ORPHIC CRITICAL TESTIMONY 94
OTTO KERN
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For links to many more fragments: The Orphic Fragments of Otto Kern.
BACCHI MYSTERIORUM AUCTOR (Progenitor of the Bacchic Mysteries)
SUMMARY: This testimony begins with four quotations which establish Orpheus as the founder of the Mysteries of Dionysus, and then concludes with two quotations which say that the Orphic Mysteries were produced for the fourth Dionysus.
ORPHIC CRITICAL TESTIMONY 94.
Ελληνική Ανθολογία VII 9 Δαμάγητος nr. 126:
Ὀρφέα Θρηικίῃσι παρὰ προμολσιν Ὀλύμπου
τύμβος ἔχει, Μούσης υἱέα Καλλιόπης,
ὧι δρύες οὐκ ἀπίθησαν, ὅτωι σὺν ἀμ᾽ ἕσπετο πέτρη
ἄψυχος, θηρῶν θ᾽ ὑλονόμων ἀγέλα,
ὅς ποτε καὶ τελετὰς μυστηρίδας εὕρετο Βάκχου,
καὶ στίγον ἡρώιωι ζευκτὸν ἔτευξε ποδί,
ὃς καὶ ἀμειλίκτοιο βαρὺ Κλυμένοιο νόημα
καὶ τὸν ἀκήλητον θυμὸν ἔθελξε λύραι.
“The tomb on the Thracian skirts of Olympus holds Orpheus, son of the Muse Calliope; whom the trees disobeyed not and the lifeless rocks followed, and the herds of the forest beasts; who discovered the mystic rites of Bacchus, and first linked verse in heroic feet; who charmed with his lyre even the heavy sense of the implacable Lord of Hell, and his unyielding wrath.”
(trans. W. R. Paton, 1916-1918)
Βιβλιοθήκη Ἀπολλοδώρου I 15 (Frazer numbering 1.3.2) nr. 63:
εὗρε δὲ Ὀρφεὺς καὶ τὰ Διονύσου μυστήρια.
“Orpheus also invented the mysteries of Dionysus.”
(trans. Sir James George Frazer, 1921)
σχόλιον Πρόκλου επὶ Πολιτείας Πλάτωνος I 174 William Kroll nr. 119:
ἀλλ’ Ὀρφεὺς μὲν ἅτε τῶν Διονύσου τελετῶν ἡγεμὼν γενόμενος τὰ ὅμοια παθεῖν ὑπὸ τῶν μύθων εἴρηται τῶι σφετέρωι θεῶι (καὶ γὰρ ὁ σπαραγμὸς τῶν Διονυσιακῶν ἕν ἐστιν συνθημάτων)
“But indeed, just as Orphéfs (Ὀρφεὺς) was the leader of the sacred rites of Diónysos (Διόνυσος), he has been said in the myths to come to suffer a similar ordeal to his own God (for also being torn apart is one of the symbols of the Dionysian Mysteries).”
(trans. by the author)
Hygini De Astronomica II 6 n. 137:
alii Orphea a Thraciis mulieribus interfici, quod viderit Liberi patris initia.
“Others say that Orpheus was slain by the Thracian women, because he understood the sacred rites of Dionysus.”
(trans. by the author)
Marci Tullii Ciceronis De natura deorum III 58 p. 375, 3 Plasb.:
Dionysos multos habemus – quartum Iove et Luna, cui sacra Orphica putantur confici.
“We have many Dionysi – the fourth produced by Jove and the Moon, for whom it is reckoned that the Orphic sacred rites were produced.”
(trans. by the author)
Περὶ τῶν μηνῶν Ἰωάννου Λαυρεντίου τοῦ Λυδοῦ IV 51 p. 107, 10 W.:
τέταρτος ὁ Διὸς καὶ Σεμέλης, ὧι (corr. Creuzer, ὧν X) τὰ Ὀρφέως μυστήρια ἐτελεῖτο, καὶ ὑφ’ οὗ οἶνος ἐκεράσθη.
“The fourth son of Zefs (Ζεύς) and Sæmǽlî (Σεμέλη), to whom the Mysteries of Orphéfs (Ὀρφεὺς) were fulfilled, and from whom the wine was mixed.”
(trans. by the author)
Walther Hugo Michaelis De origine indicis deorum cognominum. diss. Berolini, Mayer et Mveller 1898, 60.
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.
