Good Works Translation from Ancient Greek

This page translates Kern fragments 183-184 from the Orphic Sacred Discourses in Twenty-Four Rhapsodies. The group follows the divine-art sequence with Aphrodite and Eros: Zeus brings forth a second Aphrodite from his own generative powers, the sea receives the seed of great Zeus, and Proclus reads Aphrodite and Eros as causes of cosmic beauty, order, harmony, communion, and friendship.

Translation

Kern Fr. 183 — The Second Aphrodite

Proclus, commenting on Plato's Cratylus, says that Zeus brings forth the second Aphrodite from his own generative powers, and Dione brings her forth together with him. The goddess proceeds from the foam in the same way as the elder Aphrodite. The same theologian says about her:

Desire seized him more fully; from the generative parts

of the greatest father sprang the foam-born begetting,

and the sea received the seed of great Zeus.

As the year wheeled round, in fair-growing seasons,

it bore Aphrodite, waker of laughter,

foam-born.

Kern Fr. 184 — Aphrodite, Eros, and Friendship

Proclus says that, if before these things you wish to examine the hypercosmic cause of friendship, you will find it hymned also among the theologians. For the demiurge brought forth Aphrodite so that she might shine beauty, order, harmony, and communion upon all things within the cosmos. He also brought forth Eros as her attendant, since Eros makes wholes one.

The demiurge himself also has the cause of Eros within himself. For Metis too is called "rich in delights" in the hymn to Zeus.

Colophon

This Good Works translation was made from Otto Kern's Orphicorum fragmenta (Berlin: Weidmann, 1922), frr. 183-184, in the section headed "Hieroi logoi en rhapsodiais ka'." Kern's numbering is retained.

The source witness translated here is Proclus as printed by Kern.

Source Text

Kern Fr. 183 — Proclus

Proclus, Commentary on Plato's Cratylus:

τὴν δὲ δευτέραν Ἀφροδίτην παράγει μὲν ὁ Ζεὺς ἐκ τῶν ἑαυτοῦ γεννητικῶν δυνάμεων, συμπαράγει δ᾽ αὐτῶι καὶ ἡ Διώνη· πρόεισι δ᾽ ἡ θεὸς ἐκ τοῦ ἀφροῦ κατὰ τὸν αὐτὸν τῆι πρεσβυτέραι τρόπον· λέγει δ᾽ οὕτως καὶ περὶ ταύτης ὁ αὐτὸς θεολόγος:

τὸν δὲ πόθος πλέον εἷλ᾽, ἀπὸ δ᾽ ἔκθορε πατρὶ μεγίστωι

αἰδοίων ἀφροῖο γονή, ὑπέδεκτο δὲ πόντος

σπέρμα Διὸς μεγάλου· περιτελλομένου δ᾽ ἐνιαυτοῦ

Ὥραις καλλιφύτοις τέκ᾽ ἐγεσιγέλωτ᾽ Ἀφροδίτην

ἀφρογενῆ.

Kern Fr. 184 — Proclus

Proclus, Commentary on Plato's Timaeus:

εἰ δὲ καὶ πρὸ τούτων τὴν ὑπερκόσμιον αἰτίαν τῆς φιλίας ἐθέλοις σκοπεῖν, εὑρήσεις καὶ παρὰ τοῖς θεολόγοις αὐτὴν ὑμνημένην· τὴν γὰρ Ἀφροδίτην παρήγαγεν ὁ δημιουργός, ἵνα κάλλος ἐπιλάμπηι (καὶ add. Diehl) τάξιν καὶ ἁρμονίαν καὶ κοινωνίαν πᾶσι τοῖς ἐγκοσμίοις, καὶ τὸν Ἔρωτα ὀπαδὸν αὐτῆς, ἑνοποιὸν ὄντα τῶν ὅλων. ἔχει δὲ καὶ αὐτὸς ἐν ἑαυτῶι τὴν τοῦ Ἔρωτος αἰτίαν· ἔστι γὰρ καὶ Μῆτις . . . πολυτερπής fr. 168 vs. 9.