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

SUMMARY: This set of fragments discusses the earlier generations of Gods. The first two of the generation of Uranus and Gaia. The third how Phanes makes all things visible with his light. The fourth fragment discusses the functions of primordial deities such as Oceanus and Tethys, but also the functions of the Six Kings and their consorts. The fifth fragment syncretizes similar Egyptian mythology of generation.

109. (89) Ἑρμείου φιλοσόφου εἰς τὸν Πλάτωνος Φαῖδρον σχόλια 247 d (154, 23 Couvr.):

πρὸς δὴ τοῦτο εἶπεν ὅτι γεννήματά ἐστι ταῦτα τῆς Νυκτὸς μένοντα ἐν αὐτῆι, ἔστι δὲ καὶ Οὐρανὸς ὑπερουράνιος, καὶ ταῦτα πάντα μένει ἐν τῆι Νυκτί·

ἣ δὲ πάλιν Γαῖάν τε καὶ Οὐρανὸν εὐρὺν ἔτικτε·

δεῖξέν τ’ ἐξ ἀφανῶν φανεροὺς οἵ τ’ εἰσὶ γενέθλην.

“Proceeding from this, he said that these are children of Nyx who remain in her, and Ouranós is above in the heavens, and all these remain in Nyx:

‘In turn, she (Νύξ) gave birth to Yaia (Γαῖα) and vast Ouranós;

he (likely Φάνης) both made manifest the visible things from those unseen, and these are such by birth.’ ”

(trans. by the author)

The same in Ἑρμείου φιλοσόφου εἰς τὸν Πλάτωνος Φαῖδρον σχόλια 247 c (148, 17 Couvr.):

ἢ σφόδρα παρηκολουθηκὼς ὁ Πλάτων τοῖς ὑπὸ τῶν θεολόγων εἰρημένοις, κατ’ ἐκείνους καὶ αὐτὸς διατίθησι τὸν λόγον. μετὰ γὰρ τὴν τῶν Νυκτῶν τάξιν τρεῖς εἰσι τάξεις <τῶν add. M> θεῶν, Οὐρανοῦ, Κυκλώπων, Ἑκατογχείρων, ὧν αὐτὸς (Ast] αὐτῆς codd.) ἀποφάσκει τὰ οἰκεῖα τούτων ὀνόματα. ἐπειδὴ γὰρ τῶν ἔνδον ἐν αὐτῶι (ταὐτῶι M) μεινάντων τῶι Φάνητι πρῶτος (πρώτως M) φανερῶς (an φανερός? Couvr.) ὁ Οὐρανὸς ἐξ αὐτοῦ (ἐξ Φάνητος Gesn.) γέγονεν – ἔξω γὰρ προῆλθον πρῶτοι ἀπ’ αὐτοῦ Οὐρανὸς καὶ Γῆ, δεῖξέν (δεῖξαι codd. ut supra MA) --- γενέθλην καὶ πρῶτος καταλάμπεται ὁ Οὐρανὸς ὑπὸ τοῦ θείου φωτὸς τοῦ Φάνητος·

“In truth, Plátôn (Πλάτων), having closely followed that which was said by the theologians, through them as well he himself composed the story. For according to the order of the Nights, threes are the orders of the Gods ... of Ouranós, of the Kýklôpæs (Κύκλωπες), and of the Hundred-Handers (Ἑκατόγχειρες); of their familial names he does not say (ἀποφάσκει). For since of those who remained within Phánîs (Φάνης), Ouranós was manifestly born first from him – in fact from him Ouranós and Yi (Γῆ) advanced first, as he made known – also at his birth, Ouranós was first illuminated from the divine light of Phánîs.”

(trans. by the author)

In another manner, Próklos employs these verses in σχόλιον Πρόκλου επὶ Τιμαίου Πλάτωνος 30 c. d (I 430, 11 Diehl):

ὡς δὲ τῶν ὁρατῶν πάντων ὁ κόσμος οὗτός ἐστι περιεκτικός, οὕτω τῶν νοητῶν ἐκεῖνος. ἄλλος δὲ ὁ τρόπος τῆς περιοχῆς, ὥσπερ εἴπομεν, καθ’ ἑκάτερον, ἀλλ’ ὅμως καὶ αὐτὸ τὸ ὁρατὸν τούτοις κατ’ ἀναλογίαν ὑπάρχει τὴν πρὸς ἐκεῖνα· καὶ γὰρ ἐκείνοις ἄνωθεν ὁ Φάνης ἐπιλάμπων τὸ νοητὸν φῶς πάντας ὁρατοὺς ποιεῖ καὶ δείκνυσιν ἐξ ἀφανῶν φανερούς, ὥσπερ καὶ ἐνταῦθα διὰ τοῦ φωτὸς τὰ χρώματα πάντα γεννώμενα τοῖς σώμασι παρέχεται τὸ ὁρατοῖς εἶναι.

“If however, as this world comprehends in itself all visible natures, so its paradigm comprehends all intelligibles, and the mode of comprehension, as we have said, is different in each, yet at the same time the visible in the former is analogous to that of the latter. For Phanes supernally illuminating intelligibles with intelligible light, causes all of them to be visible, and exhibits all things [in the intelligible] generated from invisible causes; and the world imparts visibility to bodies through the light of the stars.” (trans. Thomas Taylor, 1820)

and in σχόλιον Πρόκλου επὶ Τιμαίου Πλάτωνος 41 a (III 192, 17 Diehl):

ὁ μὲν γὰρ Οὐρανὸς περατοῖ πᾶσαν τὴν γένεσιν ἡ δὲ Γῆ δυναμοῖ, κινεῖ δὲ ὁ Ὠκεανός, ἑδράζει δὲ ἡ Τηθὺς ἕκαστον ἐπὶ τῆς ἰδίας κινήσεως, τῆς νοερᾶς τὰ νοερά, τῆς ψυχικῆς τὰ μέσα, τῆς φυσικῆς τὰ σωματικά, τοῦ Ὠκεανοῦ πάντα κινοῦντος ἀθρόως· διαιρεῖ δὲ νοερῶς μόνον ὁ Κρόνος, ζωιοποιεῖ δὲ ἡ Ῥέα, λόγοις δὲ σπερματικοῖς ὁ Φόρκυς διακοσμεῖ, φανερὰ δὲ ἐξ ἀφανῶν ὁ Ζεὺς ἀποτελεῖ, ἐξελίττει δὲ ἡ Ἥρα κατὰ παντοίας τῶν ἐμφανῶν μεταβολάς.

“For Heaven (Οὐρανὸς) terminates, Earth (Γῆ) corroborates, and Ocean (Ὠκεανός) moves all generation. But Tethys establishes every thing in its proper motion; intellectual essences in intellectual, middle essences in psychical, and such as are corporeal in physical, motion; Ocean at the same time collectively moving all things. Saturn (Κρόνος) alone divides intellectually, Rhea vivifies and Phorcys distributes spermatic productive principles; Jupiter (Ζεὺς) perfects things apparent from such as are unapparent; and Juno (Ἥρα) evolves according to the all-various mutations of visible natures.” (trans. Thomas Taylor, 1820)

Compare also in Περὶ τῶν Αἰγυπτίων μυστηρίων Ιαμβλίχου Χαλκιδέως VIII 3 (263, 6 Parth.):

ἐπὶ δὲ τούτοις τῶν ἐμφανῶν δημιουργίας ἄλλοι προεστήκασιν ἡγεμόνες. ὁ γὰρ δημιοργικὸς νοῦς καὶ τῆς ἀληθείας προστάτης καὶ σοφίας, ἐρχόμενος μὲν ἐπὶ γένεσιν, καὶ τὴν ἀφανῆ τῶν κεκρυμμένων λόγων δύναμιν εἰς φῶς ἄγων, Ἀμοῦν (ἁμοῦν ACD) κατὰ τὴν τῶν Αἰγυπτίων γλῶσσαν λέγεται, (συντελῶν δὲ ἀψευδῶς ἕκαστα καὶ τεχνικῶς μετ' ἀληθείας Φθὰ Ἕλληνες δὲ εἰς Ἥφαιστον μεταλαμβάνουσι τὸν Φθὰ τῷ μόνον προσβάλλοντες , ἀγαθῶν δὲ ποιητικὸς ὢν Ὄσιρις κέκληται, καὶ ἄλλας δί ἄλλας δυνάεις τε καὶ ἐνεργείας ἔχει.)

“Besides these, also, other leaders preside over the fabrication of visible natures. For the demiurgic intellect, who is the curator of truth and wisdom, descending into generation, and leading the power of occult reasons into light, is called in the Egyptian tongue Amon; (but in consequence of perfecting all things with veracity and artificially, he is called Ptha. The Greeks, however, assume Ptha for Vulcan (Ἥφαιστος), solely directing their attention to the artificial peculiarity of the God. So far, also, as he is effective of good he is called Osiris; and he has other appellations (ed. names or epithets) through other powers and energies.)”

(trans. Thomas Taylor, 1821)

Herm. 506 n. 7; Lobeck I 503; Schoemann Opusc. academ. II 10; Kern De Theogon. 16.

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.

Dictionary of terms related to ancient Greek mythology: Glossary of Hellenic Mythology.

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