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

SUMMARY: This group of fragments talk about the mirror, Dionysos, and his lamentations.

209. Ἐννεάδες Πλωτίνου IV 3 (II 24, 14 Volkm.; Guthrie 4.3.12):

ἀνθρώπων δὲ ψυχαὶ εἴδωλα αὐτῶν ἰδοῦσαι οἷον Διονύσου ἐν κατόπτρωι ἐκεῖ ἐγένοντο ἄνωθεν ὁρμηθεῖσαι, οὐκ ἀποτμηθεῖσαι οὐδ᾽ αὗται τῆς ἑαυτῶν ἀρχῆς τε καὶ νοῦ.

“Human souls rush down here below because they have gazed at their images (in matter) as in the mirror of Bacchus. Nevertheless, they are not separated from their principle, Intelligence. Their intelligence does not descend along with them, so that even if by their feet they touch the earth, their head ‘rises above the sky.’ ”

(trans. Kenneth Sylvan Guthrie, 1918)

σχόλιον Ὀλυμπιοδώρου επὶ Φαίδωνος Πλάτωνος B ρκή p. 111, 14 William Norvin:

ὅτι τὰ ὅμοια μυθεύεται καὶ ἐν τῶι παραδείγματι. ὁ γὰρ Διόνυσος, ὅτε τὸ εἴδωλον ἐνέθηκε τῶι ἐσόπτρωι, τούτωι ἐφέσπετο, καὶ οὕτως εἰς τὸ πᾶν ἐμερίσθη. ὁ δε Απόλλων συναγείρει τε αὐτὸν καὶ ἀνάγει καθαρτικός ὢν θεὸς καὶ τοῦ Διονύσου σωτὴρ ὡς ἀληθῶς, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο Διονυσοδότης (v. Pausan. 1.31.4* de sacris Phlyensibus O. Jessen RE² V 1007) ἀνυμνεῖται (v. fragment 211).

“The same thing is also spoken of in the example. For Diónysos, when he set his image into the mirror, pursued it, and in this way, was scattered everywhere. But Apóllôn (Ἀπόλλων) gathers him together and revives him, for he being a purifying God, and truly the savior of Diónysos, is thus celebrated as ‘he who gives us Diónysos’ (Διονυσοδότης).”

(trans. by the author)

* Ἑλλάδος Περιήγησις Παυσανίου· Αττική 1.31.4·

ταῦτα μὲν δὴ οὕτω λέγεται, Φλυεῦσι δέ εἰσι καὶ Μυρρινουσίοις τοῖς μὲν Ἀπόλλωνος Διονυσοδότου καὶ Ἀρτέμιδος Σελασφόρου βωμοὶ Διονύσου τε Ἀνθίου καὶ νυμφῶν Ἰσμηνίδων καὶ Γῆς, ἣν Μεγάλην θεὸν ὀνομάζουσι κτλ.

“Such is the legend. Phlya and Myrrhinus have altars of Apollo Dionysodotus, Artemis Light-bearer, Dionysus Flower-god, the Ismenian nymphs and Earth, whom they name the Great Goddess; etc.”

(trans. W.H.S. Jones, 1918)

σχόλιον Πρόκλου επὶ Τιμαίου Πλάτωνος 23 d. e (I 142, 24 Ernst Diehl):

ὅτι δὲ τῶν αἰσθητῶν δημιουργός ἀλλ' οὐ τῶν ψυχικῶν ἢ τῶν νοερῶν ἔργων, καὶ τοῦτο οἱ αὐτοὶ (sc. θεολόγοι) δηλοῦσιν· ἡ γὰρ τοῦ ἐσόπτρου κατασκευὴ καὶ ἡ χαλκεία (fragment 180) καὶ ἡ χωλεία καὶ πάντα τὰ τοιαῦτα σύμβολα τῆς περὶ τὸ αἰσθητὸν αὐτοῦ ποιήσεώς ἐστι. καὶ μὺν καὶ ὅτι πάντων τῶν αἰσθητῶν ἐστι ποιητής, ἐκ τῶν αὐτῶν φανερόν, οἵ φασιν αὐτὸν ἄνωθεν ἀπὸ τοῦ Ὀλύμπου φέρεσθαι μέχρι γῆς, καὶ οἳ τὰς ὑποδοχὰς |^{143 Diehl} πάσας τῶν ἐγκοσμίων θεῶν Ἡφαιστοτεύκτους ποιοῦσιν.

“But that he is the fabricator of sensible, and not psychical, or intellectual works, is also manifested by them (ed. the theologists). For the formation of a mirror, the exercise of the brazier’s art (fragment 180), lameness, and every thing of this kind, are symbols of his productive energy about a sensible nature. Moreover, that he is the maker of all sensibles, is evident from the same theologists, who say that he was hurled from Olympus as far as to the earth, and who make all the receptacles of the mundane Gods, to have been elaborated by Vulcan (Ἥφαιστος).”

(trans. Thomas Taylor, 1820)

In the same place σχόλιον Πρόκλου επὶ Τιμαίου Πλάτωνος 33 b (II 80, 19 Ernst Diehl):

πάλαι δὲ καὶ τοῖς θεολόγοις τὸ ἔσοπτρον ἐπιτηδειότητος παρείληπται σύμβολον πρὸς τὴν νοερὰν ἀποπλήρωσιν τοῦ παντός. διὸ καὶ τὸν Ἥφαιστον ἔσοπτρόν φασι ποιῆσαι τῶι Διονύσῶι, εἰς ὃ ἐμβλέψας ὁ θεὸς καὶ εἴδωλον ἑαυτοῦ θεασάμενος προῆλθεν εἰς ὅλην τὴν μεριστὴν δημιουργίαν.

“Formerly also by theologists, a mirror was assumed as a symbol of aptitude, to the intellectual completion of the universe. Hence they say, Vulcan (Ἥφαιστος) made a mirror for Dionysius (Διόνυσος), or Bacchus, into which the God looking, and beholding the image of himself, proceeded into the whole partible fabrication of things.”

(trans. Thomas Taylor, 1820)

σχόλιον Πρόκλου επὶ Τιμαίου Πλάτωνος 29 a. b (I 336, 29 Ernst Diehl):

καθάπερ οὖν Ὀρφεὺς εἴδωλα πλάττει τοῦ Διονύσου τὰ τὴν γένεσιν ἐπιτροπεύοντα καὶ τὸ εἶδος |^{337 Diehl} ὅλον ὑποδεξάμενα τοῦ παραδείγματος, οὕτως καὶ ὁ φιλόσοφος (sc. Πλάτων) εἰκόνα τὸν κόσμον τοῦ νοητοῦ προσεῖπεν, ὡς ἐοικότα τῶι σφετέρωι παραδείγματι.

“Just as certainly, Orphéfs (Ὀρφεὺς) forms as images of Diónysos, that which governs generation and has marked out the whole form of the pattern. In this way also, the philosopher (namely, Πλάτων) called the world the image of the intellectual, thus being like its own paradigm.”

(trans. by the author)

σχόλιον Πρόκλου επὶ Πολιτείας Πλάτωνος I 94, 5 Guilelmus Kroll:

ὥσπερ δὴ καὶ Ὀρφεὺς τοῖς Διονυσιακοῖς εἰδώλοις τὰς συνθέσεις καὶ τὰς διαιρέσεις καὶ τοὺς θρήνους προσῆψεν ἀπὸ τῶν προνοουμένων ἅπαντα ταῦτα ἐκείνοις ἀναθείς.

“Likewise also, Orphéfs (Ὀρφεὺς) linked combinations, and divisions, and sorrows to the Dionysian images, and thus had ascribed all these as arising from those perceived before.”

(trans. by the author)

In respect of θρήνους (“lamentations”), compare the same in the same place σχόλιον Πρόκλου επὶ Πολιτείας Πλάτωνος I 125, 20 Guilelmus Kroll:

ἐπεὶ καὶ Κόρης καὶ Δήμητρος καὶ αὐτῆς τῆς μεγίστης θεᾶς (an Νυκτὸς?) ὶερούς τινας ἐν ἀπορρήτοις θρήνους αἱ τελεταὶ παραδεδώκασιν.

“Since also, of Kórî (Κόρη) and Dîmítîr (Δημήτηρ), and of the greatest divine Goddess herself (perhaps Nyx?), the rites have handed each of their sacred lamentations down to us in secret.”

(trans. by the author)

The mirror (ἔσοπτρος) hitherto in a little ritual book. fragment 31 vs. 30 v. also fragment 34. Compare also δίοπτραι in De oraculis Chaldaicis Wilhelm Kroll p. 23.

Lobeck I 555; Rohde Psyche II⁶ 117 n. 1; 415 (from the perspective of Plotínos); J. Kroll Lehren d. Herm. Trismeg. 116.

Διονυσιακὰ Νόννου VI 169 (v. fragment 210 p. 231):

οὐδὲ Διὸς θρόνον εἶχεν ἐπὶ χρόνον· ἀλλά ἑ γύψωι

κερδαλέηι χρισθέντες ἐπίκλοπα κύκλα προσώπου

δαίμονος ἀστόργοιο χόλωι βαρυμήνιος Ἥρης

Ταρταρίηι Τιτῆνες ἐδηλήσαντο μαχαίρηι

ἀντιτύπωι νόθον εἶδος ὀπιπεύοντα κατόπτρωι

“But he did not hold the throne of Zefs (Ζεύς) for long,

for with their round faces cleverly smeared with gypsum,

at the instigation of wrathful bitter Íra (Ἥρα), acting in anger,

the Titans maimed him with a large Tartarian knife,

while staring at his false form reflected in the rigid mirror.”

(trans. by the author)

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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