ORPHIC CRITICAL TESTIMONY 42
OTTO KERN
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MAGISTRI (Masters) [on Apollo v. nr. 22]
SUMMARY: This testimony states that Orpheus was a student of the Idaean Dactyli, and afterwards became the first to introduce to the Hellenes the initiatory rites and Mysteries.
ORPHIC CRITICAL TESTIMONY 42.
Βιβλιοθήκη ἱστορικὴ Διοδώρου Σικελιώτου V 64, 4 (Diels II3 167 n. 15):
ἔνιοι δ᾽ ἱστοροῦσιν, ὧν ἐστι καὶ Ἔφορος (Diels II3 167 n. 15), τοὺς Ἰδαίους Δακτύλους γενέσθαι μὲν κατὰ τὴν Ἴδην τὴν ἐν Φρυγίαι, διαβῆναι δὲ μετὰ Μυγδόνος (μετ’ αμύγδονος D, Μυγδώνος F, Μίνωος A) εἰς τὴν Εὐρώπην· ὑπάρξαντας δὲ γόητας ἐπιτηδεῦσαι τάς τε ἐπωιδὰς καὶ τελετὰς καὶ μυστήρια, καὶ περὶ Σαμοθράικην διατρίψαντας οὐ μετρίως ἐν τούτοις ἐκπλήττειν τοὺς ἐγχωρίους· καθ᾽ ὃν δὴ χρόνον καὶ τὸν Ὀρφέα, φύσει διαφόρωι κεχορηγημένον πρὸς ποίησιν καὶ μελωιδίαν, μαθητὴν γενέσθαι τούτων, καὶ πρῶτον εἰς τοὺς Ἕλληνας ἐξενεγκεῖν τελετὰς καὶ μυστήρια.
“But some historians, and Ephorus is one of them, record that the Idaean Dactyli were in fact born on the Mt. Ide which is in Phrygia and passed over to Europe together with Mygdon; and since they were wizards, they practised charms and initiatory rites and mysteries, and in the course of a sojourn in Samothrace they amazed the natives of that island not a little by their skill in such matters. And it was at this time, we are further told, that Orpheus, who was endowed with an exceptional gift of poesy and song, also became a pupil of theirs, and he was subsequently the first to introduce initiatory rites and mysteries to the Greeks.”
(trans. Charles Henry Oldfather, 1939 but in the Public Domain)
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.
This logo is the principal symbol of this website. It is called the CESS logo, i.e. the Children of the Earth and the Starry Sky. The Pætilía (Petelia, Πετηλία) and other golden tablets having this phrase are the inspiration for the symbol. The image represents this idea: Earth (divisible substance) and the Sky (continuous substance) are the two kozmogonic substances. The twelve stars represent the Natural Laws, the dominions of the Olympian Gods. In front of these symbols is the seven-stringed kithára (cithara, κιθάρα), the the lyre of Apóllôn (Apollo, Ἀπόλλων). It (here) represents the bond between Gods and mortals and is representative that we are the children of Orphéfs (Orpheus, Ὀρφεύς).
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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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