ORPHIC FRAGMENT 191
OTTO KERN
HellenicGods.org
HOME GLOSSARY RESOURCE ART LOGOS CONTACT
For links to many more fragments: The Orphic Fragments of Otto Kern.
SUMMARY: According to this fragment, the Corybantes guard Core on all sides.
191. (210) Περὶ τῆς κατὰ Πλάτωνα θεολογίας Πρόκλου VI 13 p. 382, 10:
ἐπεὶ καὶ περιεστάναι λέγονται (sc. οἱ Κούρητες) τὸν τῶν ὅλων δημιουργὸν καὶ περιχορεύειν ἀπὸ τῆς ῾Ρέας ἀναφανέντες. ἐν μὲν οὖν τοῖς νοεροῖς θεοῖς. ἡ Κουρητικὴ τάξις ἡ πρωτίστη τὴν ὑπόστασιν ἔλαχεν. ἀνάλογον δὴ τοῖς ἐκεῖ Κούρησιν ἡ τῶν Κορυβάντων προβαίνουσα τῆι Κόρηι καὶ φρουροῦσα πανταχόθεν αὐτήν ὥς φησιν ἡ θεολογία. διὸ καὶ ἐπωνυμίαν ἔλαχον ταύτην.
“For they (Κούρητες) are said to surround and to dance round the demiurgus of wholes (Ζεύς), when he was unfolded into light from Rhea. In the intellectual Gods, therefore, the first Curetic order is allotted its hypostasis (underlying substance). But the order of the Corybantes which precedes Cora (Κόρη), and guards her on all sides, as the theology says, is analogous to the Curetes in the intellectual order.”
(trans. Thomas Taylor, 1816)
Λόγος 5 Ἰουλιανοὺ Αὐτοκράτορος p. 168 b:
δορυφοροῦσι γὰρ αὐτὸν (that is to say, Ἄττιν) παρὰ τῆς Μητρὸς δοθέντες οἱ Κορύβαντες, αἱ τρεῖς ἀρχικαὶ τῶν μετὰ θεοὺς κρεισσόνων γενῶν ὑποστάσεις.
“He (that is to say Ἄττις) is attended by the Corybants who are assigned to him by the Mother; they are the three leading personalities of the higher races that are next in order to the Gods.”
(trans. W. C. Wright, 1913)
De oraculis Chaldaices W. Kroll p. 37:
“...Proserpinae trinitas deorum ἀχράντων a Corybantibus Orphicis non diversorum et ἀμειλίκτοις mundi intellectualis respondentium adiungitur.”
“In Proserpine, a triad of Gods, immaculate (ἀχράντων), and not differing from the Orphic Corybants and to the ἀμειλίκτοις (“the implacable ones”) from the intellectual reciprocation she is bound to.”
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.
This logo is the principal symbol of this website. It is called the CESS logo, i.e. the Children of the Earth and the Starry Sky. The Pætilía (Petelia, Πετηλία) and other golden tablets having this phrase are the inspiration for the symbol. The image represents this idea: Earth (divisible substance) and the Sky (continuous substance) are the two kozmogonic substances. The twelve stars represent the Natural Laws, the dominions of the Olympian Gods. In front of these symbols is the seven-stringed kithára (cithara, κιθάρα), the the lyre of Apóllôn (Apollo, Ἀπόλλων). It (here) represents the bond between Gods and mortals and is representative that we are the children of Orphéfs (Orpheus, Ὀρφεύς).
PLEASE NOTE: Throughout the pages of this website, you will find fascinating stories about our Gods. These narratives are known as mythology, the traditional stories of the Gods and Heroes. While these tales are great mystical vehicles containing transcendent truth, they are symbolic and should not be taken literally. A literal reading will frequently yield an erroneous result. The meaning of the myths is concealed in code. To understand them requires a key. For instance, when a God kills someone, this usually means a transformation of the soul to a higher level. Similarly, sexual union with a God is a transformation.
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.
SPELLING: HellenicGods.org uses the Reuchlinian method of pronouncing ancient Greek, the system preferred by scholars from Greece itself. An approach was developed to enable the student to easily approximate the Greek words. Consequently, the way we spell words is unique, as this method of transliteration is exclusive to this website. For more information, visit these three pages:
Pronunciation of Ancient Greek
Transliteration of Ancient Greek
Pronouncing the Names of the Gods in Hellenismos
PHOTO COPYRIGHT INFORMATION: The many pages of this website incorporate images, some created by the author, but many obtained from outside sources. To find out more information about these images and why this website can use them, visit this link: Photo Copyright Information
DISCLAIMER: The inclusion of images, quotations, and links from outside sources does not in any way imply agreement (or disagreement), approval (or disapproval) with the views of HellenicGods.org by the external sources from which they were obtained.
Further, the inclusion of images, quotations, and links from outside sources does not in any way imply agreement (or disagreement), approval (or disapproval) by HellenicGods.org of the contents or views of any external sources from which they were obtained.
For more information: Inquire.hellenicgods@gmail.com
For answers to many questions: Hellenismos FAQ
© 2010 by HellenicGods.org. All Rights Reserved.
