ORPHIC FRAGMENT 123

OTTO KERN

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


SUMMARY: This fragment discusses three rivers of the underworld and Oceanus.

123 (155) σχόλιον Ὀλυμπιοδώρου επὶ Φαίδωνος Πλάτωνος C III οςʹ p. 202, 12 Norv.:

ὅτι οἱ παραδιδόμενοι τέσσαρες ποταμοὶ κατὰ τὴν Ὀρφέως παράδοσιν τοῖς ὑπογείοις ἀναλογοῦσι τέσσαρσι στοιχείοις τε καὶ κέντροις κατὰ δύο ἀντιθέσεις, ὁ μὲν γὰρ Πυριφλεγέθων τῶι πυρὶ καὶ τῆι ἀνατολῆι, ὁ δὲ Κωκυτὸς τῆι γῆι καὶ τῆι δύσει, ὁ δὲ Ἀχέρων ἀέρι τε καὶ μεσημβρίαι. τούτους μὲν Ὀρφεύς οὕτω διέταξεν, αὐτὸς δὲ τὸν Ὠκεανὸν τῶι ὕδατι καὶ τῆι ἄρκτωι προσοικειοῖ.

“The four rivers that come down to us through the transmission of Orphéfs (Ὀρφεύς) in the subterranean regions, are analogous to the four elements, and to the center according to two opposing fields, in fact the Pyriphlæyǽthôn (Πυριφλεγέθων) River is analogous to Fire in the East, the Kôkytós (Κωκυτός) to Earth in the West, and the Akhǽrôn (Ἀχέρων) to Air in the Southern regions. It was indeed Orphéfs who arranged them in this way, and he assigns (the river) Ôkæanós (Ὠκεανός) to Water and to the North.”

(trans. by the author)

Compare CIII λβʹ p. 192, 21 Norv. and the same in Μετεωρολογικά Ἀριστοτέλους II 2 p. 355 b 20 (141, 26 Stueve) and in the σχόλιον Πρόκλου επὶ Τιμαίου Πλάτωνος 32 b (II 49, 9 ss. Diehl).


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

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