HellenicGods.org - ORPHIC CRITICAL TESTIMONY 69

ORPHIC CRITICAL TESTIMONY 69

OTTO KERN

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

APUD INFEROS (In the Underworld; v. nr. 59 ss.)

SUMMARY: This testimony is a description of an ancient painting by Polygnotus in which Orpheus is depicted in the Underworld with his cithara.

ORPHIC CRITICAL TESTIMONY 60.

Ἑλλάδος Περιήγησις Παυσανίου, Book 10.30.6 Φωκίς The Descent to the Underworld of (the painter) Polygnotus:

ἀποβλέψαντι δὲ αὖθις ἐς τὰ κάτω τῆς γραφῆς, ἔστιν ἐφεξῆς μετὰ τὸν Πάτροκλον οἷα ἐπὶ λόφου τινὸς Ὀρφεὺς καθεζόμενος, ἐφάπτεται δὲ καὶ τῆι ἀριστερᾶι κιθάρας, τῆι δὲ ἑτέραι χειρὶ ἰτέας ψαύει· κλῶνές εἰσιν ὧν ψαύει, προσανακέκλιται δὲ τῶι δένδρωι. τὸ δὲ ἄλσος ἔοικεν εἶναι τῆς Περσεφόνης, ἔνθα αἴγειροι καὶ ἰτέαι δόξηι τῆς Ὁμήρου πεφύκασιν· Ἑλληνικὸν δὲ τὸ σχῆμά ἐστι τῶι Ὀρφεῖ, καὶ οὔτε ἡ ἐσθὴς οὔτε ἐπίθημά ἐστιν ἐπὶ τῆι κεφαλῆι Θράικιον. τῶι δένδρωι δὲ τῆι ἰτέαι κατὰ τὸ ἕτερον μέρος προσανακεκλιμένος ἐστὶν αὐτῆι Προμέδων.

“Turning our gaze again to the lower part of the picture we see, next after Patroclus, Orpheus sitting on what seems to be a sort of hill; he grasps with his left hand a harp, and with his right he touches a willow. It is the branches that he touches, and he is leaning against the tree. The grove seems to be that of Persephone, where grow, as Homer thought, black poplars and willows. The appearance of Orpheus is Greek, and neither his garb nor his head-gear is Thracian. On the other side of the willow-tree Promedon is leaning against it.”

(W. H. S. Jones and H. A. Ormerod, 1918)

Carl Robert Nekyia des Polygnot, XVI Hallisches Winckelmannsprogramm 1892, 49; R. Schoene Arch. Jahrb. VIII 1893, 213; Six Athen. Mitt. XIX 1894, 338; Carl Robert Die Marathonschlacht in der Poikile: und weiteres über Polygnot XVIII. Hallisches Winckelmannsprogramm 1895, 122; Knapp Orpheusdarst. 11; Gruppe as found in Rosch. III 1157. On the vases of southern Italy Aug. Winkler Die Darstellungen der Unterwelt auf unterital. Vasen (Brestl. philol. Abhdlgn. III 5) 1888; E. Kuhnert Jahrb. d. archaeol. Instituts VIII 1893, 104; Milchhoefer Philolog. N. F. VII 1894, 385 ; Kuhnert in the same journal VIII 1895, 193; Furtwaengler-Reichhold Griech. Vasenmalerei ad tab. X (I 47); Ludwig Preller and Carl Robert Griechische Mythologie I⁴ 832; Carl Robert Griechische Heldensage I 400 n. 4.

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).

PLEASE NOTE: Throughout the pages of this website, you will find fascinating stories about our Gods. These narratives are known as mythology, the traditional stories of the Gods and Heroes. While these tales are great mystical vehicles containing transcendent truth, they are symbolic and should not be taken literally. A literal reading will frequently yield an erroneous result. The meaning of the myths is concealed in code. To understand them requires a key. For instance, when a God kills someone, this usually means a transformation of the soul to a higher level. Similarly, sexual union with a God is a transformation.

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.

SPELLING: HellenicGods.org uses the Reuchlinian method of pronouncing ancient Greek, the system preferred by scholars from Greece itself. An approach was developed to enable the student to easily approximate the Greek words. Consequently, the way we spell words is unique, as this method of transliteration is exclusive to this website. For more information, visit these three pages:

Pronunciation of Ancient Greek

Transliteration of Ancient Greek

Pronouncing the Names of the Gods in Hellenismos

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