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

SUMMARY: This fragment consists of several quotations stating that Justice sits firmly at the side of Zeus.

158. (125) σχόλιον Πρόκλου επὶ Πολιτείας Πλάτωνος II 144, 29 Kr:

διὸ καὶ τῶι Διὶ τοῖς Τιτᾶσιν τὰς ἐγκοσμίους | ^{145 Kr.} διανέμειν παρασκευαζομένωι λήξεις ἕπεσθαι τὴν Δίκην ὁ Ὀρφεύς φησιν·

τῶι δὲ Δίκη πολύποινος ἐφέσπετο πᾶσιν ἀρωγός.

εἰ γὰρ πᾶσιν ἀρωγὸς πολύποινος, εἰ τῶι δημιουργῶι τοῦ παντὸς συνδιακοσμεῖ τὰ πάντα, θεῶν ἄρχει (v. fr. 103), δαίμοσιν συνεπιστατεῖ, ψυχὰς διαδικάζει καὶ ἁπαξαπλῶς διὰ πασῶν διεξέρχεται τῶν ψυχῶν ἡ κρίσις.

“Wherefore also, from Justice, Zefs (Ζεύς) follows, who (Ζεύς) is making ready to distribute the mundane allotments to the Titans, as Orphéfs (Ὀρφεύς) says:

‘And therefore punitive Justice followed him, propitious to all.’

“For whenever she is propitious to all (and) punitive, that she sets in order all things with the Dîmiourgós of the whole, who rules over the Gods, presides together (with him) over the daimonæs (δαίμονες), judges souls and, altogether, judgement passes completely through all the souls.”

(trans. by the author)

And in Περὶ τῆς κατὰ Πλάτωνα θεολογίας Πρόκλου VI 8 p. 363, 15 praemissis:

ὁ δὲ Ὀρφεὺς καὶ διαρρήδην εἰς τὸν ὅλον ἀναπέμπει δημιουργόν. ἤδη γὰρ αὐτῶι βασιλεύοντι καὶ διακοσμεῖν ἀρχομένωι τὸ πᾶν, ἕπεσθαι φησι τὴν ὅλην Δίκην. τῶι --- ἐφέσπετο.

“...; but Orpheus clearly refers them to the whole demiurgus. For he says that total Justice follows him, now reigning over, and beginning to arrange and adorn the universe.”

(trans. Thomas Taylor, 1816)

And also in σχόλιον Πρόκλου επὶ Τιμαίου Πλάτωνος 41 c (III 232, 31 Diehl):

(ἔστι γὰρ ὁπαδὸς μὲν τοῦ Διός, ὥς φησιν ὅ τε Ὀρφεύς, ὅταν λέγῃ·)

(beginning of line 31) τῷ δὲ Δίκη πολύποινος ἐφέσπετο.

“For Justice is, as Orpheus says, the companion of Jupiter (Ζεύς); since, according to him,

‘Laborious Justice follows Jove (Ζεύς) . . . . ’ ”

(trans. Thomas Taylor, 1820)

See also fragments 159. 160.

Lobeck I 396; Schuster 27; Kern De Theogon. 52; Diels Parmenides Lehrgedicht 11; Dieterich Archiv Religionsw. XI 1908, 159 = Kl. Schr. 412; Kern Orpheus 40 n. 2.

Compare to fragment nr. 23 from the ancient fragments.

Παρμενίδης τμῆμα 1 vs. 14 (Diels II³ 149, 7):

τῶν δὲ Δίκη πολύποινος ἔχει κληῖδας ἀμοιβούς.*

“But of these, punitive Justice possesses the alternating keys*”

(trans. by the author)

* κληῖδας ἀμοιβούς, a hypallage.

Ἐννεάδες Πλωτίνου V 8, 4 (II 236, 24 Volkm.):

καὶ ἡ οὐσία αὐτὴ σοφία, ἀλλ’ οὐκ αὐτός, εἶτα σοφός, διὰ τοῦτο δὲ οὐδεμία μείζων, καὶ ἡ αὐτοεπιστήμη ἐνταῦθα πάρεδρος τῶι νῶι τῶι συμπροφαίνεσθαι, οἷον λέγουσι κατὰ μίμησιν καὶ τῶι Διὶ τὴν Δίκην.

“And the substance (of intellect) itself is wisdom, but it is not (first so), and then later wise, and because of this, no (wisdom is) greater, and abstract science sits here alongside intellect (νῷ), manifested together, as they also say that the representation of Justice sits beside Zefs (Ζεύς).”

(trans. by the author)

H. F. Mueller Herm. LII 1917, 151 Οἰδίπους ἐπὶ Κολωνῷ Σοφοκλέους vs. 1381:

εἴπερ ἐστὶν ἡ παλαίφατος

Δίκη ξύνεδρος Ζηνὸς ἀρχαίοις νόμοις.

“...if indeed Justice, revealed long ago, sits beside Zeus, to share his throne through sanction of primordial laws.”

(trans. Sir Richard Jebb, 1889.)

He suspects that the above quotation (from Οἰδίπους ἐπὶ Κολωνῷ Σοφοκλέους) ­was derived from Plôtínos, but it seems more likely they both (Sophoklís and Plôtínos) are following the Orphics (Orph. 41n.).

Compare Aelian. fragment 25 (II p. 197 Herch.) and Arrian. Anabas. IV 9, 7.

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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