#orphic

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“Now look at the wisdom of the Greeks, and examine it as follows. The authors of the Orphic hymns supposed Zeus to be the mind of the world, and that he created all things therein, containing the world in himself. Therefore in their theological systems they have handed down their opinions concerning him thus:

Zeus was the first, Zeus last, the lightning's lord,

Zeus head, Zeus centre, all things are from Zeus.

Zeus born a male, Zeus virgin undefiled;

Zeus the firm base of earth and starry heaven;

Zeus sovereign, Zeus alone first cause of all:

One power divine, great ruler of the world,

One kingly form, encircling all things here,

Fire, water, earth, and ether, night and day;

Wisdom, first parent, and delightful Love:

For in Zeus' mighty body these all lie.

His head and beauteous face the radiant heaven

Reveals and round him float in shining waves

The golden tresses of the twinkling stars.

On either side bulls' horns of gold are seen,

Sunrise and sunset, footpaths of the gods.

His eyes the Sun, the Moon's responsive light;

His mind immortal ether, sovereign truth,

Hears and considers all; nor any speech,

Nor cry, nor noise, nor ominous voice escapes

The ear of Zeus, great Kronos' mightier son:

Such his immortal head, and such his thought.

His radiant body, boundless, undisturbed

In strength of mighty limbs was formed thus:

The god's broad-spreading shoulders, breast and back

Air's wide expanse displays; on either side

Grow wings, wherewith throughout all space he flies.

Earth the all-mother, with her lofty hills,

His sacred belly forms; the swelling flood

Of hoarse resounding Ocean girds his waist.

His feet the deeply rooted ground upholds,

And dismal Tartarus, and earth's utmost bounds.

All things he hides, then from his heart again

In godlike action brings to gladsome light.

Zeus, therefore, is the whole world, animal of animals, and God of Gods; but Zeus, that is, inasmuch as he is the mind from which he brings forth all things, and by his thoughts creates them. When the theologians had explained the nature of god in this manner, to make an image such as their description indicated was neither possible, nor, if any one thought of it, could he show the look of life, and intelligence, and forethought by the figure of a sphere.

But they have made the representation of Zeus in human form, because mind was that according to which he wrought, and by generative laws brought all things to completion; and he is seated, as indicating the steadfastness of his power: and his upper parts are bare, because he is manifested in the intellectual and the heavenly parts of the world; but his feet are clothed, because he is invisible in the things that lie hidden below. And he holds his sceptre in his left hand, because most close to that side of the body dwells the heart, the most commanding and intelligent organ: for the creative mind is the sovereign of the world. And in his right hand he holds forth either an eagle, because he is master of the gods who traverse the air, as the eagle is master of the birds that fly aloft - or a victory, because he is himself victorious over all things.”

Dearest Patrons

Welcome to the Venus, a place built for love and companionship. All you could ever want is here. Our hosts are educated in multiple fields, some are educated in art and music others are educated in science and psychology. We certainly have the perfect host for all your interests.

We hope you have an amazing time here.

A/N:

A few things.

Sammy Pines is a based on a real person. There will never be any works that are Sammy x Reader, due to how much IRL Sammy means to me.

Some things to help with the immersive experience.

(Transl. by Apostolos N. Athanassakis & Benjamin M. Wolkow)

•°☆𓁹𓁹☆°•

I shall sing of Night,

mother of gods and men;

we call Night Kypris,

she gave birth to all.

Hear, O blessed goddess,

jet-black and starlit,

for you delight in the quiet

and slumber-filled serenity.

Cheerful and delightful, lover

of the nightlong revel, mother of dreams,

you free us from cares,

you who offer us welcome respite from the toil.

Giver of sleep, beloved of all,

you gleam in the darkness as you drive your steeds.

Ever incomplete, terrestrial,

and then again celestial,

you circle around in pursuit

of sprightly phantoms,

you force light into the nether world,

and then again you flee

into Hades, for dreadful Necessity

governs all things.

But now, O blessed one—beatific,

desired by all—I call on you

to grant a kind ear

to my voice of supplication,

and to come, benevolent,

to disperse fears that glisten in the night.

However, Orphic-Adonis is so cool !!!!!

(trans. Daniel Malamis)

Things that I’m obsessed with in this:

1. He’s intersex (“youth and maid”)

2. He has horns

3. He’s Persephone’s son with no named father

4. He has the epithet Eubouleus (good counsel), just like Dionysus and Hades in these same hymns. The syncretism between Adonis and Dionysus in Orphism is well documented, but I have to wonder if this link with Hades could connect them as father and son