ORPHIC CRITICAL TESTIMONY 242

OTTO KERN

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SUMMARY: This testimony questions whether there were books on Orpheus by Hieronymus, Hellanicus, and Pamphilus of Alexandria.

ORPHIC CRITICAL TESTIMONY 242

It is uncertain whether Hieronymus [1] and Hellanicus [2] (of whose generation as yet nothing can be established) have written particular books on Orpheus [3].

The Ὀρφικά of Pamphilus of Alexandria arose from a conjecture of Reinesius as found (trad. Ὀπικά) in the entry for Πάμφιλος Ἀλεξανδρεύς in the Σοῦδα.[4]

Notes:

[1] (Ἱερώνυμος) Die Fragmente der griechischen Historiker (FHG) II 450.

[2] (Ἑλλάνικος) Δαμασκίου Διαδόκου Ἀπορίαι καὶ λύσεις περὶ τῶν πρώτων ἀρχῶν εἰς τὸν Πλάτωνος Παρμενίδην I 317, 15 Charles-Émile Ruelle.

[3] Paul Robert Schuster De Veteris Orphicae Theogoniae p. 99. V. P. II 3 on the Theogony of Hieronymus (ed. which discusses the identity of Hieronymus and Hellanicus).

[4] Christian Lobeck Aglaophamus I 342 (ed. In other words, the Σοῦδα spells the name of the book Ὀπικά and Reinesius thinks it was an error and should have been spelled Ὀρφικά, but this has been disputed).


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.

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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.

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