ORPHIC FRAGMENT 115

OTTO KERN

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


SUMMARY: These fragments are all about Oceanus.

115. (220) σχόλιον τοῦ Εὐσταθίου Θεσσαλονίκης περὶ Διονυσίῳ ὁ Περιηγητής 1 (GG II 217, 15):

πάντως γὰρ Ὠκεανὸς ἀψόρροος ὁ εἰς ἑαυτὸν ὀρούων, ἤγουν ἐπανιὼν καὶ εἰς κύκλου σχῆμα περιαγόμενος, καὶ οὕτως ἐναποκλείων ἑαυτῶι τὴν γῆν· καθὰ καὶ Ὀρφεὺς ἐν τῶι περὶ Διὸς καὶ Ἥρας (v. supra p. 141) φησὶ λέγων·

κύκλον δ’ ἀκαμάτου καλλιρρόου Ὠκεανοῖο,

ὃς γαῖαν δίνηισι πέριξ ἔχει ἀμφιελίξας

ὡς τοῦ ὠκεανοῦ περιειληφότος τὴν γῆν.

“For in all ways, refluent Ôkæanós (Ὠκεανός) is rushing into himself, that is to say, returning and going around himself in the shape of a circle, and in this way enclosing earth within himself. And just as Orphéfs (Ὀρφεὺς) says in (a text) about Zefs (Ζεὺς) and Íra (Ἥρα) (v. on p. 141), saying:

‘The rotation of unresting, beautifully-flowing Ôkæanós,

who holds the earth in his rotation as he revolves all around it.’

“as Ôkæanós embracing the earth.”

(trans. by the author)


σχόλιον Πρόκλου επὶ Τιμαίου Πλάτωνος 40 e (III 178, 16 Diehl):

πανταχοῦ γὰρ διορίζειν <δεῖν add. Diehl> τὰς πρώτας τάξεις ἀπὸ τῶν δευτέρων, οὐκ ἀλόγως καὶ τῶν ποιητῶν Ὠκεανὸν καλούντων τὸν ὁρίζοντα τῆς γῆς.

“For Ocean every where distinguishes first from second orders, in consequence of which poets do not improperly call it the boundary of the earth.”

(trans. Thomas Taylor, 1820)


ὕμνος Ὀρφέως 83 Ὠκεανοῦ vs. 3:

ὃς περικυμαίνει γαίης περιτέρμονα κύκλον·

“You (Ὠκεανός) rise in waves bounding all round the perimeter of the earth.”

(trans. by the author)


Οικουμένης περιήγησης τοῦ Διονυσίου ὁ Περιηγητής vs. 27:

πάντη δ’ ἀκᾳμάτου φέρεται ῥόος Ὠκεανοῖο.

“And the current of inexhaustible Ôkæanós (Ὠκεανός) is borne along in every way.”

(trans. by the author)



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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