ORPHIC FRAGMENT 120

OTTO KERN

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


SUMMARY: This fragment comments on the ascension of the Olympic over the Titanic Gods.

120. (103) σχόλιον Πρόκλου επὶ Τιμαίου Πλάτωνος 25 b (I 187, 4 Diehl):

(ποτὲ δὲ ὑπὸ τὴν ἐλευθερία τὴν θείαν καὶ ἀκώλυτον ἐπὶ πάντα διήκουσαν ἄνωθεν διακόσμησιν, ἣν ἐπέλαμψαν τοῖς Ἕλλησιν Ἀθηναῖοι κρατήσαντες τῶν Ἀτλαντίνων, μᾶλλον δὲ τὰ Ὀλύμπια γένη τῶν Τιτανικῶν·)

οὕτω γὰρ ἥ τε δημιουργικὴ πέρας ἴσχει βούλησις καὶ τὰ χείρω κρατεῖται ὑπὸ τῶν ἀμεινόνων, ἐν μὲν τοῖς μερικοῖς Ἀτλαντῖνοι ὑπὸ τῶν Ἀθηναίων, ἐν δὲ τοῖς ὅλοις οἱ Τιτᾶνες ὑπὸ τῶν Ὀλυμπίων,

καὶ κρατεροί περ ἐόντες ἀμείνονος ἀντιάσαντες,

ὕβριος ἀντ' ὀλοῆς καὶ ὲ ἀτασθαλίης ὑπερόπλου,

φησιν ὁ θεόλογος, ὃν και ὁ Πλάτων ζηλώσας ὕβρει πορεύεσθαι τοὺς Ἀτλαντίνους εἶπεν ἐπὶ τοὺς Ἀθηναίους.

(“But the most ample liberty, is an indication of the divine and liberated order, proceeding from on high to all things; which liberty the Athenians imparted to the Greeks, by vanquishing the Atlantics; or rather the Olympic, by subduing the Titanic genera.”)

“For thus the demiurgic will is accomplished, and the worse is vanquished by the better coordination; in partial natures indeed the Atlantics by the Athenians, but in wholes, the Titan by the Olympic Gods.

‘Though they are robust, and oppose the better order,

through pernicious pride, and insolent improbity,’

“says the theologist; whom Plato emulating, asserts that the Atlantics insolently proceeded against the Athenians.”

(trans. Thomas Taylor, 1820)

Herm. VIII vs. 38 p. 468; Lobeck I 508.

Θεογονία Ἡσιόδου 516:

εἵνεκ’ ἀτασθαλίης τε καὶ ἠνορέης ὑπερόπλου.

“because of his (Μενοίτιος) mad presumption and exceeding pride.”

(Hugh G. Evelyn-White,1914)


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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