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

SUMMARY: These fragments state that Justice is the companion of Zeus.

160. (126) σχόλιον Πρόκλου επὶ Ἀλκιβιάδου αʹ Πλάτωνος p. 499, 2 Cous.:

πάλιν, ἐπειδήπερ ἡ πρὸ τοῦ κόσμου Δίκη συνέπεται τῶι Διί (πάρεδρος γὰρ ὁ Νόμος τοῦ Διός, ὥς φησιν ὁ Ὀρφεύς).

“Once more, since before the world, Justice (Δίκη) follows Zefs (Ζεύς) (for Law is the companion of Zefs, as Orphéfs [Ὀρφεύς] says).”

(trans. by the author)

The same in σχόλιον Πρόκλου επὶ Τιμαίου Πλάτωνος 28 c (I 315, 8 Diehl):

ἐν δὲ τῶι Γοργίαι (523 a) συντάττων τε αὐτὸν (sc. Iovem) τοῖς Κρονίδαις καὶ ἐξαιρῶν ἀκ’ αὐτῶν, ἵνα καὶ πρὸ τῶν τριῶν ἦι καὶ μετέχηται ὑπ’ αὐτῶν, καὶ τὸν Νόμον αὐτῶι (sc. Iovi) συγκαθιδρύων, ὥσπερ καὶ ὁ Ὀρφεὺς κατὰ γὰρ τὰς ὑποθήκας τῆς Νυκτὸς καὶ παρ’ ἐκείνωι πάρεδρον ποιεῖται τὸν Νόμον· ἔτι δὲ τὴν Δίκην ὅλην (v. fragment 158 n. 2) ὀπαδὸν αὐτοῦ τιθέμενος ἐν Νόμοις (4.716 a fragment 21), ὥσπερ καὶ ὁ θεολόγος.

“But in the Gorgias (Γοργίας Πλάτωνος 523 a) he co-arranges, and at the same time exempts him (Ζεύς) from the sons of Saturn (Κρόνος), in order that he may be prior to the three, and participated by them. He also makes Law to be his assessor, in the same manner as Orpheus. For with him also Law is placed by the side of Jupiter (Ζεύς), according to the counsels of Night. Farther still, Plato in the Laws (Νόμοι Πλάτωνος 4.716 a, fragment 21) represents total Justice (v. fragment 158 n. 2) to be the attendant of Jupiter, in the same manner as the theologist.”

(trans. Thomas Taylor, 1820)

Lobeck I 396. 533; Kern Orpheus 40 n. 2.

ὕμνος Ὀρφέως 64.1 Νόμου:

64.Ὕμνος Νόμου.

Ἀθανάτων καλέω καὶ θνητῶν ἁγνὸν ἄνακτα,

οὐράνιον Νόμον, ἀστροθέτην, σφραγῖδα δικαίαν

πόντου τ' εἰναλίου καὶ γῆς, φύσεως τὸ βέβαιον

ἀκλινὲς ἀστασίαστον ἀεὶ τηροῦντα νόμοισιν,

οἷσιν ἄνωθε φέρων μέγαν οὐρανὸν αὐτὸς ὁδεύει,

καὶ φθόνον οὐ δίκαιον ῥοίζου τρόπον αὐτὸς ἐλαύνει·

ὃς καὶ θνητοῖσιν βιοτῆς τέλος ἐσθλὸν ἐγείρει.

αὐτὸς γὰρ μοῦνος ζώων οἴηκα κρατύνει,

γνώμαις ὀρθοτάτῃσι συνών, ἀδιάστροφος αἰεί,

ὠγύγιος, πολύπειρος, ἀβλάπτως πᾶσι συνοικῶν

τοῖς νομίμοις, ἀνόμοις δὲ φέρων κακότητα βαρεῖαν.

ἀλλά, μάκαρ, πάντιμε, φερόλβιε, πᾶσι ποθεινέ,

εὐμενὲς ἦτορ ἔχων μνήμην σέο πέμπε, φέριστε.

64. Nómos [Law, Νόμος]

A Hymn.

The holy king of Gods and men I call,

Celestial Law, the righteous seal of all;

The seal which stamps whate'er the earth contains,

Nature's firm basis, and the liquid plains:

Stable, and starry, of harmonious frame,

Preserving laws eternally the same:

Thy all-composing pow'r in heaven appears,

Connects its frame, and props the starry spheres;

And shakes weak Envy with tremendous sound,

Toss’d by thy arm in giddy whirls around.

‘Tis thine, the life of mortals to defend,

And crown existence with a blessed end;

For thy command and alone, of all that lives

Order and rule to ev'ry dwelling gives:

Ever observant of the upright mind,

And of just actions the companion kind;

Foe to the lawless, with avenging ire,

Their steps involving in destruction dire.

Come, bless, abundant pow'r, whom all revere,

By all desir'd, with favr’ing mind draw near;

Give me thro' life, on thee to fix my fight,

And ne'er forsake the equal paths of right.

(trans. Thomas Taylor, 1792)

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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