ἀνθρώποις γράμματα καὶ σοφίην.’

“Indeed, Orphéfs (Ὀρφεὺς) was surely the first to produce letters, having learned them from the Mousai (Μοῦσαι), as the inscriptions on his tomb also makes known:

‘Here the Thracians interred Orphéfs, the minister of the Mousai, whom towering Zefs (Ζεὺς) slew with a smoky thunderbolt,

The beloved son of Íagros (Οἴαγρος), who taught Iraklís (Ἡρακλῆς), and had discovered letters and wisdom for men.’ ”

(trans. by the author)

Carl Robert Griechische Heldensage I 409 n. 3.

For verse 2 v. Ἑλλάδος Περιήγησις Παυσανίου 9.30.5 (Βοιωτία):

εἰσὶ δὲ οἵ φασι κεραυνωθέντι ὑπὸ τοῦ θεοῦ συμβῆναι τὴν τελευτὴν Ὀρφεῖ· κεραυνωθῆναι δὲ αὐτὸν τῶν λόγων ἕνεκα ὧν ἐδίδασκεν ἐν τοῖς μυστηρίοις οὐ πρότερον ἀκηκοότας ἀνθρώπους.

“Some say that Orpheus came to his end by being struck by a thunderbolt, hurled at him by the God because he revealed sayings in the mysteries to men who had not heard them before.”

(trans. W. H. S. Jones, 1918)

And nr. 125. Ernst Maaß Orpheus 140 n. 24. Carl Robert in Griechische Heldensage I 406 n. 2 compares this to the death of Jason. For verse 3 compare to nr. 160 a.

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.

SPELLING: HellenicGods.org uses the Reuchlinian method of pronouncing ancient Greek, the system preferred by scholars from Greece itself. An approach was developed to enable the student to easily approximate the Greek words. Consequently, the way we spell words is unique, as this method of transliteration is exclusive to this website. For more information, visit these three pages:

Pronunciation of Ancient Greek

Transliteration of Ancient Greek

Pronouncing the Names of the Gods in Hellenismos

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