ORPHIC FRAGMENT 273

OTTO KERN

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

SUMMARY: This fragment is from Proclus’ commentary of Hesiod’s Works and Days and it discusses a month which Orpheus called the one-horned calf.

273. (29) σχόλιον Πρόκλου επὶ Ἔργων καὶ Ἡμερῶν Ἡσιόδου 767 (Thomas Gaisford Poetæ Minores Græci II 419, 16), which Εὐστάθιος transcribed v. Christian Lobeck Aglaophamus I 412:

ἡ μὲν οὖν πρώτη, ἣ καὶ ἕνη ῥηθεῖσα ὡς ἀρχὴ θεῖόν ἐστι· καὶ γὰρ πᾶσαν ἀρχήν φησι Πλάτων (Φαῖδρος Πλάτωνος 245 d) εἶναι θείαν, καὶ γενέθλιος αὕτη καλεῖται τοῦ μηνός· καὶ ὁ μὴν ἐν αὐτῆι παρ᾽ Ὀρφεῖ προσαγορεύεται μονόκερως μόσχος· ἁπλῶς μὲν γὰρ ὁ μὴν ὡς γενέσεως ἐργάτης λέγεται βοῦς, ὡς δὲ πρώτην ἔχων τότε τῆς οἰκείας οὐσίας τὴν ἔκφυσιν μόσχος, καὶ διὰ τὸ μοναδικὸν μονόκερως.

“Certainly, the first day, said to be old and thus the beginning, is divine; for Platon (Πλάτων; Φαῖδρος Πλάτωνος 245 d) also says that every beginning is divine, and this day is called the birthday of the month; and the month in itself with Orphéfs (Ὀρφεύς) is called the one-horned calf; for generally, the month, as the worker of begetting, is called the ox, and thus the calf has, at that time, the first generation of its familial existence, and is one-horned on account of its unique character.”

(trans. by the author)

The same is testified by Ioannis Protospatharios to the same verse (Thomas Gaisford Poetæ Minores Græci II 451, 27):

ὁ δὲ μὴν παρ’ Ὀρφεῖ μόσχος μονόκερως ὀνομάζεται καὶ μόσχος μὲν ὡς πρώτην ἔχων τῆι νέαι τὴν ἔκφυσιν, μονόκερως δὲ διὰ τὸ μοναδικὸν αὐτοῦ.

“The month with Orphéfs (Ὀρφεύς) is called the one-horned calf, and “calf” so far as it having its first begetting in the new (moon?), but with only one horn on account of its unique character.”

(trans. by the author)

Christian Lobeck Aglaophamus I 412; Josef Heeg 37, who correctly cites the Mimaut papyrus (compare to Richard Reitzenstein Poimandres 147. 257)

Ὕμνος Ὀρφέως 9.2 Σελήνης·

ταυρόκερως Μήνη

“Oh bull-horned Moon”

Ὕμνος Ὀρφέως 9.9 Σελήνης·

κερασφόρε*

“Oh horned one”

*This epithet does not appear in line 9 in all editions of this hymn; it is not in Athanassakis, nor is it in Gottfried Hermann’s Orphica, nor is it in Bernabé’s Concordance (for this hymn).

Μαξίμου περὶ καταρχῶν 50:

κεραῆς ταυρώπιδος ἀργέτιν αἴγλην

“the shining light of the horned bull-faced (Goddess)”

Μαξίμου περὶ καταρχῶν 587:

κερασφόρος ἀργέτα Μήνη.

“shining horned Moon”

Perhaps these are pertinent to this, which Λόγος Στρώματα Κλήμεντος του Ἀλεξανδρέως V 8, 49, 3 (see Orphic fragment 33) published from the book of Epigenis Περὶ τῆς Ὀρφέως ποιήσεως on the names of the Moon; compare to Josef Heeg 38. For μοναδικόν see Albrecht Dieterich Abraxas 47.

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.