HellenicGods.org - ORPHIC FRAGMENT 271

ORPHIC FRAGMENT 271

OTTO KERN

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

SUMMARY: This fragment, from the Byzantine grammarian Tzetzes, quotes the beginning of the Ephemerides, which he attributes to Orpheus.

271. (25) ἐξήγησις τοῦ Ἰωάννου Τζέτζου εἰς τὰ Ἔργα καὶ τὰς Ἡμέρας τοῦ Ἡσιόδου 18 (Thomas Gaisford Poetæ Minores Græci II 21, 6):

καὶ τῶν μὲν Ἔργων Ὀρφέως οὕτως (v. fr. 280) ἐστὶν ἡ ἀρχή· αἱ δὲ Ἡμέραι, ἤτοι αἱ Ἐφημερίδες αὐτοῦ ἄρχονται οὕτως·

πάντ’ ἐδάης Μουσαῖε θεοφραδές. εἰ δέ σ’ ἀνώγει

θυμὸς ἐπωνυμίας Μήνης κατὰ μοῖραν ἀκοῦσαι,

ῥεῖά τοι ἐξερέω. σὺ δ’ ἐνὶ φρεσὶ βάλλεο σῆισιν,

οἵην τάξιν ἔχοντα κυρεῖ. μάλα γὰρ χρέος ἐστὶν

ἴδμεναι, ὡς αὕτη παρέχει κλέος ἄντυγι μηνός. 5

“And thus is the beginning of the Works of Orphéfs (Ὀρφεύς; v. fr. 280); but his Days, or the Ephemerides, begin precisely in this way:

‘You learned everything, divinely-inspired Mousaios. But if your soul bids you

to hear of the epithets of the Moon through its phases,

I will tell you readily. Treasure it in your heart,

and find the sort of arrangement it has. For it is a very important thing

to know, how it gives glory to the vault of heaven during the month.”

(trans. by the author)

Christian Lobeck Aglaophamus I 414; Josef Heeg 36.

In regards to the addressing of Mousaios compare to Orphic Testimony 168.

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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