From distant, almost forgotten times of Greek tradition, traces of Orphic mysteries and teachings have reached us. Many past centuries transformed their founder into a mythical divine singer with a miraculous voice and a lyre in his hand, who enchanted everyone with his music. Through the myth connecting him with Eurydice, Orpheus inspired many artists who created numerous variations of the story about the power of Love and the power of Music that conquers death.
Many great Greek philosophers like Pythagoras, Empedocles, and Plato were inspired by his life and teachings sung in sacred hymns, as well as by his mission to renew the then decadent religious forms. It is now considered that the school he founded was a precursor and model for later classical Greek philosophical schools.
Orpheus’ school was closed, with strict ascetic rules whose fundamental principles were connected to achieving a righteous life, greatly influenced by music as the principle of harmony. One of the most important aspects of his teachings… Tell them: “I am the offspring of Earth and Uranus, shining with stardust,
my lineage is celestial, as you yourselves know.
I burn with thirst and wither away. Give me immediately
the water that springs from the lake of Mnemosyne.”
Then they will give you to drink from the divine spring,
and from then on you will reign with all the heroes.
…
Golden Leaf from Thurii (Lucania, Magna Graecia, 4th century BC)
When the soul leaves the light of the Sun,
it must follow the right path, guarding all that is good.
Rejoice in experiencing the suffering you have never before
experienced:
you have become a god from a human; you have fallen into milk as a lamb;
rejoice, rejoice as you travel the right path
through sacred meadows and the gardens of Persephone.
…
Golden Leaf from Rome (3rd – 2nd century BC)
I come pure from the pure, O queen of the underworld,
O Eucle, O Eubulie, glorious daughter of Zeus, I possess
this famous gift from Mnemosyne for mankind.
“Cecilia Scundina, enter, becoming a goddess by law.”
…
Golden Leaf from Thurii (Lucania, Magna Graecia, 4th century BC)
I come pure from the pure, O kra I am a creature of the underworld,
O Eucle, O Eubuleus, and other immortal gods,
And I take pride in being from your blessed lineage,
But I am overcome by Moira and other immortal gods,
(…) and a starry lightning strikes.
In flight, I escaped from the sorrowful and painful cycle,
And with swift feet, I reached the coveted crown,
I arrive at the bosom of the queen, ruler of the underworld,
I arrive at the coveted crown with swift feet.
(Goddess’s response): “How blessed and fortunate you are; you will become a god from a mortal.”
I fell into the trap.
Golden leaflets from Turio (Lucania, Magna Graecia, 4th century BC)
I come forth pure from the pure, O queen of the underworld,
O Eucle, O Eubuleus, and all the gods and demons,
And I take pride in being from your blessed lineage,
So if I endured punishment for unjust deeds,
Moira overcame me (…)
(…) with a blazing lightning.
Now I come pleading before the radiant Persephone
So that she may graciously guide me to the abode of the blessed.
Golden leaflet from Eleutherna (Crete, 2nd – 1st century BC)
I am burning with thirst and dying. Now drink from my
Everlasting spring that is Sleep, next to the cypress.
Who are you? Where are you from? I am the son of Earth and Uranus, the starry one.
Source: Hermann Diels, Pre-Socratics