HellenicGods.org - ORPHIC FRAGMENT 267

ORPHIC FRAGMENT 267

OTTO KERN

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

SUMMARY: This fragment contains a fragment from the Dodekaeteris, quoted by the scholiast of Lycophron. There is also a similar fragment from Empedocles.

267. (23) σχολιαστὴς επὶ Λυκόφρονος 523 p. 189, 10 ss. Sch.:

κοίρανος γὰρ ὁ δικτάτωρ λέγεται, τύραννος δὲ ὁ βίαιος, μόναρχος, βασιλεὺς δὲ ὁ ἐννόμως καὶ δικαίως κρατῶν. δείκνυσι δὲ καὶ Ὀρφεὺς τὴν τούτων διαφορὰν οὑτωσὶ λέγων ἐν ταῖς Δωδεκαετηρίσιν·

ἔστι δ’ αὖ τις ἀνὴρ ἢ κοίρανος ἠὲ τύραννος

ἢ βασιλεύς, ὃς τῆμος ἐς οὐρανὸν ἵξεται αἰπύν.

“For a leader (κοίρανος) is called a dictator (δικτάτωρ), and a violent tyrant (is called) a monarch, but the king rules by law and justice. And Orphéfs (Ὀρφεὺς) also shows the difference in this, saying in the Dôdækaætîrís (Δωδεκαετηρίς):

‘A man is in turn either a leader or a tyrant

or a king, who will then supplicate to high heaven.”

(trans. by the author)

Christian Lobeck Aglaophamus I 425; Josef Heeg 22. 30 fr. 14; Josef Kroll Die Lehren des Hermes Trismegistos 322.

Compare verse 2 to Καθαρμοὶ Ἐμπεδοκλέους fragment 146 (I³ 278, 4 Hermann Diels):

εἰς δὲ τέλος μάντεις τε καὶ ὑμνοπόλοι καὶ ἰητροὶ

καὶ πρόμοι ἀνθρώποισιν ἐπιχθονίοισι πέλονται,

ἔνθεν ἀναβλαστοῦσι θεοὶ τιμῆισι φέριστοι.

“And seers at last, and singers of high hymns,

Physicians sage, and chiefs o’er earth-born men

Shall they become, whence germinate the gods,

The excellent in honors.”

(trans. William Ellery Leonard, 1908)

Another translation:

“But at last are they prophets and hymn-writers

and physicians and chieftains among men dwelling on the earth;

and from this they grow to be gods,

receiving the greatest honours”

(trans. Arthur Fairbanks, 1898)

And another translation:

“But, at the last, they appear among mortal men as prophets, song-writers,

physicians, and princes;

and thence they rise up as gods

exalted in honour.”

(trans. John Burnet, 1920)

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

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