ORPHIC CRITICAL TESTIMONY 190

OTTO KERN

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SUMMARY: This testimony shows how it is believed that Onomacritus added some lines into the Odyssey of Homer.

ORPHIC CRITICAL TESTIMONY 190

To Ὀδύσσεια Ὁμήρου λ (Rhapsody 11) 602-604 (on Heracles):

εἴδωλον· αὐτὸς δὲ μετ’ ἀθανάτοισι θεοῖσιν

τέρπεται ἐν θαλίηις καὶ ἔχει καλλίσφυρον Ἥβην

παῖδα Διὸς μεγάλοιο καὶ Ἥρης χρυσοπεδίλου.

“– his phantom; for he himself among the immortal Gods

takes his joy in the feast, and has to wife Hebe, of the fair ankles,

daughter of great Zeus and of Here, of the golden sandals.”

(trans. A. T. Murray, 1919)

Scholiast Y 2 (Ludwich) remarks:

ἀθετοῦνται καὶ λέγονται Ὀνομακρίτου εἶναι.

“They (ed. lines 602-604) are rejected as spurious and it is said they are from Onomákritos.”

(trans. by the author)

About line 604 (= Θεογονία Ἡσιόδου 952) scholiast H 2:

τοῦτον ὑπὸ Ὀνομακρίτου ἐμπεποιῆσθαί φασιν. ἠθέτηται δὲ.

“They say this line was put in by Onomákritos. But spurious.”

(trans. by the author)

Wilamowitz Hom. Unters. 199.

About Onomákritos see Christian Lobeck Aglaophamus I 332; C. O. Mueller Prolegomena 390 ss.; Ritschl Ersch and Gruber III (1833) 4 = Opusc. philol. I 1866, 238 and nr. 189; C. Eichhoff De Onomacrito comm. I Progr. Elberfeld 1840; Bergk Griech. Literaturgesch. II 85; Erwin Rohde Psyche II6 111; Malten Arch. f. Religionsw. XII 1908, 427; v. also Kinkelium (before nr. 191) p. 240.


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.

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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.

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