ORPHIC CRITICAL TESTIMONY 144

OTTO KERN

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

SUMMARY: This testimony, with quotations from Plutarch, Arrian, and pseudo-Callisthenes, elaborates on the story of a statue of Orpheus sweating profusely while Alexander the Great gazed upon it.

ORPHIC CRITICAL TESTIMONY 144

At Libethra in Pieria Βίοι Παράλληλοι Πλουτάρχου· Ἀλέξανδρος 14.5:

ἐπεὶ δὲ (Ἀλέξανδρος) ὥρμησε πρὸς τὴν στρατείαν, ἄλλα τε δοκεῖ σημεῖα παρὰ τοῦ δαιμονίου γενέσθαι, καὶ τὸ περὶ Λείβηθρα τοῦ Ὀρφέως ξόανον (ἦν δὲ κυπαρίττινον) ἱδρῶτα πολὺν ὑπὸ τὰς ἡμέρας ἐκείνας ἀφῆκε.

“Moreover, when he (Alexander) set out upon his expedition, it appears that there were many signs from heaven, and, among them, the image of Orpheus at Leibethra (it was made of cypress-wood) sweated profusely at about that time.”

(trans. Bernadotte Perrin, 1919)

Ἀλεξάνδρου Ἀνάβασις Ἀρριανού I 11, 2:

καὶ ἐν τούτωι ἀγγέλλεται τὸ Ὀρφέως τοῦ Οἰάγρου τοῦ Θραικὸς ἄγαλμα τὸ ἐν Πιερίδι ἱδρῶσαι ξυνεχῶς· καὶ ἄλλοι ἄλλα ἐπεθείαζον τῶν μάντεων, Ἀρίστανδρος δέ, ἀνὴρ Τελμισσεύς, μάντις, θαρρεῖν ἐκέλευσεν Ἀλέξανδρον· δηλοῦσθαι γὰρ, ὅτι ποιηταῖς ἐπῶν τε καὶ μελῶν καὶ ὅσοι ἀμφὶ ὠιδὴν ἔχουσι πολὺς πόνος ἔσται ποιεῖν τε καὶ ἄιδειν Ἀλέξανδρον καὶ τὰ Ἀλεξάνδρου ἔργα.

“At this time it was reported that the statue of Orpheus, son of Oeagrus the Thracian, which was in Pieris, sweated incessantly. Various were the explanations of this prodigy given by the soothsayers; but Aristander, a man of Telmissus, a soothsayer, bade Alexander take courage; for he said it was evident from this that there would be much labour for the epic and lyric poets, and for the writers of odes, to compose and sing about Alexander and his achievements.”

(trans. E. J. Chinnock, 1884)

Ἀλεξάνδρου μεγάλου πράξεις ψευδούς Καλλισθένους (Aesopus) I 42, 6. 7 p. 47 Muell. ~ Iul. Valer. I 46 p. 56 Kue.:

(Ἀλέξανδρος) παραγίνεται οὖν εἰς τὴν Πιερίαν πόλιν τῆς Βεβρυκίας (Ἱππορίαν B] Ἱππερίαν τῆς Εὐρικίας M), ἔνθα ἦν ναὸς καὶ ἄγαλμα τοῦ Ὀρφέως καὶ αἱ Πιερίδες Μοῦσαι καὶ τὰ θηρία αὐτῶν περιεστῶτα τὰ ξόανα. βλέποντος δὲ τοῦ Ἀλεξάνδρου εἰς τὸ ἄγαλμα τοῦ Ὀρφέως, ἵδρωσε τὸ ξόανον αὐτοῦ ὅλον. Τοῦ δὲ Ἀλεξάνδρου ζητοῦντος τί τὸ σημεῖον τοῦτο, λέγει αὐτῶι Μελάμπους ὁ σημειολύτης·

‘Καμεῖν ἔχεις, Ἀλέξανδρε βασιλεῦ, μετὰ ἱδρώτων καὶ κόπων (7) τὰ τῶν βαρβάρων ἔθνη τὰς καὶ τῶν Ἑλλήνων πόλεις καθυποτάσσων. Ὥσπερ γὰρ ὁ Ὀρφεὺς λυρίζων καὶ ἄιδων τοὺς Ἕλληνας ἔπεισε, βαρβάρους ἔτρεψε (compare to nr. 111), τοὺς θῆρας ἡμέρωσεν, οὕτω καὶ σὺ κοπιάσας δόρατι πάντας ὑποχειρίους ποιήσεις.’

“Then, he (Ἀλέξανδρος) arrived in (Ἱππορίαν) a Pierian city of Vævrykía (Βεβρυκία), where there was a temple with a statue of Orphéfs (Ὀρφεύς) and the Pierian Mousai (Μοῦσαι), and placed around them were animals carved in wood. While looking upon the statue of Orphéfs, the wooden image began to sweat in its entirety. But while Alǽxandros (Ἀλέξανδρος) was investigating this sign, Mælámpous (Μελάμπους), the interpreter of omens, said to him:

‘You have to struggle, King Alǽxandros, with sweating and troubles, subduing the tribes of barbarians and the cities of Greece. For just as Orphéfs persuaded the Greeks by playing the lyre and singing, he turned the barbarians to flight, and tamed the wild animals. Also you too in this way, struggling by the spear, will bring all people under your command.’ ”

(trans. by the author)

Werner Baege, De Macedonum sacris 183.

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.