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

SUMMARY: In this fragment, Orpheus says that Cronus reigns over the silver race.

141. (244) σχόλιον Πρόκλου επὶ Ἔργων καὶ Ἡμερῶν Ἡσιόδου 126 (Gaisf. II 121, 18):

ὁ μὲν Ὀρφεὺς τοῦ ἀργυροῦ γένους βασιλεύειν φησὶ τὸν Κρόνον, τοὺς κατὰ τὸν καθαρὸν λόγον ζῶντας ἀργυροῦς λέγων ὥσπερ τοὺς κατὰ νοῦν μόνον χρυσοῦς· ὁ δὲ Ἡσίοδος (Ἔργα καὶ Ἡμέραι Ἡσιόδου 127, see below) ἐθέλων τὴν μεταβολὴν ἐνδείξασθαι τῆς ἀνθρωπίνης ζωῆς τὸ ἀργυροῦν γένος τῶν ἀνθρώπων ποιεῖ ῥάθυμον.

“Truly, Orphéfs (Ὀρφεὺς) says Krónos reigns over the silver race. Those who live in conformity with pure reason (καθαρὸν λόγον) are like to silver, those who live in conformity with mind alone (νοῦν μόνον) are like to gold. But Isíodos (Ἡσίοδος; Ἔργα καὶ Ἡμέραι Ἡσιόδου 127, see below), gladly pointing out the change of human life, makes the silver race of humans carefree*.”

(trans. by the author)

* ῥᾴθυμος – carefree, lazy, indifferent, frivolous.

Lobeck I 510; Holwerda 309.

Ἔργα καὶ Ἡμέραι Ἡσιόδου 127-139:

δεύτερον αὖτε γένος πολὺ χειρότερον μετόπισθεν

ἀργύρεον ποίησαν Ὀλύμπια δώματ᾽ ἔχοντες,

χρυσέῳ οὔτε φυὴν ἐναλίγκιον οὔτε νόημα.

ἀλλ᾽ ἑκατὸν μὲν παῖς ἔτεα παρὰ μητέρι κεδνῇ

ἐτρέφετ᾽ ἀτάλλων, μέγα νήπιος, ᾧ ἐνὶ οἴκῳ.

ἀλλ᾽ ὅτ᾽ ἄρ᾽ ἡβήσαι τε καὶ ἥβης μέτρον ἵκοιτο,

παυρίδιον ζώεσκον ἐπὶ χρόνον, ἄλγε᾽ ἔχοντες

ἀφραδίῃς: ὕβριν γὰρ ἀτάσθαλον οὐκ ἐδύναντο

ἀλλήλων ἀπέχειν, οὐδ᾽ ἀθανάτους θεραπεύειν

ἤθελον οὐδ᾽ ἔρδειν μακάρων ἱεροῖς ἐπὶ βωμοῖς,

ἣ θέμις ἀνθρώποις κατὰ ἤθεα. τοὺς μὲν ἔπειτα

Ζεὺς Κρονίδης ἔκρυψε χολούμενος, οὕνεκα τιμὰς

οὐκ ἔδιδον μακάρεσσι θεοῖς, οἳ Ὄλυμπον ἔχουσιν.

“Then they who dwell on Olympus made a second generation which was of silver and less noble by far. It was like the golden race neither in body nor in spirit. A child was brought up at his good mother's side a hundred years, an utter simpleton, playing childishly in his own home. But when they were full grown and were come to the full measure of their prime, they lived only a little time and that in sorrow because of their foolishness, for they could not keep from sinning and from wronging one another, nor would they serve the immortals, nor sacrifice on the holy altars of the blessed ones as it is right for men to do wherever they dwell. Then Zeus the son of Cronos was angry and put them away, because they would not give honor to the blessed Gods who live on Olympus.”

(trans. 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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