ORPHIC CRITICAL TESTIMONY 57

OTTO KERN

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


SUMMARY: This testimony consists of many quotations all connecting Orpheus with the lyre. Some of these quotations say that Orpheus increased the number of strings on the instrument from seven to nine, so that the number of strings would be the same as the number of the Muses.

ORPHIC CRITICAL TESTIMONY 57.

Καταστερισμοί ψευδούς Ἐρατοσθένους 24 p. 138 Rob., 28 Ol.:

κατεσκευάσθη (sc. λύρα*) δὲ τὸ μὲν πρῶτον ὑπὸ Ἑρμοῦ ἐκ τῆς χελώνης καὶ τῶν Ἀπόλλωνος βοῶν, ἔσχε δὲ χορδὰς ἑπτὰ ἀπὸ τῶν Ἀτλαντίδων (Ἀτλαντηρίδων codd.). μετέλαβε (Unger] μετέβαλε L, κατέβαλε Ο) δὲ αὐτὴν Ἀπόλλων καὶ συναρμοσάμενος ὠιδὴν Ὀρφεῖ ἔδωκεν, ὃς Καλλιόπης υἱὸς ὤν, μιᾶς τῶν Μουσῶν, ἐποίησε τὰς χορδὰς ἐννέα ἀπὸ τοῦ τῶν Μουσῶν ἀριθμοῦ καὶ προήγαγεν ἐπὶ πλέον, ἐν τοῖς ἀνθρώποις δοξαζόμενος οὕτως, ὥστε καὶ ὑπόληψιν ἔχειν περὶ αὐτοῦ τοιαύτην, ὅτι καὶ τὰς πέτρας καὶ τὰ θηρία ἐκήλει διὰ τῆς ὠιδῆς. v. nr. 136.

“It (sc. the lyre*) was first constructed by Ærmís (Ἑρμῆς) from the tortoise-shell and the cattle of Apóllôn (Ἀπόλλων), and had seven strings, inspired by the daughters of Átlas (Ἄτλας). But later Apóllôn received it, adapted it to song, and gave it to Orphéfs (Ὀρφεύς), he being the son of Kalliópî (Καλλιόπη), one of the Mousai (Μοῦσαι). Orphéfs made nine strings for the lyre, from the number of the Mousai. And he advanced to even greater (fame), thus was the opinion among men. And, therefore, the reputation was held about him, that he was charming even the rocks and wild animals with his song.”

(trans. by the author)

*Translator’s note: This is from a text about the myths of the constellations; here Eratosthenes is explaining the mythology underlying the name of the constellation Lyra.

Pseudo-Hyginus De Astronomica II 7:

Apollo lyra accepta dicitur Orphea docuisse, et postquam ipse citharam invenerit, illi lyram concessisse.

“It is said that having received the lyre, Apollo taught Orpheus, and after he himself had invented the lyre (cithara), he conceded the lyre to him.”

(trans. by the author)

Marcii Manilii Astronomicon I 324:

et Lyra diductis per caelum cornibus inter

sidera conspicitur, qua quondam ceperat Orpheus

omne quod attigerat cantu, manesque per ipsos

fecit iter domuitque infernas carmine leges.

hinc caelestis honos similisque potentia causae:

tunc silvas et saxa trahens nunc sidera ducit

et rapit immensum mundi revolubilis orbem.

“And the Lyre can be observed among the stars, with its horns drawn apart through the sky, by which at one time Orpheus had charmed all whom his music had touched; he had made his journey through the shades of the dead and tamed the infernal laws with his music. Hence it has celestial honor like to the power of its cause: at that time drawing forests and rocks, but now it conducts the stars and draws along the boundless orb of the revolving sky.”

(trans. by the author)

Marcii Manilii Astronomicon V 324:

Nunc surgente Lyra testudinis enatat undis

forma per heredem tantum post fata sonantis,

qua quondam somnumque fretis Oeagrius Orpheus

et sensus scopulis et silvis addidit aures

et Diti lacrimas et morti denique finem.

“Now, at the rising of the Lyre, the figure of the tortoise-shell floats forth from the sea, through its heir, so great that the fates afterwards cry out, Orpheus, the son of Oeagrus, who at one time gave sleep to the sea, feeling to the rocks, ears to the trees, tears to Pluto, and, at last, a limit to death.”

(trans. by the author)

Rufi Festi Avieni Aratea 621:

hanc (sc. chelyn) ubi rursum

concentus superi complevit pulcher Apollo,

Orphea Pangaeo docuit gestare sub antro.

hic iam fila novem docta in modulamina movit

Musarum ad speciem Musa satus, ille repertor

carmina Pleiadum numero deduxerat. at cum

inpia Bassaridum carpsisset dextera vatem

et devota virum tegerent Libethra peremptum,

intulit hanc caelo miseratus Iuppiter artem

praestantis iuvenis, pecudes qui et flumina vates

flexerat. at nixi* (Grotius] adnixi VA, ac nixi Breys.) qua semet sidera ponto

(M. Haupt Herm. VII 1873, 13 = Opusc. III 573, porro YA)

sustollunt, laevum propter chelys haec femur adstat.

“When handsome Apollo had again filled up this lyre of celestial harmony, he taught Orpheus in the cave of Pangaea, how to use it. He, the son of a Muse, having been taught melodies, moved the strings, now nine, in semblance of the (nine) Muses; that inventor had drew down his songs from the harmony of the Pleiades. But later, the impious hand of the Bassarides had torn apart the poet, and devout Libethra, having acquired his body, buried the hero. Juppiter carried him to heaven, moved with compassion by the superior art of the young man, a poet who had appeased the beasts and flowing rivers. But where the stars of the constellation Hercules* rise above the sea, this Lyra stands near the left thigh.

(trans. by the author)

*Translator’s note: nixi is genitive of nixus, which when capitalized is Nixus, i. e. Engonasi “the Kneeler” or Hercules. But the word is not capitalized here, so I am unsure of this translation, but in the following phrase, chelys (lyre) is also not capitalized, but it seems sure to be referring to the constellation of Lyra.

Translator’s note: I assume that this word (femur) refers to the legs of Hercules, or perhaps it is used imagining the two arms of the lyre as looking something like the two thighs of a man.

Ἐγχειρίδιον ἁρμονικῆς Νικομάχου τοῦ Γερασηνοὺ (Musici script. Gr. ed. Ian) 266, 2:

τῆν λύραν τὴν ἐκ τῆς χελώνης φασί τὸν Ἑρμῆν εὑρηκέναι καὶ κατασκευάσαντα ἑπτάχορδον παραδεδωκέναι τὴν μάθησιν τῶι Ὀρφεῖ (nr. 163).

“They say that Ærmís invented the lýra (λύρα) from the tortoise-shell, and that equipped with seven strings, he transmitted the knowledge to Orphéfs (Ὀρφεύς) [nr. 163].”

(trans. by the author)

Ἐκφράσεις Καλλιστράτου (the sophist) 7 p. 59, 11 Schenkl-Reisch:

μετεχειρίζετο δὲ (Ὀρφεύς) τὴν λύραν, ἡ δὲ ἰσαρίθμους ταῖς Μούσαις ἐξῆπτο τοὺς φθόγγους.

“And he was practicing the lýra (λύρα), which had been fastened with notes equal in number to that of the Mousai (Μοῦσαι).”

(trans. by the author)

Etymologiarum Isidorii III 22, 8, 1 ss. Lindsay:

ad cuius (sc. testudinis) speciem Mercurius lyram fecit et Orpheo tradidit, qui eius rei maxime erat studiosus.

“Regarding its shape, Hermes made the lyre and entrusted it to Orpheus, who was exceedingly devoted to that purpose.”

(trans. by the author)

Lucius Annaeus Seneca Hercules Oetaeus 1031:

Verum est quod cecinit sacer

Thressae sub Rhodopes iugis

aptans Pieriam chelyn

Orpheus Calliopae genus,

aeternum fieri nihil.

“The sacred singer's word was true

Which once on Thracian Rhodope,

Orpheus, the heavenly Muse's son,

Sang to his lute Pierian:

That naught for endless life is made.”

(trans. Frank Justus Miller, 1907)


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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