ORPHIC CRITICAL TESTIMONY 236
OTTO KERN
HellenicGods.org
HOME GLOSSARY RESOURCE ART LOGOS CONTACT
For links to many more fragments: The Orphic Fragments of Otto Kern.
SUMMARY: This testimony, from the Byzantine chronicler John Malalas, says that the philosopher Theon (the mathematician from Alexandria who wrote commentaries on the astronomer Ptolemy and Aratus?) taught and explained the compositions of Orpheus.
ORPHIC CRITICAL TESTIMONY 236
Θέων mentioned in Χρονογραφία Ἰωάννου Μαλάλα XIII p. 343, 11:
ἐπὶ δὲ τῆς βασιλείας αὐτοῦ (Γρατιανοῦ a. 367-383) Θέων ὁ σοφώτατος φιλόσοφος ἐδίδασκε καὶ ἡρµήνευε τὰ ἀστρονοµικὰ καὶ τὰ Ἑρµοῦ τοῦ Τρισµεγίστου συγγράμματα καὶ τὰ Ὀρφέως.
“And during his reign (of Flavius Gratianus, 367-383 C. E.), the wise philosopher Thǽôn (Θέων) was teaching and explaining astronomy and the compositions of Ærmís Thrice-Greatest (Ἑρμῆς ὁ Τρισμέγιστος) and Orphéfs (Ὀρφεύς).”
(trans. by the author)
Richard Reitzenstein Poimandres 211 n. 1; Josef Heeg Festschrift für Martin von Schanz 1912, 164.
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.