HellenicGods.org - ORPHIC FRAGMENT 74

ORPHIC FRAGMENT 74

OTTO KERN

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

SUMMARY: Phanes is called the very beautiful son of Aether and pretty (ἁβρὸς) Eros.

74. (58) σχόλιον Πρόκλου επὶ Τιμαίου Πλάτωνος 31 a (I 433, 31 Diehl):

διὸ καὶ παρ’ Ὀρφεῖ κατὰ ταύτην τὴν |⁴³⁴^Diehl τάξιν νοερῶς ἐκφαίνεται, ὡς τοῦ κάλλους ἤδη προόντος ἐν τοῖς νοητοῖς τοῖς πρώτοις ἡνωμένως καὶ συνεχῶς ὁ Φάνης

περικαλλέος Αἰθέρος υἱὸς

ὀνομάζεται καὶ

ἁβρὸς Ἔρως (fr. 83),

ὅτι δὴ τῆς κρυφίου καὶ ἀρρήτου καλλονῆς πρῶτος οὗτος ὁ θεὸς πεπλήρωται. διὸ κάλλιστος ὀνομάζεται, τῶν μετεχόντων τὸ πρώτιστον ὄ, καὶ εἰ πάντα τὰ νοητὰ ἥνωται ἀλλήλοις· οὐ γὰρ δεῖ διαιρεῖν αὐτὰ τοῦτον τὸν τρόπον ἀπ' ἀλλήλων, ὃν τὰς νοερὰς τάξεις, ἀλλὰ μίαν αὐτῶν καὶ ἀδιαίρετον τὴν ἕνωσιν θεωρεῖν.

“And as beauty had prior existence in the first intelligibles, unitedly and without intermission, hence Phanes is called by Orpheus,

‘the very beautiful son of Ether,’

and (he is called)

‘delicate Love (Ἔρως).’

Because therefore, this God is the first that is filled with occult (secret, not divulged) and ineffable beauty (κρυφίου καὶ ἀρρήτου καλλονῆς), hence also he is denominated most beautiful, being the first of participants, though all intelligibles are united to each other. For it is not proper to divide them from each other, after the same manner as the intellectual orders, but survey one and an indivisible union of them. (These things therefore, are beautifully asserted [by Orpheus and Plato].”

(trans. Thomas Taylor, 1820)

Lobeck I 480; Holwerda 301.

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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