ORPHIC CRITICAL TESTIMONY 206

OTTO KERN

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

SUMMARY: This testimony, from the Parallel Lives of Plutarch, describes the Orphic practices of Olympias, the mother of Alexander the Great.

ORPHIC CRITICAL TESTIMONY 206

Βίοι Παράλληλοι Πλουτάρχου· Ἀλέξανδρος 2.5 on Olymbiás (Ὀλυμπιάς), the mother of Alǽxandros (Ἀλέξανδρος) the Great:

ἕτερος δὲ περὶ τούτων ἐστὶ λόγος, ὡς πᾶσαι μὲν αἱ τῆιδε γυναῖκες ἔνοχοι τοῖς Ὀρφικοῖς οὖσαι καὶ τοῖς περὶ τὸν Διόνυσον ὀργιασμοῖς ἐκ τοῦ πάνυ παλαιοῦ Κλώδωνές τε καὶ Μιμαλλόνες ἐπωνυμίαν ἔχουσαι πολλὰ ταῖς Ἠδωνίσι καὶ ταῖς περὶ τὸν Αἷμον Θρήισσαις ὅμοια δρῶσιν, ἀφ᾽ ὧν δοκεῖ καὶ τὸ θρησκεύειν ὄνομα ταῖς κατακόροις γενέσθαι καὶ περιέργοις ἱερουργίαις, ἡ δὲ Ὀλυμπιὰς μᾶλλον ἑτέρων ζηλώσασα τὰς κατοχὰς καὶ τοὺς ἐνθουσιασμοὺς ἐξάγουσα βαρβαρικώτερον ὄφεις μεγάλους χειροήθεις ἐφείλκετο τοῖς θιάσοις, οἳ πολλάκις ἐκ τοῦ κιττοῦ καὶ τῶν μυστικῶν λίκνων παραναδυόμενοι καὶ περιελιττόμενοι τοῖς θύρσοις τῶν γυναικῶν καὶ τοῖς στεφάνοις ἐξέπληττον τοὺς ἄνδρας.

“But concerning these matters there is another story to this effect: all the women of these parts were addicted to the Orphic rites and the orgies of Dionysus from very ancient times (being called Klodones and Mimallones ^[1]), and imitated in many ways the practices of the Edonian women and the Thracian women about Mount Haemus, from whom, as it would seem, the word ‘threskeuein’^[2] came to be applied to the celebration of extravagant and superstitious ceremonies. Now Olympias, who affected these divine possessions more zealously than other women, and carried out these divine inspirations in wilder fashion, used to provide the revelling companies with great tame serpents, which would often lift their heads from out the ivy and the mystic winnowing-baskets ^[3], or coil themselves about the wands and garlands of the women, thus terrifying the men.”

(trans. Bernadotte Perrin, 1919)

NOTES (of Professor Perrin):

[1] Macedonian names for Bacchantes.

[2] Plutarch apparently derives this verb from Θρῇσσαι (Thracian women).

[3] Sacred to Dionysus, and carried on the heads of the celebrants.

Diss. Hal. XXII 1913, 81. 182; on θρησκεύειν see nr. 37.

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.