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

SUMMARY: This consists of two fragments stating that beautiful Ida is the sister of Adrasteia, and that Adrasteia holds in her hands a tambourine.

105. (109. 110) σχόλιον Ἑρμείου επὶ Φαίδρου Πλάτωνος 248c p. 161, 15 Couvr.:

ἡ δὲ Ἀδράστεια μία ἐστὶ καὶ αὕτη θεὸς τῶν μενουσῶν ἐν τῆι Νυκτί, γενομένη ἐκ Μελίσσου καὶ Ἀμαλθείας. ὁ μὲν οὖν Μέλισσος κατὰ τὴν ἐπιμέλειαν τῶν δευτέρων καὶ πρόνοιαν εἴληπται· ἡ δὲ Ἀμάλθεια κατὰ τὸ ἀκλινὲς καὶ μὴ μαλθάσσεσθαι. ἐκ τῆς οὖν προνοίας τῆς ἀκλινοῦς γέγονεν ἡ Ἀδράστεια, ἥτις ἀδελφή ἐστι τῆς Ἴδης·

Ἴδη τ’ εὐειδὴς καὶ ὁμόσπορος Ἀδρήστεια,

ἡ πάντων ὁμοῦ τῶν νόμων τῶν τε ἐγκοσμίων καὶ ὑπερκοσμίων, τῶν τε εἱμαρμένων καὶ διΐων --- ἑἰσὶ γὰρ καὶ δΐιοι νόμοι καὶ κρόνιοι (χρόνιοι?), θεῖοί τε καὶ ὑπερκόσμιοι καὶ ἐγκόσμιοι ---, ἡ πάντων οὖν τούτων τὰ μέτρα ἑνιαίως ἐν ἑαυτῆι συλλαβοῦσα καὶ συνέχουσα. αὕτη ἐστὶν ἡ θεὸς Ἀδράστεια διὰ | ^{162 Couvr.} τοῦτο κεκλημένη διὰ τὸ τὰ ὑπ’ αὐτῆς τεθέντα καὶ νομοθετηθέντα ἀναπόδραστα εἶναι· διὸ καὶ πρὸ τοῦ ἄντρου τῆς Νυκτὸς ἠχεῖν λέγεται·

παλάμηισι δὲ χάλκεα ῥόπτρα

δῶκεν Ἀδρηστείαι (Ἀδρηστείᾳ).

ἐν τοῖς προθύροις γὰρ τοῦ ἄντρου τῆς Νυκτὸς ἠχεῖν λέγεται τοῖς κυμβάλοις, ἵνα πάντα αὐτῆς τῶν νόμων κατήκοα γένηται. ἔνδον μὲν γὰρ ἐν τῶι ἀδύτωι τῆς Νυκτὸς κάθηται ὁ Φάνης· ἐν μέσωι δὲ ἡ Νὺξ μαντεύουσα (v. fragment 103) τοῖς θεοῖς· ἡ δὲ Ἀδράστεια ἐν τοῖς προθύροις πᾶσι νομοθετοῦσα τοὺς θείους θεσμούς. διαφέρει δὲ τῆς ἐκεῖ Δίκης ὡς νομοθετικὴ δικαστικῆς· καὶ ἡ μὲν ἐκεῖ Δίκη θυγάτηρ λέγεται τοῦ Νόμου τοῦ ἐκεῖ καὶ Εὐσεβείας, αὕτη δὲ ἡ Ἀδράστεια ἐκ Μελίσσου καὶ Ἀμαλθείας οὖσα περιεκτική ἐστι καὶ τοῦ Νόμου. αὗται δὴ καί λέγονται τρέφειν τὸν Δία ἐν τῶι ἄντρωι τῆς Νυκτὸς, ἄντικρυς τοῦ θεολόγου τοῦτο λέγοντος ὃ καὶ Πλάτων περὶ αὐτοῦ φησι· καὶ γὰρ δημιουργοῦντα καὶ αὐτὸν ποιεῖ καὶ διαθεσμοθετοῦντα. θεσμὸς δὲ ἐνδίδοται μὲν παρὰ τῆς Ἀδραστείας καὶ εἰς τοὺς θεούς --- ἡ γὰρ ἐν αὐτοῖς τάξις ὑπὸ ταύτης ἐστὶ τῆς θεοῦ ---, ἐνδίδοται δὲ καὶ εἰς τοὺς ὁπαδοὺς τῶν θεῶν καὶ κοινῆι πᾶσι καὶ ἰδίαι ἑκάστωι.

“But Adrásteia is the one and same deity of those remaining with Nyx, born from Mǽlissos (Μέλισσος) and Amáltheia (Ἀμάλθεια). Indeed, Mǽlissos took upon himself care and foresight over the younger ones; and Amáltheia for her steadfastness and not for her lenience. In fact, Adrásteia, who is the sister of Ídî (Ἴδη), was born from steadfast foresight:

“Ídî, both beautiful and sister to Adrásteia.”

“Of all the laws together, both the mundane as well as supermundane laws, both instituted by the Fates and by the divine beings --- for (these laws) are both divine and longstanding (if χρόνιοι; if κρόνιοι, then Kronian), divine and mundane and supermundane --- or certainly of all those, measures which had been gathered and hold together solely in itself. This is the Goddess called Adrásteia, having put in place and framed laws which are inevitable. Wherefore, it is also said, that she clamors out before the cave of Nyx:

‘And he gave to Adrásteia the brazen cymbals in the palms of her hands.’

“For in these portals of the cave of Nyx, it says that she rings out on the cymbals; there, all became obedient to her laws. For indeed, within the cave of Nyx, Phánîs (Φάνης) is seated; but at its center, Nyx is prophesying to the Gods (v. fragment 103), while Adrásteia, in the portals, is framing divine laws for all, as the legislation of justice carries over there from Díkî (Δίκη). And indeed, it says Díkî is the daughter of Nómos (Law, Νόμος) and of Efsǽveia (Piety, Εὐσέβεια). But this Adrásteia, (born) from Mǽlissos and Amáltheia, being (of an) all-encompassing (nature), is also of Nómos. These (deities) also, they say, rear Zefs in the cave of Nyx; because the theologian says this directly, and Plátôn (Πλάτων) says this (same thing) about him, for not only (does Zefs carry out) the dîmiourgic work, but he also produces it himself, and establishes laws. And indeed, law is given from Adrásteia also to the Gods --- for in themselves their arrangement (or “hierarchy,” τάξις) is made under this Goddess--- but it is given over also to the attendants of the Gods, not only for their common possession, but also each for their own.”

(trans. by the author)

Herm. 506 n. 9; Lobeck I 514. I (ed. Kern) have erroneously treated this passage in Archaeolog. Jahrb. III 1888, 235 (Brueckner LXII. Berl. Winckelmannsprogr. 1907, 17); refuted by me (ed. Kern) in Gruppe Suppl. 746; and also here Neustadt De Iove Cretico diss. Berol. 1906, 5.

See fragment 152. Immensi spelunca aevi (“The Cave of Infinite Eternity”), in which Claudian. De consul. Stilichon II 426 describes, as, perhaps, an imitation of the Orphic cave of Night: Dieterich Nekyia² 159 n. 1. Wilamowitz contradicting, in a letter to Dieterich, in the same text p. XII, De Claudiano Orphicorum imitatore v. supra test. nr. 226.

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.

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We know the various qualities and characteristics of the Gods based on metaphorical stories: Mythology.

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