HellenicGods.org - ORPHIC CRITICAL TESTIMONY 203

ORPHIC CRITICAL TESTIMONY 203

OTTO KERN

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

ORPHEOTELESTAE (Orphic Priests; v. also nrr. 212-219)

SUMMARY: This testimony, with quotes from Plutarch and Diogenes Laërtius, says that the Orphic priests promised happiness after death.

ORPHIC CRITICAL TESTIMONY 203

Ἠθικὰ Πλουτάρχου· 16. 224 e Ἀποφθέγματα Λακωνικά (alternate numbering 49.3) Læôtyhídas (Λεωτυχίδας) son of Arístôn (Ἀρίστων) (King of Sparta 491-469 BCE) 3:

πρὸς Φίλιππον τὸν Ὀρφεοτελεστὴν παντελῶς πτωχὸν ὄντα, λέγοντα δ᾽ ὅτι οἱ παρ᾽ αὐτῶι μυηθέντες μετὰ τὴν τοῦ βίου τελευτὴν εὐδαιμονοῦσι, ‘τί οὖν, ὦ ἀνόητε,' εἶπεν, ‘οὐ τὴν ταχίστην ἀποθνήισκεις, ἵν᾽ ἅμαπαύσηι (ἅμα παύσηι Bern) κακοδαιμονίαν καὶ πενίαν κλαίων.

“This is his retort to Philip, the priest of the Orphic mysteries, who was in the direst straits of poverty, but used to assert that those who were initiated under his rites were happy after the conclusion of this life; to him Leotychidas said, ‘You idiot! Why then don't you die as speedily as possible so that you may with that cease from bewailing your unhappiness and poverty?’ ”

(trans. Frank Cole Babbitt, 1931 but Public Domain)

Christian Lobeck Aglaophamus I 644;

Carl Otfried Mueller Prolegomena zu einer wissenschaftlichen Mythologie 381;

Erwin Rohde Psyche II⁶ 111 n.

The same thing is told in Βίοι καὶ γνῶμαι τῶν ἐν φιλοσοφίᾳ εὐδοκιμησάντων Διογένους Λαερτίου VI 1, 4 about Andisthǽnîs (Ἀντισθένης):

μυούμενός ποτε τὰ Ὀρφικά, τοῦ ἱερέως εἰπόντος, ὅτι οἱ ταῦτα μυούμενοι πολλῶν ἐν Ἅιδου ἀγαθῶν μετίσχουσι, ‘τί οὖν’, ἔφη, ‘οὐκ ἀποθνήισκεις’

“When he was being initiated into the mysteries of Orpheus, and the priest said that those who were initiated enjoyed many good things in the shades below, ‘Why, then,’ said he ‘do not you die?’ ”

(trans. C. D. Yonge, 1853)

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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