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

SUMMARY: Fragment 59 says that Zeus begat children by Rhea, by his daughter Core (Persephone), and that he took his own sister Hera as his wife.

59. (47) Πρεσβεία περί των Χριστιανών Ἀθηναγόρου 32 p. 42, 18 Schw.:

Τοὺς μὲν οὖν θαυμαστὸν οὐδὲν λογοποιεῖν περὶ ἡμῶν ἃ περὶ τῶν σφετέρων λέγουσι θεῶν --- καὶ 〈γὰρ〉 τὰ πάθη αὐτῶν δεικνύουσι μυστήρια· χρῆν δ´ αὐτούς, εἰ δεινὸν τὸ ἐπ´ ἀδείας καὶ ἀδιαφόρως μίγνυσθαι κρίνειν ἔμελλον, ἢ τὸν Δία μεμισηκέναι, ἐκ μητρὸς μὲν Ῥέας θυγατρὸς δὲ Κόρης πεπαιδοποιημένον, γυναικὶ δὲ τῇ ἰδίᾳ ἀδελφῇ χρώμενον, ἢ τὸν τούτων ποιητὴν Ὀρφέα, ὅτι καὶ ἀνόσιον ὑπὲρ τὸν Θυέστην καὶ μιαρὸν ἐποίησεν τὸν Δία· καὶ γὰρ οὗτος τῇ θυγατρὶ κατὰ χρησμὸν ἐμίγη, βασιλεῦσαι θέλων καὶ [Θυέστης] ἐκδικηθῆναι --- ἡμεῖς δὲ τοσοῦτον . . .

“It is, however, nothing wonderful that they should get up tales about us such as they tell of their own Gods, of the incidents of whose lives they make Mysteries. But it behoved them, if they meant to condemn shameless and promiscuous intercourse, to hate either Zeus, who begat children of his mother Rhea and his daughter Kore, and took his own sister to wife, or Orpheus, the inventor of these tales, which made Zeus more unholy and detestable than Thyestes himself; for the latter defiled his daughter in pursuance of an oracle, and when he wanted to obtain the kingdom and avenge himself. (trans. Rev. B. P. Pratten, 1885)

Cf. Πρὸς Ἕλληνας Τατιανοῦ 8 b-c p. 9, 10 Schw.:

Ζεὺς τῆι (Mue.] καὶ MPV) θυγατρὶ συγγίνεται, καὶ ἡ θυγάτηρ ἀπ' αὐτοῦ κυεῖ. μαρτυρήσει μοι νύν Ἐλευσὶς καὶ δράκων ὁ μυστικὸς καὶ Ὀρφεύς ὁ ‘θύρας δ’ ἐπίθεσθε βεβήλοις’ λέγων v. infra s. ΙΕΡΟΙ ΛΟΓΟΙ et ΔΙΑΘΗΚΑΙ.

“Zeus has intercourse with his own daughter, who becomes pregnant by him. I may instance, too, Eleusis, and the mystic Dragon, and Orpheus, who says, ‘Close the gates against the profane!’ ” (trans. J.E. Ryland, 1885)

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.

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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