ORPHIC CRITICAL TESTIMONY 222

OTTO KERN

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


SUMMARY: This testimony, from the Christian church-father Clement of Alexandria, lists a number of Orphic texts along with their supposed authors.

ORPHIC CRITICAL TESTIMONY 222

Λόγος Στρώματα Κλήμεντος του Ἀλεξανδρέως I 21, 131, 3-5 (II 81, 7 Staeh.:

καὶ τοὺς μὲν ἀναφερομένους εἰς Μουσαῖον χρησμοὺς Ὀνομακρίτου εἶναι λέγουσι, τὸν Κρατῆρα δὲ τὸν Ὀρφέως Ζωπύρου τοῦ Ἡρακλεώτου (nr. 179) τήν τε Εἰς Ἅιδου κατάβασιν Προδίκου τοῦ Σαμίου (nr. 200). Ἴων δὲ ὁ Χῖος (nr. 248) ἐν τοῖς Τριαγμοῖς καὶ Πυθαγόραν εἰς Ὀρφέα ἀνενεγκεῖν τινα ἱστορεῖ. Ἐπιγένης (nr. 229) δὲ ἐν τοῖς Περὶ τῆς εἰς Ὀρφέα ποιήσεως Κέρκωπος (nr. 174) εἶναι λέγει τοῦ Πυθαγορείου τὴν Εἰς Ἅιδου κατάβασιν καὶ τὸν Ἱερὸν λόγον, τὸν δὲ Πέπλον καὶ τὰ Φυσικὰ Βροντίνου (nr.173).

“And the Oracles ascribed to Musæus are said to be the production of Onomacritus, and the Crateres of Orpheus the production of Zopyrus of Heraclea, and The Descent to Hades that of Prodicus of Samos. Ion of Chios relates in the Triagmi, that Pythagoras ascribed certain works [of his own] to Orpheus. Epigenes, in his book respecting The Poetry attributed to Orpheus, says that The Descent to Hades and the Sacred Discourse were the production of Cecrops the Pythagorean; and the Peplus and the Physics of Brontinus.”

(trans. William Wilson, 1885)

On Epigenes see nr. 229; the catalog of Epigenes is undoubtedly also held to be the same as the foundation of that in the Souda (nr. 223 d).


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.