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

SUMMARY: This fragment discusses the three ages of mankind, according to Orpheus.

140. σχόλιον Πρόκλου επὶ Πολιτείας Πλάτωνος II 74, 26 Kr.:

ὁ μὲν θεολόγος Ὀρφεύς τρία γένη παραδέδωκεν ἀνθρώπων· πρώτιστον τὸ χρυσούν, ὅπερ ὑποστῆσαι τὸν Φάνητά φησιν· δεύτερον τὸ ἀργυροῦν, οὗ φησιν ἄρχαι τὸν μέγιστον Κρόνον· τρίτον τὸ Τιτανικόν, ὅ φησιν ἐκ τῶν Τιτανικών μελῶν τὸν Δία συστήσασθαι (compare σχόλιον Ὀλυμπιοδώρου επὶ Φαίδωνος Πλάτωνος 68 c p. 48, 25 Norv.)· συννοήσας ὡς | ^{75 Kroll} ἐν τρισὶν ὅροις τούτοις πᾶν εἶδος περιέχεται τῆς ἀνθρωπίνης ζωῆς. ἢ γὰρ νοερόν ἐστιν καὶ θεῖον, αὐτοῖς τοῖς ἀκροτάτοις τῶν ὄντων ἐνιδρυμένον, ἢ πρὸς ἑαυτὸ ἐπέστραπται καὶ νοεῖ ἑαυτὸ καὶ ἀγαπᾶι τὴν τοιαύτην ζωήν, ἢ πρὸς τὰ χείρονα βλέπει καὶ μετ' ἐκείνων ἐθέλει ζῆν ἀλόγων ὄντων. τριττῆς οὖν οὔσης τῆς ἀνθρωπίνης ζωῆς τὸ μὲν πρώτιστον ἀπὸ τοῦ Φάνητός ἐστιν, ὃς πᾶν τὸ νοοῦν συνάπτει τοῖς νοητοῖς, τὸ δὲ δεύτερον ἀπὸ τοῦ Κρόνου τοῦ πρώτου, φησὶν ὁ μῦθος, ἀγκυλομήτου (v. fragment 131) καὶ πάντα πρὸς ἑαυτὰ ποιοῦντος ἐπιστέφειν, τὸ δὲ τρίτον ἀπὸ Διὸς τοῦ τῶν δευτέρων προνοεῖν καὶ διακοσμεῖν τὰ χείρονα διδάσκοντος· τοῦτο γὰρ ἴδιον δημιουργίας.

“The theologian Orphéfs (Ὀρφεύς) taught that there are three generations of men: the very first a Golden Age, which, he says, Phánîs (Φάνης) was the very one to create; the second is Silver, where he says that the sovereignty was with mighty Krónos (Κρόνος); the third is the Titanic age, he says, which Zefs (Ζεύς) composed from the limbs of the Titans (compare σχόλιον Ὀλυμπιοδώρου επὶ Φαίδωνος Πλάτωνος 68 c p. 48, 25 Norv.); thus he understood that the entire form of human existence is encompassed within these three limits. For either it is intellectual and divine, having established these as the highest of beings, or turned round toward itself and perceives itself and embraces its own life, or it sees inferior beings and is desiring to live among them who are irrational. Indeed, of the threefold (generations) of human life, the very first is from Phánîs (Φάνης), who binds together all thinking to the intelligibles; and the second (generation) is from Krónos, the first who, as the myth says, “of crooked counsel,” (v. fragment 131) made everything encircle towards itself; and the third (generation) is from Zefs, who explains how to provide for the beings of the second rank, and how to manage the inferior, for this is his own (province) in the activity of the Dîmiourgós (Δημιουργός, creator-God).”

(trans. by the author)

Lobeck I 510; Vári Wien. Stud. XII 1890, 222 n. 1; Dieterich Abraxas 127; Heeg 51 n. 1.

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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