HellenicGods.org - ORPHIC CRITICAL TESTIMONY 172

ORPHIC CRITICAL TESTIMONY 172

OTTO KERN

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

SUMMARY: This testimony, from the scholiast to Dionysius Thrax, reports that some people say that Musaeus invented the alphabetic letters; it also states that Musaeus was born during the life of Orpheus.

ORPHIC CRITICAL TESTIMONY 172

Vatican Scholia on the Art of Grammar of Dionysius Thrax p. 183, 10 Hilg. = August Emmanuel Bekker Anecdota Graeca II 783, 11:

ἔνιοι δὲ Μουσαῖον εὑρετὴν (sc. τῶν στοιχείων) λέγουσι τὸν Μητίονος καὶ Στερόπης κατ’ Ὀρφέα γενόμενον.

“But some say that the inventor (sc. of alphabetic letters) was Mousaios, the son of Mîtíôn (Μητίων) and Stærópî (Στερόπη), who was born during the life of Orphéfs (Ὀρφεύς).”

(trans. by the author)

Compare p. 190, 23 ss. Hilg. = A. E. Bekker Anecdota Graeca II 786, 6.

Orpheus inventor of the alphabet nr. 123.

Musaeus inventor of dactylic hexameter nr. 201.

About the confusion between Musaeus and Moses v. nr. 44.

Fragments of Musaeus Otto Kern De Musaei Atheniensis fragmentis Ind. Rostoch. aestiv. 1898; Herman Diels Die Fragmente der Vorsokratiker II³ 180-184.

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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For answers to many questions: Hellenismos FAQ

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