One of the important things to keep in mind is that Orphism is an umbrella term beneath which gather a number of similar but disparate traditions. This is why I am always careful to specify that the Starry Bull tradition is a branch of Bacchic Orphism. Partly this has to do with the primary divinities honored — in Crete, Athens and Platonism it’s Zeus, in Pythagoreanism and Hyperborea it’s Apollon, in Southern Italy it’s Persephone and Dionysos, in Thrace it’s a syncretic Dionysos-Apollon/Helios or Sabazios and in various locales it’s Demeter or Rheia/Kybele. Each of these has its own customs, practices, tabboos, beliefs (sometimes including cosmology and eschatology) which can make generalizing about Orphism both difficult and problematic. Hence why so much of the literature on the subject is misleading or simply wrong. And while these may be the most prominent deities in their respective traditions don’t for a moment think they’re the only ones; Orphism is one of the hardest of ancient polytheisms, often separating divinities I tend to lump together or incorporating local indigenous divinities. I’m simplifying this for the sake of discussion. 

[Note: this post was deleted by WordPress without any notice, etc. likely because of the accompanying image which contained male nudity. Ironically, my post on Sokrates’ polygamy, which had a pic of two totally naked chicks in it, did not trigger the censors. So here it is again, now with less male genitalia.]

Don’t worry! Just because Dionysos has some asexual aspects doesn’t mean he’s a prude. There are cocks and prostitutes (especially Thaïs and Phryne) lying about everywhere — as well as Priapos, who is more cock than man, and his son with the Goddess Aphrodite. (Not to mention the God is queer as a 3$ bill.) 

εἶναι μανιώδη πάντα τἀνθρώπων ὅλως,
ἀποδημίας δὲ τυγχάνειν ἡμᾶς ἀεὶ τοὺς ζῶντας,
ὥσπερ εἰς πανήγυρίν τινα ἀφειμένους ἐκ τοῦ θανάτου καὶ τοῦ σκότους
εἰς τὴν διατριβὴν εἰς τὸ φῶς τε τοῦθ᾿, ὃ δὴ ὁρῶμεν ὃς δ᾿ἂν πλεῖστα γελάσηι
καὶ πίηι καὶ τῆς Ἀφροδίτης ἀντιλάβηται τὸν χρόνον τοῦτον ὃν ἀφεῖται,
κἂν τύχηι γ᾿, ἐράνου τινός, πανηγυρίσας ἥδιστ᾿ ἀπῆλθεν οἴκαδε.

Human existence is entirely, completely insane,
and as long as we’re alive, we’re enjoying a reprieve,
like going to a festival; we’ve been released from death
and darkness, and allowed to have a party in this light we see.
And whoever laughs the most, and drinks the most, and grabs as much
Aphrodite during the time he’s released, or a dinner party if he gets
the chance— he’s the happiest when he goes home after the festival. (Alexis fr. 222, 9–17)

Pseudo-Scymnus, Circuit of the Earth 748
Odessa, which was founded by the Milesians when Astyages was ruler of Media; this has the Krobyzan Thracians in a ring around it. Nearby Dionysopolis, which first was named Krounoi from its founts of water, they say is called Dionysopolis after a Dionysiac statue which was retrieved from the sea there.

Katerina Amanatidou, The cult of Dionysos in the Black Sea region
In Odessa’s necropolis was unearthed the remains of a coroplastic workshop, dated from the 3rd century BC, which produced a variety of terracotta statuettes intended for the decoration of sarcophagi. Among the produced types were representations of Dionysos, of Satyrs and Maenads. A miniature mask of a smiling Silen wreathed with ivy leaves was found in the debris of the building. Furthermore, clay figurines of Dionysos and his wife Ariadne came to light at excavations in other parts of the city. Likewise, votive reliefs made of lead and shaped as bull heads were found at the site. Those reliefs that were encircled with a decoration of grapes functioned, probably, as offerings to the god. An imported amphora neck of the Hellenistic period bearing the relief image of a Satyr’s head was also discovered. Finally, the excavations yielded an almost life-size marble statue of a Satyr and two attic red figure bell craters bearing Dionysian scenes with Satyrs and Maenads.

Most Tamino songs remind me of Dionysos, but this one really does.

Suidas s.v. Nemesis
Nemesis : Vengeance, justice, outrage, divine jealousy, fortune. ‘Perceiving Nemesis, the executioner of braggarts, who pursued them with justice.’ And again : ‘he did not escape the notice of Nemesis who opposes all the arrogant, but was compelled to be taught a lesson in his own misfortunes.’ ‘Nemesis was present, she who watches the things of the earth’; or in other words, she who watches unjust acts. Babrios says this in the Fables. And Aelian says : ‘palpable evidence of Nemesis the overseer, chastizing proud and disdainful ways.’ And a proverb : ‘At least Nemesis walks at your feet’; that is to say that the goddess swiftly pursues wrong-doers. ‘Unnoticed she walks at your feet, snaps your haughty neck, and always holds sway over your sustenance with her forearm.’

Pausanias, Description of Greece 1.33.4
A little way inland from Rhamnos is a sanctuary of Nemesis, the most implacable deity to men of violence. It is thought that the wrath of this goddess fell also upon the foreigners [i.e. the Persian army] who landed at Marathon.

How Empedoklean.

Speaking of wives, did you know that Sokrates (who himself espoused many Orphic ideas) had two of them?

[fr. 54a Wehrli = Cyril Adv. Iul. 6.186] For Porphyry has again written as follows about him: “In matters having to do with his life and with every other issue he was easily satisfied (εὔκολον) and required few material goods in his daily life. He had a very strong sex drive (τὴν τῶν ἀφροδισίων χρῆσινσφοδρότερον), but there was no injustice (ἀδικίαν) attached to it. For he had sex (χρῆσθαι) only with his wives (ταῖς γαμεταῖς) or with women who were commonly available (κοιναῖς). He came to have (σχεῖν) two women at the same time (δύογυναῖκαςἅμα): Xanthippe, who was a citizen and anyhow (πως) more commonly available (κοινοτέραν), and Myrto, the granddaughter of Aristides, son of Lysimachus. He took (λαβεῖν) Xanthippe after she got involved with him (περιπλακεῖσαν), and from her Lamprocles was born to him (ἑαυτῷ Λαμπροκλῆς ἐγένετο). But Myrto [he took] in marriage (γάμῳ), and from her [were born] Sophroniscus and Menexenus.

[fr. 54b Wehrli = Theodoret. Graec. aff. cur. 12.63–65] After having gone through these issues in detail, Aristoxenus shows that Socrates had also been enslaved to pleasures (ἡδυπαθείαις δεδουλωμένον). He says the following: “He had a very strong sex drive … [nearly identical to the above quote.] the son of Lysimachus. He took Xanthippe after she had sexual intercourse with him (προσπλακεῖσαν), and from her Lamprocles was born (ὁ Λαμπροκλῆς ἐγένετο). But Myrto [he took] having married her (γαμηθεῖσαν), and from her [were born] Sophroniscus and Menexenus. These women engaged in battle (ξυνάπτουσαι μάχην) with one another, and whenever they paused, they attacked Socrates, because he never prevented them from fighting but laughed when he saw them fighting with one another and with him. It is said (φησιν) that in his relationships Socrates was sometimes quarrelsome (φιλαπεχθήμονα), harsh (λοίδορον), and outrageous (ὑβριστικόν).

For more, check out Alessandro Stavru’s Aristoxenus on Socrates. 

No wonder Sokrates was so good at philosophia, as he often gave the following advice, “By all means, marry. If you get a good wife, you will be happy. If you get a bad one, you will be a philosopher.”

Galina and I had an interesting conversation tonight about the Orphic text I posted earlier and certain parallels between the Vitki in the Northern tradition and Orpheotelestai within the Starry Bull tradition. We also discussed the history of Orphic scholarship, the major competing theories about what ancient Orphism was like and whether there were even individuals and communities of Orphikoi or if it was primarily a literary phenomenon, and the influence that Pythagoreanism and Platonism have played in our conception of it. (This, dear readers, is why I recommend marrying someone who is close to your intellectual and spiritual equal and why I would never date a normy. I’m sure there are plenty of nice, supportive and fuckable normies out there, and it’s possible to connect with a person on other and multiple levels but at some point you actually have to, you know, talk to them and my interests are pretty limited.)

And so I figured I’d remind folks what my take on these and other controversies within the field of Orphic studies happen to be. 

• What is meant by Bacchic Orphism
• On Orpheotelestai and other matters
• Why Orpheotelest?
• Various posts on female Orpheotelestai
• How does one become an Orpheotelest of the Starry Bull tradition?
• On Orphism and Pythagoreanism
• What did ancient Bacchic Orphic ritual look like?
• Pray with your dead
• Chthonic Dionysos and the Saints of the True Vine

You can also find more writings on Bacchic Orphism and the Starry Bull tradition over at The Bakcheion.

The majority of what we possess of Orphic literature has come down to us in fragmentary form, mostly via quotations from late Neoplatonists who were likely using a compilation made in the Hellenistic period that went by the title of the Sacred Discourses in 24 Rhapsodies or the Orphic Rhapsodies for short. (Other texts have also come to light, such as the Orphic cosmological poem discussed in the Derveni papyrus, the ritual script known as the Gurob papyri, the eschatological texts and passwords written on gold lamellae which were buried with the dead, as well as the collection of Orphic Hymns that were likely composed by a community in 2nd century Asia Minor.) 

A year or so ago there was a great deal of excitement as an Orphic text surfaced as part of a palimpsest found in a monastery in Sinai. The text was written in a book that had been scraped clean and reused to record assorted Vita or Lives of the Saints. Using infrared and other technologies scholars were able to read the material beneath the writings of the monks, and while a notice of this discovery circulated with a brief overview of the contents there was no translation available. 

Until now! 

While examining some articles by Giulia Rossetto of the Austrian Academy of Sciences I came across her initial translation of the Orphic hexameters from the Library of Saint Catherine’s monastery, which may be part of the Orphic Rhapsodies or a completely independent work. I am providing both the original Greek and her translation here. (The Greek was a bitch to get right, since the PDF wouldn’t permit me to simply copy&paste, so you better enjoy this!) 

I cannot begin to express how fucking cool this is.  

f. 2r + frg. 7r + frg. 8v 

] Ψ̅ [ 

] αὐτὰρ ἐπὴν’ ἄχνη .. [ ±3 ] .εν. [ 

. . ἱ]μερόccαν [

] εὐνήν [±2] ±4 ν [ ±14 ] κεν ἄμφωι [ 

] τέκνω ±19 [ ±8 ] . . . . c]

]… [

] Ἑρμείην χ . . ν ±3 μ]

] θνητοί ἄνθ[ρωποι τὰδε γὰρ π[ ±8  ] ενον [

] εζ ἀρχῆc παρή[  ±5  ] .αναπ. [  ±8  ] . τοc[ 

] Nυκτὸc ταμ[  ±6  ] αραοιπ[  ±5  ] θεcπεcίη Νύξ [ 

] Ζηνὶ κελαινεφ[έϊ  ±4  ] .νιπ [  ±7  ] εccηι [

] ἔχρηc’ Ἰδαίοιcιν  [  ±5  ]  ±3 δ[  ±7  ] ροιc [ 

] ±5  αρχεγο .[  ±15  ] .cεκουθεν [  

] ὧc φάτο Φερcεφονηι καὶ ἀπὸ θρόνου ὦρτο φαεινοῦ [ 

] cευατ’ οτιο[   ±11  κρυφίοιο μελ[ά]θρου [ 

] ἐκλήϊcεν Διονυcον ἐρίβρομον Εἰραφιώτην [ 

] ἴκελον [. .]γή . ρ μηνοc περιτελλοέμοιο [

] εἵμαcί τε cτ[±3]οντα kαι ἱμερτοῖc cτεφάνοἱcιν [

] παιδ’ εν χεροιν ±8 εων περικαλλὲc αγαλμα [

] αιν . [.] καρποφόρον Χαρίτων ἄπο κάλλοc ἔχουcα [ 

] και ῥ ’ επιγονα ±3 ή . .φ. αc⸌μ⸍μήδουcαφρο [

] καί μιν φωνήc[αc’ [

] ἀφρογενὲc Κυθρεια [

] οὗτοc τ. ρπ . . . . [ 

] τὸν δὲ φερο . . . .[ 

] ὧc φάτο Φερcεφονη

] ωc . δ . π . . . . [ 

] καί ραμ . . . . [ 

] ὦ Ζεῦ . . . .[ 

. . . . . . . . . . . .

‘And when the foam … lovely bed … both … son … Hermes … and the mortal human beings. These things indeed … from the beginning … of the [starry] Nyx … the divine Nyx … to Zeus,[son of Cronos], god of the dark clouds … proclaimed in the [Mount] Ida … [original] … So he/she spoke to Persephone and stood up from the shining throne … (he/she) hastened … of the hidden/secret house … (he/she) closed/confined Dionysus, loud-shouting, Eiraphiotes like…

οf (something) coming around … with garments … and with lovely crowns … the child in the hands … beautiful gift/statue/image … fruit-bearing … gifted with beauty by the Graces… [Aphrodite] … Αnd she/he addressed her …: foam-born Cythereia … this … So spoke Persephone … and … Zeus …’

f. 2v + frg. 7v + frg. 8r 

] ὅν ποτ’ ἐκιccο[ό]ρουν υc[ ±3 ]νί δαcκίωι ἄντρωι [ 

] ἔτρεφον ἀμβ[ροcί]οιc δι’ επεκόcμεον ω[ ±3 ] καλοῖc [ 

] νήπ[ιον ±7 ]. θεν ἀτὰρ μέγαν [ ±6 ] Ὄλυμπον [ 

] εξι [ ±18 ] κατά πετρινον ἄντρο(ν) [

] καλ. [ ±7 ] πωννυ[ ±3 ]cεδ[. .]c ±3 ποκομοιο [ 

] ωcτετιcευ[ ±6 ] φοc ὄρνιc αγ[ ±9 ] ενoc λίπεc εὐνή(ν) [ 

] πάμπαν αἱcιοc ἀπ[ ±3 ]τοc εμο. [ ±9 ] . τεονιαc  ̣[ 

] cῶι δὲ πόθωι χ[ ±6 ] ωcαν[ ±10 ]ν αἰθέρα θ’ ἁγνόν [ 

] πόντον τ’ ἠδ[ ±3 ] εροντοc[ ±5 χθονὶ χεῦμα κελαινό(ν) [ 

] θυὸν ἀκηχέμ[ενα ±2]. ρ.π.[  ±7 ] ἀλγινόεντοc [ 

] ετλην δ’ ειc Ἀΐδαο δόμουc cκοτ[ίο]υc καταβῆναι [ 

] Ἠελίου προλιποῦcα δόμουc ⸌φάοc⸍ λαμπράν τε Cελήνην [ 

] οὐράνιόν τε πόλον διὰ cὸν πόθον αμροτε κοῦρε [ 

] ὧc φάτο Κύπριc ἄναccα φίλον δ’ α[±2] πολλακι παιδα [

] αcπίcι ὡc ἀγάπαζε χέραc περὶ γυῖα [β]αλοῦcα[ 

] καὶ τρέφεν ἠδ’ ἀτίταλλεν ἐν ἀγκα[λί]δεccιν ἔχουcα [ 

] μίμ[ν]ε δ’ ἄρ εἰν Ἀΐδαο δόμοιc ὑπὸ κεύθεcι γαίηc [ 

                   ]ρωι τριγόνωι πολυωνυμωι Ἠρικεπαίωι [

]φ[  ±9 ]εζ[  ±4  ]ηc[  ±3  ]υνικηται [

                                             ] Φεφονείηιc [

                                           ] ⸌cι⸍… λεα ⸌μη⸍τρόc [

                                           ] ροε . διὰ χῶρον [

                                           ].[ ±4 ] ον ἄνθοc [ 

                                           ] . . χι λάχνηι [

                                           ]c υλοιν [

                                           ] χ Διονύcωι [

. . . . . . . . . . . .

‘So, they crowned the child with ivy … in a shady cave, they fed him with divine things … they adorned him with beautiful … great Olympus … under the stony cave … wholly good omen …you left the wedding bed … for your desire … and the pure air and the sea … the dark stream… in anguish of heart … of something painful … I suffered for the descent in the dark houses of Hades, after leaving the houses/the light of Helios and the shining Selene and the celestial vault for your desire, immortal young man. So she spoke, Cypris queen … with the shields as she hugged/embraced the dear son many times flinging her arms around him … and nursed and cared for him, holding (him) in her arms; remained in the houses of Hades, under the deep earth … to the three times born, with many names, Herikepaios … of Persephone … of the mother … in the land … the flower … wool/hair … to Dionysus’

f. 6r 

. . . . . . . . . . . .

[ ±5 ] νουc κρύβδην εχον ε [

] τον δε καλύψαντεc ννμφηϊον [±2]. νονα [

] κύκλωι δ’ ἀμφὶ θρόνον π. .[ ±5 ] παντεc [ 

] ἧχι περ οἶνοc ἔφηc τότε τιμ[ ±3 ] . . . . γοc αἴcηc [

] ἄλλοτε δη ±3 πάνα διαμπερέωc ἐτέλεccαν [

] ἄψ δ’ αποπα[.] θελοντοc c̣ων κεφλη . τεκ ±2 υ ±2 μα [

] καὶ τότε δὴ τομονει[ ±3 ] . ον πέλεκυν τολυπεύω(ν) [

] Ἄκμων παιδ[οc] δ’ ἔναντα κατεcτάθη ειλε δ.. αμεοc [

] ἄθ[ ±3 ]ου.ω ειδ[.]ν ἀνώϊcτ’ εργατε δ οὖν τ. ±3 [

] αὐτὰρ ἔπειτ’ [±2] κρατα θενοεμεcον ἦλθε δενοινου [

] πάντα φόβον προϊειc ε[.]πωc προἀ[ ±4 ] Διὸc ἕδρη[ν [

] Κύρβαc τ’ ἀντήμυνεν εγείνετο δ’ ἔργ’ ὑπεροπ [

] πρώτουc δ’ εἰcῆιξ’ ἅρπην μετὰ χερcὶ τιτ [

] φάc ταναδ ἄλλοθεν ἄλλον χεπερὶ [

] Ἠὼc δ’ οὐδ’ ώc άπέλειπε Διόc [ 

] κ. cεο[.]δ’ εὐπλέκτοιο . [

] γυμνοῦντεc αcφά [

] καὶ τότε δὴ πρωτε [

] ενδε [

. . . . . . . . . . . .‘… 

secretly having … having covered the bridechamber … in a circle around the throne …where the wine/Dionysus you said at one time … by ordinance … at another time they finished/completed everything through and through … back from … and even then … Αkmon accomplishing/achieving … axe … stood quiet against the child, you protected … unexpected… and then … (he/she) went … (you) abandoned all fear … seat of Zeus … and the Corybant resisted … (he/she) darted in the first … in the hands the sickle … one from one place, another from another … nor Eos left … of Zeus … of the well-plaited … (they) being exposed/stripped… and even then …’

Festus Avienus, Descr. orb. terr. 761–763, GGM ii.184
hic cum plaustra poli tangit Phoebeius ignis, nocte sub illustri rota solis fomite flagrat continuo, clarumque diem nox aemula ducit
There [at Thule], when Phoebus’ fire touches Ursa Major, under shining night the Sun’s wheel burns with continuous flames, and the night, eager to equal it, leads the bright day. 

My research habits are rather peculiar, I admit. Take the other night’s session which began with Varga Timea’s Telesphorus: A healing child god in Roman Dacia, which led to the Genii Cucullati and then to Galatia and a general overview of the history of Anatolia. Then I read Outfoxing the Wolf-walker: Lycambes as performative rival to Archilochus by Tom Hawkins, Renaud Gagné’s A Wolf at the Table: Sympotic Perjury in Archilochus, and Ralph Häussler’s Wolf Deities & Wolf Myths. And finally I capped the evening’s studies off with The Thraco-Dacian Origin of the Paparuda/Dodola Rain-Making Ritual by Mihai Dragnea. All while listening to my playlist “Simple Strangers” (it’s a long playlist.) 

“The Pleiades, sisters who vie with each other’s radiance. Beneath their influence devotees of Bacchus (god of wine and ecstasy) and Venus (goddess of love) are born into the kindly light, and people whose insouciance runs free at feasts and banquets and who strive to provoke sweet mirth with biting wit. They will always take pains over personal adornment and an elegant appearance they will set their locks in waves of curls or confine their tresses with bands, building them into a thick topknot, and they will transform the appearance of the head by adding hair to it; they will smooth their hairy limbs with the porous pumice, loathing their manhood and craving for sleekness of arm. They adopt feminine dress, footwear donned not for wear but for show, and an affected effeminate gait. They are ashamed of their sex; in their hearts dwells a senseless passion for display, and they boast of their malady, which they call a virtue. To give their love is never enough, they will also want their love to be seen.” (Manilius, Astronomica Book 5, p.310-313)

Via Jane Austen’s World.

A young lady’s prayer for a husband, from The New Lady’s Magazine, October 1791:

“From a prophane (profane) libertine, from one affectedly pious, from a profuse almoner, from an uncharitable wretch, from a wavering religioso and injudicious zealot—deliver me.

“From one of starched gravity, or ridiculous levity, from an ambitious statesman, from a restless projector, from one that loves any thing besides me, but what is very just and honourable—deliver me!

“From an extasy’d poet, a modern wit, a base coward, and a rash fool—deliver me!

“From a Venus darling, from a Bacchus proselyte, . . . from all other masculine affectations, not yet recounted—deliver me!

Bitch, please. You should be so lucky. 

We are fabulous.

Since we usually do our weekly house divination on Sunday or Monday I’m extending the test run of the mysteries through the weekend. If you’d like a reading shoot me an email at sannion@gmail.com and I’ll tell you how to PayPal me $13.25 to reserve your slot. Come on, you know you want to! All the cool kids are doing it.