ORPHIC CRITICAL TESTIMONY 211

OTTO KERN

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

SUMMARY: This testimony, from the Byzantine student of antiquities John the Lydian, says that the more divine souls are dispatched to the lunar region (after death).

ORPHIC CRITICAL TESTIMONY 211^[1]

Περὶ τῶν μηνῶν τοῦ Ἰωάννου Λαυρεντίου τοῦ Λυδού IV 2 p. 65, 20 W.:

ὁ δὲ Πραιτέξτατος ὁ ἱεροφάντης (Vettius Pr. † 384 p. Chr.), ὁ Σωπάτρωι τε τῶι τελεστῆι καὶ Κωνσταντίνωι τῶι αὐτοκράτορι συλλαβὼν ἐπὶ τῶι πολισμῶι τῆς εὐδαίμονος ταύτης πόλεως (sc. Byzantii), δύναμιν αὐτὸν (sc. Ἰανὸν) εἶναί τινα βούλεται ἐφ’ ἑκατέρας Ἄρκτου τεταγμένην καὶ τὰς θειοτέρας ψυχὰς ἐπὶ τὸν σεληνιακὸν χορὸν ἀποπέμπειν.

“And the hierophant Praitǽxtatos (Πραιτέξτατος; Vettius Agorius Praetextatus, who died in 384 C.E.), who gave help to Sópatros (Σώπατρος, Sopater) the initiator ^[1] and Kônstandínos (Κωνσταντῖνος) the emperor, at the founding of this fortunate city (sc. Byzantium), professes him (sc. Janus) to be arrayed as the power over the two Bears^[3], and to dispatch the more divine souls to the lunar region.”

(trans. by the author)

Translator’s notes:

[1] I am uncertain why Dr. Kern included this quotation; Praitǽxtatos, who is thought of as a just and virtuous man, held many religious offices and was a priest of the Mysteries; perhaps Kern included this quotation because of the last phrase in which the more divine souls are dispatched by Janus to the lunar region, as some believe that this is an Orphic idea in contrast to the belief that the souls of the dead become shades in the Underworld.

[2] Possibly Sopater of Apameus (Σώπατρος ὁ Ἀπαμεύς), the Neoplatonist and disciple of Iamblichus; this according to the Wikipedia article on Vettius Agorius Praetextatus. The Wiki article cites this very quotation as evidence, but the quotation does not actually say which Sopater it is referring to.

[3] I assume he means the constellations Ursa Major (the Big Bear) and Ursa Minor (the Little Bear).

Teuffel-Kroll III⁶ 302 n.; 430, 1.

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.