ORPHIC CRITICAL TESTIMONY 240

OTTO KERN

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


SUMMARY: This testimony presents quotations concerning the philosophers Sarapion, Asclepiodotus, and Asclepiades and their relationship to Orpheus.

ORPHIC CRITICAL TESTIMONY 240

Sarapíôn (Σαραπίων), friend of Isídôros of Alexandria (Ἰσίδωρος ὁ Ἀλεξανδρεύς [Isidore]; 450-520 C. E.) Σοῦδα s. v.:

ζητητικὸς δὲ ὢν τῆς ἀληθείας καὶ φύσει θεωρητικὸς οὐ περὶ τὰ τεχνικώτερα τῆς φιλοσοφίας ἠξίου διατρίβειν, ἀλλὰ τοῖς ἁδροτέροις καὶ ἐνθουσιαστικωτέροις νοήμασιν ἐνεφύετο. διὸ μόνον σχεδὸν τὸν Ὀρφέα ἐκέκτητο καὶ ἀνεγίγνωσκεν, ἐρωτῶν ἐφ᾿ ἑκάστοις ἀεὶ τοῖς παραπίπτουσι ζητήμασι τὸν Ἰσίδωρον, ἄκραν ὡς εἰπεῖν ἐπιστήμην ἐν θεολογίαι προβεβλημένον . . . ὃς οὕτω μὲν κατεφρόνει χρημάτων ὥστε κεκτῆσθαι μηδ’ ὁτιοῦν ἢ μόνα δύο ἢ τρία βιβλία, ὧν ἦν καὶ ἡ Ὀρφέως ποίησις.

“Being a seeker of truth and of a contemplative nature, he did not think it worthy to waste time on the systematic aspects of philosophy, but rooted himself in the more powerful and inspired ideas. Because of this, he possessed virtually only the poems of Orphéfs (Ὀρφεύς) and knew them well, and concerning all the questions which came up, he always inquired of Isidore, who laid before him, so to speak, the highest knowledge in theology . . . Thus, he looked down upon money, so, consequently, he had nothing whatever but only two or three books, where among these were also the poems of Orphéfs.”

(trans. by the author)

Add also from Δαμασκίου εἰς τὸν Ἰσιδώρου τοῦ φιλοσόφου βίον (Damascii Isidori vitam) 126 p. 132 Westerm.; about Asklîpiódotos (Ἀσκληπιόδοτος; flourished circa 475 C. E.):

πρὸς δὲ τὴν Ὀρφικήν τε καὶ Χαλδαϊκὴν τὴν ὑψηλοτέραν σοφίαν καὶ τὸν κοινὸν φιλοσοφίας νοῦν ὑπεραίρουσαν ἔτι μᾶλλον ἐλείπετο.

“But he neglected the lofty Orphic and Chaldean wisdom, and which, moreover, transcends the purpose of the common philosophy.”

(trans. by the author)

(Wilhelm Kroll De oraculis Chaldaicis 8)

and Σοῦδα s. Ἡραΐσκος* about the Neoplatonic philosopher Asklîpiádîs (Ἀσκληπιάδης) (not [Asklîpiádîs] of Mendes v. Freudenthal RE2 II 1631 n. 35):

ὥρμησε γράφειν περιέχουσαν τῶν θεολογιῶν ἁπασῶν τὴν συμφωνίαν.

“He set out to write down the encompassing agreement of all the theologies.”

(trans. by the author)

*Iräískos (Ἡραΐσκος, Heraïskos), Egyptian priest and philosopher, brother of Asclepiades of Alexandria, fifth century C. E.?

Christian Lobeck Aglaophamus I 344 s. I have placed these quotes here since it is not clear whether Asclepiades nor Asclepiodotus nor Sarapion had produced a book on Orpheus.


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.