ORPHIC CRITICAL TESTIMONY 40
OTTO KERN
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For links to many more fragments: The Orphic Fragments of Otto Kern.
SUMMARY: This testimony states that Orpheus lived in Pimpleia (a city of Pieria).
ORPHIC CRITICAL TESTIMONY 40.
Γεωγραφικὰ Στράβωνος VII 330 fr. 18:
ὅτι ὑπὸ τῶι Ὀλύμπωι πόλις Δῖον. ἔχει δὲ κώμην πλησίον Πίμπλειαν· ἐνταῦθα τὸν Ὀρφέα διατρῖψαί φασι τὸν Κίκονα, ἄνδρα γόητα ἀπὸ μουσικῆς ἅμα καὶ μαντικῆς καὶ τῶν περὶ τὰς τελετὰς ὀργιασμῶν ἀγυρτεύοντα τὸ πρῶτον, εἶτ᾽ ἤδη καὶ μειζόνων ἀξιοῦντα ἑαυτὸν καὶ ὄχλον καὶ δύναμιν κατασκευαζόμενον· τοὺς μὲν οὖν ἑκουσίως ἀποδέχεσθαι, τινὰς δ᾽ ὑπιδομένους ἐπιβουλὴν καὶ βίαν ἐπισυστάντας διαφθεῖραι αὐτόν. ἐνταῦθα πλησίον καὶ τὰ Λείβηθρα.
“At the base of Olympus is a city Dium. And it has a village near by, Pimpleia. Here lived Orpheus, the Ciconian, it is said—a wizard who at first collected money from his music, together with his soothsaying and his celebration of the orgies connected with the mystic initiatory rites, but soon afterwards thought himself worthy of still greater things and procured for himself a throng of followers and power. Some, of course, received him willingly, but others, since they suspected a plot and violence, combined against him and killed him. And near here, also, is Leibethra.”
(trans. ed. H. L. Jones, 1924)
On Leivîthra (Λείβηθρα) v. nr. 41
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.