HellenicGods.org - VII. Περὶ καταρχῶν

VII. Περὶ καταρχῶν

About the beginnings

OTTO KERN

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

And not in the catalog of works of Orpheus nor in the registers of books on the casting of horoscopes of Masala (Arabic writer on astrology 770-820 C. E. p. Chr. n.? Catalogus Codicum Astrologorum I 81) and of Palchus (Πάλχος who wrote at the end of the 5^th century, see verse in the same place 80) is Orpheus’ poem Περὶ καταρχῶν (About beginnings) mentioned; it is also missing in the verses of Tzetzes (see above in 7. ΑΣΤΡΟΛΟΓΙΚΑ, p. 267 of Kern). But nevertheless an Orphic poem of this title appeared from a paraphrase which seems to come from the Byzantine age, it appears in the Codex Bononiensis Graecus 3632 f. 321^r (Catalogus Codicum Astrologorum IV 43 n. 18 v. Josef Heeg Die Angeblichen Orphischen Ἔργα καὶ Ἡμέραι [Inaugural Dissertation] p. 61), which has these words:

<Θεοφίλου ^[1] v. infra> ἐκ τῆς ιβʹτρόπου Ὀρφέος (sic)· περὶ καταρχόν (sic) περὶ τροπικὸν (sic) ζοδίον (sic), περὶ δησόμον (sic, l. δισώμων), περὶ στερεῶν ζοδίων (sic).

“<the next verse by Theophilos ^[1] > from the Direction of the Twelve by Orpheus (sic ^[2] ): On beginnings (περὶ καταρχόν, sic); Zodiacal signs (ζοδίον, sic), On those with two bodies (περὶ δησόμον [sic, l. δισώμων]), On zodiacal signs of permanent influence (περὶ στερεῶν ζοδίων, sic).”

(trans. by the author)

The same discussion is also found in Codex Parisinus Graecus 2831 (Catalogus Codicum Astrologorum VIII 3, 55 n. 45); however it was lost in Codex Vaticanus Graecus 212 n. 7 (Catal. V 1, 68), where, in the index, it has been transmitted to posterity:

Θεοφίλου περὶ καταρχῶν διαφόρων τὰ πρῶτα κεφάλαια τῆς δωδεκατρόπου· Ὀρφέως· περὶ καταρχῶν τῶν ζωιδίων. αʹ περὶ τροπικῶν ζωιδίων. βʹ περὶ δισώμων. γʹ περὶ στερεῶν.

“By Theophilos, the first chapters of The Fixed Circle of Twelve Zodiacal Divisions on various beginnings; by Orpheus: On the beginnings of the zodiacal signs. 1. On the zodiacal signs of the solstices. 2. On those with two bodies. 3. On permanet influences.

(trans. by the author)

Compare to Josef Heeg Die Angeblichen Orphischen Ἔργα καὶ Ἡμέραι [Inaugural Dissertation] p. 62.

NOTES:

[1] Theophilos of Edessa (Θεόφιλος Ἐδέσσης) died in 785.

[2] At every instance where you see the word sic there is a misspelled word.

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).

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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.

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