Derveni Papyrus

edited and translated by
Tiberius Caelius Quadratus
for Orphicaeum © MMXXVI
All Rights Reserved.

Column XLI

...
...upon the...
...for physicists,^[1] and...
...the signs. For also fitting sacred things
an abundance of people bring before prayers; for each one
having allocated by division...prayer...
so that he suggested, as if a physicist, some prophet to give oracle
according to the things-signified by prayers. And whenever before the
initiations too sacrificial cakes are ignited, through such things the
oracle from prayer being shown for them produces advice
on account of the fire; and he shows the cakes to be signs of water.
For also each thing are signs for mankind, ...
...whom also the other things, as many as they bear...
...

Column XLII

...
...seer...
...to each one a healer...
...to the fearful; from...
...never to the Gods
...everyone a pot
...injustice they were saying to the passerby
...
and...
...
...
...
...

Column XLIII

...was assuming...
...of Dikē^[2]...
...the Erinyes^[3] are Souls. For the
Souls, for whom the sacrifices are born, those bitter to parents worship,
lest Dikē render them annihilated, with khoai^[4] in drops to the Erinyes. But the
daimons,^[5] who according to the magi^[6] increase worship of the
Gods as underlings of Dikē, because great oaths each of them
are, just like an avenging God, to those conscious of the fearsome-thing;
and these people hold responsibility for making wineless sacrifices,
such as...of parents. And
...
...of fear...
...it encompasses...
...rather...
...

Column XLIV

...
who having altered established things...to give out
more than atones...for the things of fortune
he did not allow to grasp. Is it thus held, the cosmos out of these things?^[7]
According to measures Herakleitos^[8] testifies that the common-things
punishes the unequal-things, the man who speaking like a hierologue^[9] said:

The sun, according to the nature of the cosmos, is the width of a human foot,
not overstepping the boundaries; for if at all his own boundaries
he will transgress, the Erinyes will discover him, helpers of Dikē,
so that he might not overstep the measure...

...
...of Dikē...
...

Column XLV

the terrors in Hades...; but the initiates, not
consulting an oracle of what the meaning of such things is, nor
do they consult an oracle out of the desire to flee these things. And
for them we enter into the oracle in order to inquire
on account of the things-prophesied, if it is lawful, and out from
inside Hades the terrors. Why do they disbelieve? Not knowing dream-visions
nor each of the other strange matters, what sort of
paradigms might they trust? For by error
and the other pleasure being overcome, they do not learn
nor do they believe. Disbelief and ignorance are the same; for if
they don't learn and they don't understand they won't be able
to believe even beholding dream-visions. ...
...the disbelief...
...it appears...
...

Column XLVI

...spondai^[10] and sacrifices soothe the Souls.
And the incantation of the magi is able, impeding daimons
becoming, to change them. Impeding daimons being
Souls must be considered; because of this they make the sacrifice,
the magi, as if paying back compensation; and to the
sacrifices they pour over water and milk, from which things also the
khoai they make. And countless many-knobbed cakes
they offer, since the Souls too are countless. Initiates
sacrifice first to the Eumenides^[11] according to the same magi; for the Eumenides
are Souls. On account of whom the one wanting to offer sacrifices to the Gods
beforehand lifts the burden to the Souls: they toil
indeed, so that too the...
and there are Souls, ...
and as many as...
of fear...
...

I will speak for whom it is lawful; but close the doors you profane.

...

Column XLVII

...
...he disbelieves...if the
song he might shrink from even saying lawful things. For it had been corrupted
by the poetry, and it was not possible to explain both the names'
placement and the things spoken. But it is mystical, the poem,
and enigmatic for mankind, even if Orpheus himself
did not intend to speak contentious riddles, but rather in riddles
great things. He speaks sacred things indeed therefore even from the first
and until the last word, as he shows in the
introductory verse. For "close the doors" he ordered to the
ears himself, he says to the masses not to be impious to the Gods,
but to teach those who keep their hearing pure.
...
...; and in this verse
he does not make it clear, but in the following he clarifies entirely:

of Zēn, the noblest of the Gods, whose deeds are not unfulfilled,
I will sing, and the immortal Gods throughout long Olympos.

...

Column XLVIII

...it has been shown in this verse:

those who from Zeus were born, the exceedingly-mighty king.

And how it originates, he shows in this:

Zeus indeed after then from his own father the prophesied rule
and strength in hands he took, and the glorious daimon.

These verses being out of order escapes notice,
but it is being arranged as follows: "Zeus indeed when the strength
from his own father he took, and the glorious daimon."
And being arranged in this way it doesn't mean Zan overpowers
the father, rather to be taking the strength from (πάρα) him.
But being arranged otherwise it might seem contrary (παρὰ) to oracles to have taken
the strength; for it seems this...
...according to necessity one might consider...
...and having learned...
...

Column XLIX

to be. Therefore the origin of the strongest one he made
to be as if a father's son. But those not knowing
the things-said suppose Zan, from his own
father, to the take the strength and also the daimon.
Knowing therefore the fire is mingled with the
others that it would agitate and it would hinder the things-that-are to come together
on account of the heat, he changed it as much indeed as is sufficient
having been removed to not hinder the things-that-are to be solidified.
And whatever it might ignite is mastered, and having been mastered it mixes
with the rest. And that "in hands he took" he was riddling
like the rest previously on the one hand appearing unclear, but
most-surely he understood. Therefore riddling forcefully
he said Zan to have taken the strength and the daimon
as if...strong
...

Column L

and to speak; for neither is it possible without vocalizing;
but he considered both 'speaking' and 'vocalizing' to be the same.
And 'speaking' and 'teaching' can mean the same; for not
is it possible to teach without speaking whatever through speech
is taught; but 'teaching' is considered one with
'speaking' to be. Therefore not on one hand 'teaching' from
'speaking' was separated, on the other 'speaking' from 'vocalizing',
but it means the same, 'vocalizing' and 'speaking' and 'teaching'.
Thus nothing hinders "all-voicing" and 'all-things
teaching' to be the same.
And saying "nurse" he riddles that whatsoever
the sun heating dissolves, these things night cooling
brings together...whatsoever the sun heated...
...

Column LI

of Nyx. And "out of the inner-sanctuary" he says her "to give oracle"
forming the opinion the inner-sanctuary (ἄδυτον) is the depth
of night; for it does not set (δύνει) as if sunlight, rather it
remaining in the same place, the sunlight overtakes.
And 'to give oracle' (χρῆσαι) and 'to assist' (ἀρκέσαι) mean the same.
But it is needed to consider on what it lies, 'to assist'
and 'to give oracle'.
'Thinking this God is giving oracles, they come
to inquire whatever they might do'. And in addition to this he says:

and she prophesied all things which for him was lawful to accomplish.

...having placed he showed that...
...contrary to the things-that-are...
...such as...
...

Column LII

and...; but the following verse holds thus:

so that he might hold down the beautiful seat of snow-clad Olympos.

'Olympos' and 'time' are the same. But those supposing
'Olympos' and 'heaven' to be the same are mistaken,
not knowing they're mistaken. But wherever he on the one hand
intends to say 'heaven', the epithet 'wide'
he used, on the other hand wherever 'Olympos', conversely indeed 'wide'
never, but 'long'. And by saying it is 'snow-clad'
he compares the power of time to snowiness.
And snowiness is both is both cold and white.
...shining...and white air
...and the...
...this...
...

Column LIII

Zeus indeed then, when having heard the prophecies, from his own father

For neither this he heard, but it has been shown how
he heard, nor night commands. But he shows thus saying:

the reverend-one (αἰδοῖον) he swallowed, who first leapt from the aither.

Because indeed concerning matters the whole poem
speaks in riddles, it is necessary to speak according to each verse.
Seeing generation within the genitals (αἰδοίοις), mankind
believing it to be, he used this, and without the
genitals (αἰδοίων) it doesn't happen, having compared the sun to a phallus (αἰδοίωι);
since without the sun the things-that-are of this kind were not possible
to be born...the things-that-are...
...on account of the sun all things alike...
...nor to those-who-are...
...to encompass...
...

Column LIV

it springs forth both brightest and hottest
having been separated from itself; therefore this Kronos
was born, he says, from Helios by Gē, because it had a reason
due to the sun to strike (κρούεσθαι) against one-another.
Because of this, he says "he who did a great deed". And this after:

Ouranos son-of-Euphrone, who first-of-all was king,

having named Mind (Νοῦς) striking (κρούοντα) against one-another 'Kronos',
he says to have done a great thing to Ouranos; for was taken away
from him the kingship and the rest according to the same logic.
For all of the things-that-are not yet striking,
Mind (Νοῦς) as determining (ὁρίζον) nature held the name
Ouranos. And he says the kingship was taken away from him
striking the existing things...
...

Column LV

to strike them against one-another, and he might cause the first
having been separated to diverge apart from one-another the things-that-are;
for the sun being separated and being confined
having planted he holds too the things-above the sun
and the things-below. And the following verse:

from him indeed (ἐκ τοῦ δὴ) Kronos in turn, and then counselor Zeus;

what he says is 'from this (ἐκ τοῦδε) the principle (ἀρχή) is, from when reigns this
rule (ἀρχή)'. Mind details the things-that-are, striking against each other,
having set at a distance and into the current transition, not different things from
different things, rather to create of a different kind.
and the "and then counselor Zeus;" that indeed not another
but the same he shows. And it signifies this:

counsel ... kingly honor
...sinews...

...

Column LVI

it has been shown he said the sun to be a phallus (αἰδοῖον). And that
from the pre-existing-things the current things-that-are come to be, he says:

of Protogonos the reverend (αἰδοίου) king; and to him indeed all
the immortals clung, the blessed Gods as well as Goddesses
and rivers and lovely springs and all the rest,
whichever things then were having been born, and himself indeed alone came to be.

in these he signifies that the things-that-are were there forever, and the
things-that-are currently came to be from the pre-existing-things. And the
"and himself indeed alone (μοῦνος) came to be", now by saying this he shows
'Mind' (Νοῦς) always to be equivalent of all things existing 'alone' (μόνον),
as if the other things might be nothing; for it is not possible through them to exist,
the things-that-are currently, without Mind. And still in the following
verse he said of this, Mind to be equivalent of all things:

and currently he is king of all things, and also he will be in the future.

It is shown that 'Mind' and 'King of all things' is the same.
...

Column LVII

he existed previously before being named, afterwards he was named;
for it existed even before the things-that-are currently existing were put together,
air, and it will be always; for it did not come into being, but it was. and the reason for which
it was called air has been shown in the previous parts. And to have been born
when he was named Zeus it was thought, as if previously
not existing. And he said this one will be last, when
he was named Zeus, and this for him continues being the name.
until the things-that-are now were put together into the same form
in which the things-that-are previously floated. And he shows the things-that-are
to have been born of this kind on account of this, and having been born again
within this...and he signifies in these verses:

Zeus the head, Zeus the middle, and out of Zeus all things have been fashioned.

head...the things-that-are he riddles...
head...principle comes to be of the formation
...to be put together...
...

Column LVIII

and those being carried downward. And speaking of "Moira" he shows
this earth and all the other things to be
in the air, being breath. Therefore this breath Orpheus
named Moira. And the rest of mankind according to speech, 'Moira
has spun for them' they say, and 'these things will be, whatever Moira
spun', on the one hand speaking correctly but knowing not
either what specifically Moira is nor spinning. For Orpheus
called the intellect Moira; for it appeared to him,
this name, to be most fitting out of all those which mankind
named; For indeed before having been named Zēn, Moira was
the intellect of the God both always and through all things; and after he was called
Zeus, he was thought to have been born, indeed even existing before
but not being named. Through this he says "Zeus first
was born"; for at first was the intellect Moira, and afterwards it was made sacred
being Zeus. But mankind not understanding the things-said
consider that Zēn exists as the first-born (πρωτόγονον) God...
...

Column LIX

from this and the things-that-are each single one has been named derived from the
dominant-one, Zeus all things according to the same
logic were called; for of all things the air dominates
so much as it desires, and 'Moira to spin'
meaning to ratify the intellect of Zeus
they say the things-that-are and the things-becoming and the things-about-to-be,
so that it is fated to come to be and also to exist and to cease.
And he likens him to a king (for this to be fitting for him
it seemed from the spoken names) saying thus:

Zeus the king, and Zeus the ruler of all things with-bright-thunderbolt.

He said him to be king because, the authorities many, one
of all rules and fulfills all things which of mortals for none
other is it possible to complete;...
...and ruler of all things he said him to be
because all things are ruled through...
...

Column LX

of people in cities having performed the sacrifices they saw,
I wonder less at them not knowing: for not is it possible
to hear and at the same time to learn the things-said, but whosoever from him
making the sacrifices a craft, these are worthy to be wondered at
and to be pitied; to be wondered at indeed because believing
before performing that they will know, they depart having performed
before knowing and not asking questions just as
though knowing what they saw or they heard or the learned; but to be pitied
because not does it suffice for them to have spent the expense, but
also being deprived of the understanding in addition they depart.
Before indeed performing the sacrifices hoping they will know,
but having performed they go away having been deprived even the hope.
...word...
...to his own...mother indeed
...but sister...
...

Column LXI

neither the cold-thing with the cold-thing. And by saying "he jumps", he shows
that in the air, by way of having been divided, the small-things were moving
and were jumping, and each one jumping coalesced
toward one-another. And until this it was jumping, until
each one came into the usual. Aphrodite Ourania
and Zeus and 'to make love' (ἀφροδισιάζειν) and 'to jump' and Peitho
and Harmonia are established names for the same God. A man
mixing with a woman is said 'to make love' (ἀφροδισιάζειν) according to
convention; for the things-that-are currently having been mixed with one-another
was named Aphrodite; and Peitho because the things-that-are yielded
to one-another; and to yield and to persuade (πείθειν) are the same; and Harmonia
because she fitted (ἥρμοσε) many things to each of the things-that-are.
For indeed it existed even before it was named but since coming into being
it was separated;...'to be separated' he shows...
...dominates so that...
...now
...

Column LXII

therefore he named all things in a similar way as beautifully as he could,
recognizing the nature of mankind, that not everyone
holds alike nor does everyone want the same things;
those-in-power say for each of them whatever might
come to mind, exactly whatever they happen to be desiring,
never the same things, under greed, and also under ignorance.
But Gē and Meter and Rhea and Hērē are the same. And she was called
Gē indeed by custom, and Meter because from her all things are born,
Gē and Gaia according to dialect for each. And Demeter
she was named just like Gē Meter, from both words one name;
for it was the same. And it is also stated in the Hymns:
"Demeter Rhea Gē Meter Hestia Deio". For she is called
Deio also, because she was ravaged (ἐδηϊώθη) in the mixing; and it will show clearly
according to the verses to give birth. And Rhea because many and varied
living things sprang up having flowed out (ἐκρεύσαντα) from her, Rhea and Rheiē
according to dialect for each. And she was called Hērē because
...

Column LXIII

[and he contrived the great strength of wide-flowing Okeanos.]

This verse has been composed riddling and indeed to the
many it is unclear, but to those who understand correctly
it is clear that "Okeanos" is air, and air is Zeus.
Certainly not another Zeus "contrived" Zan, rather he
for himself "the great strength". But those not understanding
think Okeanos to be a river because "wide flowing"
he added. But he indicates his own intention
in the things-said and customary phrases.
For also those greatly powerful of mankind
they say 'to flow big'. And the following:

and he wove in the sinews of silver-swirling Acheloios.

to the water as a whole he assigns the name Acheloios. And because
'to weave in' the swirls is also 'to push down';
for the...
each...
...

Column LXIV

are equal being measured out of the middle; but whatever is not
circular is not possible to be equal-limbed. And this shows:

She who shines to many mortals over limitless earth.

This verse someone might think to have said otherwise, because,
if it oversteps, the things-that-are are more apparent than before
overstepping, but he does not mean this, that she shines;
for if he meant this, he would not have said that she shines "to many",
rather 'to all' simultaneously, both those working the earth
and those sea-faring, whenever it is necessary for them to sail,
the season. For if the moon was not, they would not discover,
mankind, the calculation of the seasons nor of the
winds...and all the rest...
...
...
...
...other things-that-are...
...
...

Column LXV

and brightness; and the moon out of those which are whitest indeed
distributed to the rest according to the same logic,
but is not hot. And there are other things currently in the air far
from one-another suspended, but indeed of day they are invisible
under the sun, and they are overpowered on account of smallness.
But each one of them is suspended by necessity, so that they don't come together
toward one-another; for if not, they would coalesce, whatsoever the same warmth
power holds, from which things the sun was composed. The things-that-are now
if the God did not intend to exist, he would not have made the sun. But he made it
of such a kind and of such a size as in the beginning of the account
he explains. And in addition to these he sets up screening
not wanting everyone to understand. And in this he signifies:

but when indeed the wit of Zeus devised all things

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

Column LXVI

"of mother" (μητρὸς) indeed because Mind is mother of the rest,
and "good" (ἐᾶς) because she is good (ἀγαθῆς). And he shows even in these verses
that it signifies good (ἀγαθὴν):

Hermes, Maia's son, messenger, giver of goods (ἐάων).

And he shows also in this:

for both two jars are set down on Zeus' ground
of gifts such as they give, of evils, and another of goods (ἐάων).

But those not understanding the phrase think it is
'of his own mother' (μητρὸς ἑαυτοῦ). But if indeed he wanted "of his own mother (ἑαυταῦ μητρὸς)
in affection wanting to mix with" to show
the God, he could have, altering the spelling for him
to say 'of his own mother' (μητρὸς ἑοῖο). For it would be thus 'his own' (ἑαυτοῦ),
and her son would be...show that...
...in the...both...
...good (ἀγαθη)...
...
...