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

SUMMARY: According to these fragments, the Cyclopes gave thunder to Zeus, and made him the thunderbolt, and they taught Hephaestus and Athena all the crafts.

179. (92) σχόλιον Πρόκλου επί Τιμαίου Πλάτωνος 29a (I 327, 23 Diehl):

ὡς γάρ φησιν ὁ θεολόγος, οἱ πρῶτοι τεκτονόχειρες τῶι Διὶ τὰς δημιουργικὰς δυνάμεις ἔδοσαν πάσης τῆς ἐγκοσμιου ποιήσεως·

οἳ Ζηνὶ βροντήν τε πόρον τεῦξάν τε κεραυνόν,

πρῶτοι τεκτονόχειρες, ἰδ' Ἥφαιστον καὶ Ἀθήνην

δαίδαλα πάντ' ἐδίδαξαν, ὅσ' οὐρανὸς ἐντὸς ἐέργει.

“For as the theologist says, the first manual artificers gave to Jupiter (Ζεὺς) the demiurgic powers of all the mundane production. And,

‘Who thunder, and the lightning formed for Jove (Ζεὺς).

Vulcan (Ἥφαιστος) and Pallas (Ἀθηνᾶ) the first artists, taught

Jove all the daedal arts, the world contains.’ ”

(trans. Thomas Taylor, 1820)

Another translation:

“They (Κύκλωπες), the first artisans, presented thunder to Zefs (Ζεὺς), and made the thunderbolt for him;

they taught Íphaistos (Ἥφαιστος) and Athiná (Ἀθηνᾶ)

all the cunning things shut up in heaven.”

(trans. by the author)

σχόλιον Ἑρμείου επὶ Φαίδρου Πλάτωνος 247 c p. 149 P. Couvreur:

διὰ μὲν τοῦ ‘ἀχρώματος’ ἐδήλωσεν (sc. ὁ Πλάτων), ὅτι ὑπὲρ τὴν Οὐρανοῦ βασιλείαν ἐστὶν ὁ τῶν Νυκτῶν τόπος· διὰ δὲ τοῦ ‘ἀσχημάτιστος’, ὅτι καὶ ὑπὲρ τὴν τῶν Κυκλώπων τάξιν· ἐν γὰρ πρώτοις τούτοις τὸ σχῆμα ἐκφαίνεσθαι ἡ θεολογία φησὶ καὶ πρώτας ἀρχὰς τὸ σχῆμα ἐκφαίνεσθαι ἡ θεολογία φησὶ καὶ πρώτας ἀρχὰς καὶ αἰτίας τῶν πανταχοῦ σχημάτων τούτους εἶναι τοὺς θεοὺς Κύκλωπας· διὸ καὶ τεκτονόχειρας αὐτοὺς ἡ θεολογία καλεῖ· αὕτη γὰρ τριάς ἐστι τελεσιουργικὴ τῶν σχημάτων· κυκλοτερὴς ὀφθαλμὸς ἕεις ἐνέκειτο μετώπωι (Θεογονία Ἡσιόδου 145) καὶ ἐν Παρμενίδηι (137 e) δὲ ἐὰν λέγηι ὁ Πλάτων ‘εὐθὺ καὶ περιφερὲς’, ταύτην τὴν τάξιν αἰνίττεται.οὑτοι δὲ καὶ [τὴν] Ἀθηνᾶν καὶ Ἥφαιστον διδάσκουσι τὰ ποικίλα τῶν σχημάτων εἴδη, ὡς πρῶτοι αἴτιοι τῶν σχημάτων· πρῶτοι τεκτονόχειρες οἳ Ἥφαιστον καὶ Ἀθήνην πάντ’ ἐδίδαξαν. ἐὰν οὖν ἀκούωμεν καὶ τὸν Ἥφαιστον καὶ τὴν Ἀθηνᾶν αἰτίους τῶν σχημάτων, οὐ θαυμασόμεθα. ὁ μὲν γὰρ Ἥφαιστος τοῦ ἐν τοῖς σώμασι καὶ τοῦ ἐγκοσμίου παντὸς σχήματος αἴτιος· ἡ δὲ Ἀθηνᾶ τοῦ ψυχικοῦ τε καὶ |^{150 Couvr.} νοεροῦ· οἱ δὲ Κύκλωπες τοῦ θείου καὶ τοῦ πανταχοῦ δηλονότι· καὶ ὑπὲρ τὴν τῶν Κυκλώπων τάξιν ἐστὶν ὁ ὑπερουράνιος τόπος.

“Through the word ‘colorless,’ it was explained (sc. ὁ Πλάτων) that above Ouranós (Οὐρανός) is the region of the Nights; and through the term ‘formless’ it (was explained), that which is also above the order of the Kýklopæs (Κύκλωπες); for in them the theology says that form is revealed first, and form reveals first principles to itself as the theology says, and first principles and causes of these forms are everywhere those of the divine Kýklopæs; wherefore also the theology calls them artisans; for this triad is the completion of forms; one round eye was lying in (what was normally) the space between the eyes (Θεογονία Ἡσιόδου 145), and in Παρμενίδης Πλάτωνος (137 e), even if Plátôn (Πλάτων) says ‘straight and spherical,’ he hints at this order. And they teach Athiná (Ἀθηνᾶ) and Íphaistos (Ἥφαιστος) the manifold shapes of the forms, thus being the first causes of the forms; they are the first artisans to teach Íphaistos and Athiná everything. If, in fact, we hear also that Íphaistos and Athiná are the causes of the mundane forms, we should not be surprised. In fact, Íphaistos is the cause of every mundane shape in the forms, and Athiná, that of the soul and intellect; and the Kýklopæs are of the divine and are manifestly everywhere; and above the order of the Kýklopæs is the region above the heavens.”

(trans. by the author)

Herm. VIII vs. 43 p. 468; Lobeck I 504; Schoemann Opusc. acad. II 17.

Compare to fragment 178.

Ὀδύσσεια Ὁμήρου 6.232:

ἀνὴρ ἴδρις, ὃν Ἥφαιστος δέδαεν καὶ Παλλὰς Ἀθήνη

“a clever man, whom Íphaistos (Ἥφαιστος) and Pallás Athîná have taught.”

Ὁμηρικὸς Ὕμνος 20.2 Εις Ἥφαιστον:

ὃς μετ᾽ Ἀθηναίης γλαυκώπιδος ἀγλαὰ ἔργα

ἀνθρώπους ἐδίδαξεν ἐπὶ χθονός.

“With Athena of the gleaming eyes he (Ἥφαιστος) taught men splendid works throughout the world.”

Θεογονία Ἡσιόδου 141:

οἳ Ζηνὶ βροντήν τε δόσαν τεῦξάν τε κεραυνόν.

“who (Κύκλωπες) gave Zeus thunder and produced by art the thunderbolt.”

To verse 3 compare Ἰλιὰς Ὁμήρου 24.544:

ὅσσον Λέσβος ἄνω Μάκαρος ἕδος, ἐντὸς ἐέργει

“as far as Lesbos, the abode of Mákar, shut within”

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.

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