ORPHIC CRITICAL TESTIMONY 81

OTTO KERN

HellenicGods.org

HOME GLOSSARY RESOURCE ART LOGOS CONTACT

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


ISTHMIONICA (The Isthmian Games)

SUMMARY: This testimony says that Orpheus participated in the first Isthmian Games with the Argonauts, winning in the musical contest for the cithara.

ORPHIC CRITICAL TESTIMONY 81.

Anonymous Corinthian Oration = Dionis Prusaensis (corpus of Dio Chrysostom) XXXVII 15 (II 20, 11 from J. von Arnim) from the games of the Argonauts celebrated in the Isthmus of Corinth:

καὶ γάρ τοι καὶ ἀγῶνα πρῶτον ἐνταυθοῖ τεθῆναί φασιν ὑπὸ τῶν δύο θεῶν, καὶ νικῆσαι Κάστορα μὲν στάδιον, é δὲ δίαυλον... Ὀρφεὺς κιθάραι, Ἡρακλῆς πάμμαχον κτλ.

“For indeed they also say that the contest was first established here by the two Gods, and while Kástôr (Κάστωρ) won the single race, Kálaïs (Κάλαϊς) won the double... Orphéfs (Ὀρφεὺς) for the kithára (κιθάρα), Iraklís (Ἡρακλῆς) the pangrátion (παγκράτιον) etc.”

(trans. by the author)

Hyginus f. 273 v. p. II s. Ἐπιγράμματα.


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.