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

SUMMARY: This fragment states that Persephone, who contains an Artemis, and thus herself not fettered with marriage, frees women from all the difficulties of childbirth.

187. (137) σχόλιον Πρόκλου επὶ Κρατύλου Πλάτωνος 404 b p. 106, 10 Pasqu.:

ἐπεὶ ἥ γε Ἄρτεμις ἡ ἐν αὐτῆι καὶ ἡ Ἀθηνᾶ τὴν παρθενίαν ἀεὶ τὴν αὐτὴν διασώιζουσι· καὶ γὰρ ἡ μὲν κατὰ τὸ μόνιμον αὐτῆς, ἡ δὲ κατὰ τὸ ἐπιστρεπτικὸν χαρακτηρίζεται· τὸ δὲ γεννητικὸν μέσην ἐν αὐτῆι τάξιν ἔλαχεν. ἐπιθυμεῖν δ᾽ αὐτὴν τῆς παρθενίας φασίν, ἐπειδὴ τὸ εἶδος αὐτῆς ἐν τῆι ζωιογόνωι περιέχεται πηγῆι, καὶ νοεῖ τὴν πηγαίαν ἀρετὴν καὶ ὑφίστησι τὴν ἀρχικὴν καὶ ἀναγωγόν, καὶ τὴν ἔνυλον ἀτιμάζει πᾶσαν μεῖξιν, καίτοι ἐφορῶσα τοὺς καρποὺς τῆς τοιαύτης ἐνύλου μίξεως·

ἀτελής <τε> γάμων καὶ ἄπειρος ἐοῦσα

παιδογόνου λοχίης πάσης ἀνὰ πείρατα λύει,*

φησὶν Ὀρφεύς· καὶ ἔοικεν τὰς μὲν γενέσεις καὶ τὰς προόδους τῶν πραγμάτων ἐκτρέπεσθαι, τὰς δὲ τελειότητας ἐπιφέρειν αὐτοῖς, καὶ τὰς μὲν ψυχὰς διὰ τῆς κατ᾽ ἀρετὴν ζωῆς τελεσιουργεῖν, τοῖς δὲ θνητοῖς ζώιοις τὴν εἰς τὸ εἶδος ἀποκατάστασιν χορηγεῖν.

“...since the Diana (Ἄρτεμις) and the Minerva (Ἀθηνᾶ) which she (Περσεφόνη) contains preserve their virginity always the same. For the former of these is characterized according to her stability, but the latter according to her convertive energy. But that which is generative is allotted in her a middle order. They say too, that she (Περσεφόνη) aspires after virginity, since the form of her is comprehended in the vivific fountain, and she understands fontal virtue, gives subsistence to supermundane and anagogic virtue, and despises all material sexual connexion, though she inspects the fruits arising from it.” (trans. Thomas Taylor, 1816)

‘While free of and unacquainted with marriage,

She loosens the knots across all fruitful childbearing,’ Orphéfs (Ὀρφεύς) says.” * (trans. by the author, this sentence only)

“She appears also to be averse to the generations and progressions of things, but to introduce perfections to them. And she gives perfection indeed to souls through a life according to virtue; but to mortal animals she imparts restitution to form.” (trans. Thomas Taylor, 1816)

NOTE: Próklos (Πρόκλος) here is actually talking about Pærsæphónî (Περσεφόνη), but the Orphic fragment quoted would seem to refer to Ártæmis (Ἄρτεμις), who Próklos understands here as being contained in Pærsæphónî.

*This quotation apparently missing in the ancient text used by Thomas Taylor.

Lobeck I 545; Holwerda 329.

To vs. 2 compare ὕμνος Ὀρφέως 336.4:

ὠδίνων ἐπαρωγὲ, καὶ ὠδίνων ἀμύητε·

“You aid in a woman's travail while never having yourself the pain of childbirth”

and ὕμνος Ὀρφέως 336.8:

ὀρθίη, ὠκυλόχεια, βροτῶν κουροτρόφε δαῖμον

“You wail in your revels, bestowing quick childbirth, you foster the fledgling mortals.”

and Wernicke RE² II 1347. 1393.

The story of the birth of the Gods: Orphic Theogony.

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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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