ORPHIC CRITICAL TESTIMONY 198

OTTO KERN

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

SUMMARY: This testimony talks about Odrysian Orpheus, as stated in the Byzantine encyclopedia the Souda, by the philosopher Maximus Tyrius, and the Christian theologian Celsus.

ORPHIC CRITICAL TESTIMONY 198

The Souda:

Ὀρφεύς, Ὀδρύσης, ἐποποιός· Διονύσιος (Halicarnassensis iunior ὁ μουσικός L. Cohn RE² V 986 n. 142 v. supra p. 52; de Phaselita cogitat Daub Stud. zu den Biographika des Suid. 148; Cohn l. l. 984 n. 136) δὲ τοῦτον οὐδὲ γεγονέναι λέγει· ὅμως ἀναφέρονται εἰς αὐτόν τινα ποιήματα.

“Orphéfs (Ὀρφεύς), Odrysian (Ὀδρύσης), epic poet: (Ailios) Dionýsios (Αἴλιος Διονύσιος of Halicarnassus, the Younger, the musician. L. Cohn RE² V 986 n. 142 v. see above p. 52; of the Phaselians [Φασηλῖται] see Adam Daub in Studien zu den Biographika des Suidas 148; Cohn l. l. 984 n. 136) says that this one* did not even exist; all the same, some poems are attributed to him.”

(trans. by the author)

*The text is discussing various individuals having the name Orpheus, for instance: Orpheus the Ciconian, Orpheus the Arcadian, Orpheus of Croton, etc.

Of Odrysian Orpheus v. e. g. nrr. 103. 160.

Διαλέξεις Μαξιμου Τυρίου XXXVII 6 p. 432 Maximi Tyrii philosophumena edited by H. Hobein:

Ὀρφεὺς ἐκεῖνος ἦν μὲν Οἰάγρου παῖς καὶ Καλλιόπης αὐτῆς, ἐγένετο δὲ ἐν Θράικηι ἐν τῶι Παγγαίωι ὄρει· νέμονται δὲ τοῦτο Θραικῶν οἱ Ὀδρύσαι, ὄρειον γένος, ληισταὶ καὶ ἄξενοι· ἀλλ’ εἵποντό γε Ὀδρύσαι ἑκόντες ἡγεμόνι Ὀρφεῖ, καλῆι κηλούμενοι τῆι ὠιδῆι.

“Famous Orphéfs (Ὀρφεύς) was the son of Íagros (Οἴαγρος) and Kalliópî (Καλλιόπη); and he was born in Thrace on Mount Pangaion (Παγγαῖον); but it was inhabited by the Thracian Odrysians (Ὀδρύσαι), a mountain people, robbers and inhospitable men; but nonetheless the willing Odrysians followed Orphéfs as a leader, having been charmed by the beauty of his song.”

(trans. by the author)

Λόγος Ἀληθής Κέλσου (The True Word by Celsus) as quoted in Κατὰ Κέλσου τοῦ Ωριγένες (Against Celsus) I 17 (I 68, 7 Koetsch.):

θαυμάζω δέ, πῶς Ὀδρύσας μὲν καὶ Σαμόθραικας καὶ Ἐλευσινίους καὶ Ὑπερβορέους ἐν τοῖς ἀρχαιοτάτοις καὶ σοφωτάτοις ἔταξεν ἔθνεσιν ὁ Κέλσος.

“I must express my surprise that Celsus should class the Odrysians, and Samothracians, and Eleusinians, and Hyperboreans among the most ancient and learned nations.”

(trans. Frederick Crombie, 1885)

Κατὰ Κέλσου τοῦ Ωριγένες II 55 (I 178, 16 Koetsch.):

Ὀρφέα ἐν Ὀδρύσαις

“Orphéfs (Ὀρφεύς) among the Odrysians”

Compare to Κατὰ Κέλσου τοῦ Ωριγένες II 56 p. 180, 1 Koetsch.:

ἐπεὶ δὲ τὰς ἡρωϊκὰς ἱστορίας περὶ τῶν εἰς ἅιδου καταβεβηκέναι λεγομένων κἀκεῖθεν ἀνεληλυθέναι [τερατείας εἶναί φησιν ὁ παρὰ τῶι Κέλσωι Ἰουδαῖος, ὡς τῶν ἡρώων ἀφανῶν ἐπί τινα γενομένων χρόνον καὶ ὑπεκκλεψάντων ἑαυτοὺς τῆς ὄψεως πάντων ἀνθρώπων καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα ἑαυτοὺς ἐπιδειξάντων, ὡς ἀπὸ ἅιδου ἀνεληλυθότων] – τοιαῦτα γὰρ ἔοικε περὶ τοῦ ἐν Ὀδρύσαις Ὀρφέως καὶ τοῦ ἐν Θεσσαλίαι Πρωτεσιλάου καὶ τοῦ ἐπὶ Ταινάρωι Ἡρακλέος ἔτι δὲ καὶ περὶ Θησέως ἐμφαίνειν αὐτοῦ ἡ λέξις.

“But since the Jew says that these histories of the alleged descent of heroes to Hades, and of their return thence, are juggling impositions, maintaining that these heroes disappeared for a certain time, and secretly withdrew themselves from the sight of all men, and gave themselves out afterwards as having returned from Hades, — for such is the meaning which his words seem to convey respecting the Odrysian Orpheus, and the Thessalian Protesilaus, and the Tænarian Hercules, and Theseus also.”

(trans. Frederick Crombie, 1885)

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.