Orphic Hymns · 69 of 138 · tr. Thomas Taylor
Hymn XXVIII. PROSERPINE (part 2)
371, informs us, that, according to the Eleusinian mysteries, Proserpine together with Pluto, governs terrestrial concerns, and the recesses of the earth: that she supplies life to the extreme p.
155 parts of the universe, and imparts soul to those, who, by her power, are rendered inanimate and dead.
This is perfectly agreeable to the 23d and following line.
Themes
◆Divine Providencetheology
Pronoia — the doctrine that the divine actively orders the unfolding of the cosmos and human affairs toward intelligible ends, against pure chance or blind necessity.
The passage explicitly states that Proserpine and Pluto 'govern terrestrial concerns' and 'supply life,' indicating active divine ordering of the cosmos.
All passages →◇Anthropomorphismtheology
Attributing human characteristics, emotions, or form to the divine; embodied divine imagery.
[auto] Proserpine is described with human and animal features such as lovely locks, beauteous mien, and horns.
All passages →◇Divine Lighttheology
The uncreated luminous quality of the divine, sometimes experienced directly in mystical states; illumination as revelation.
[auto] Proserpine is described as bearing heavenly light and imparting the divine light of mind.
All passages →◇Divine Marriagesoteriology
The reunification of complementary divine principles (male-female, spirit-matter) as a symbol of wholeness and salvation.
[auto] Footnotes explicitly define the union between Proserpine and Pluto as a holy marriage of divine causes.
All passages →◇Emanation Hierarchycosmology
A chain of divine beings or principles flowing downward from a single transcendent source (the One or the Father), each level less perfect than the one above.
[auto] The text establishes a lineage from Jove to Proserpine to Bacchus through secret seeds.
All passages →◇Funerary Navigationpraxis
Texts and rituals guiding the soul through death.
[auto] The hymn explicitly requests safe passage for the soul to the underworld realms after death.
All passages →◇Hidden Sayingssoteriology
Esoteric teachings reserved for those ready to receive them; outer meaning conceals an inner liberating truth.
[auto] The text refers to Jove's ineffable and secret seeds known only to Orphic theologers.
All passages →◇Psychopomp Journeycosmology
Guided passage of the soul through afterlife realms.
[auto] Proserpine is invoked as the ruler of hell's gates who guides mortals to her palace after death.
All passages →◇Soul Migrationcosmology
The transmigration of the soul across lives.
[auto] References to happy spirits dwelling beneath imply the continued existence or transmigration of souls.
All passages →Related passages · 12 parallels
◆egyptian|The Egyptian Book of the Dead (Papyrus of Ani)|Chapter 5 (part 3)
“When Isis heard of this she went to Byblos, and, gaining admittance to the palace through the report of the royal maidens, she was made nurse to one of the king's sons, Instead of nursing the child in the ordinary way, Isis gave him her fin…”
Both passages deal with themes of death, resurrection, and the divine intervention of goddesses (Isis in Passage A and Proserpine in Passage B). They share a focus on the cyclical nature of life and death, and the role of divine figures in these processes, reflecting a common mystical understanding of the afterlife and divine power.
◆egyptian|The Egyptian Book of the Dead (Papyrus of Ani)|Chapter 8 (part 1)
“THE LEGEND OF RA AND ISIS.
Now Isis was a woman who possessed words of power; her heart was wearied with the millions of men, and she chose the millions of the gods, but she esteemed more highly the millions of the khu's .
And she meditat…”
Both passages involve a divine figure (Isis and Proserpine) who possesses sacred knowledge or power and interacts with a higher deity (Ra and Pluto). They also share themes of life, death, and the use of magical or divine words to influence these states.
◆egyptian|The Egyptian Book of the Dead (Papyrus of Ani)|Chapter 16 (part 1)
“PLATE III.
Vignette: Scene of the weighing of the Heart of the Dead.
Ani and his wife enter the Hall of Double Law or Truth, wherein the heart, emblematical of the conscience, is to be weighed in the balance against the feather, emblemati…”
Both passages deal with the concept of judgment and the afterlife. The Egyptian Book of the Dead describes the weighing of the heart against the feather of Maat, symbolizing the judgment of the deceased's soul. The Hymn to Proserpine also discusses the power of the goddess over life and death, and the eventual journey of souls to the underworld. Both texts emphasize the role of divine figures in determining the fate of the deceased.
◆egyptian|The Egyptian Book of the Dead (Papyrus of Ani)|Chapter 16 (part 2)
“Four goddesses bore the name of Meskhen, and they were supposed to assist the resurrection of Osiris; they were associated with Tefnut, Nut, Isis, and Nephthys (see Lepsius, Denkmäler , iv., Bl.
59a; and Mariette, Dendérah , iv., pl.
74 a…”
Both passages discuss deities associated with the afterlife and the cycle of life and death. Passage A describes the Egyptian deities involved in the resurrection and judgment of the dead, while Passage B focuses on Proserpine, a goddess associated with the underworld and the cycle of life and death. Both texts highlight the roles of these deities in the transition between life and death, showing a conceptual parallel in their mystical traditions.
◆egyptian|The Egyptian Book of the Dead (Papyrus of Ani)|Chapter 17 (part 2)
“Behind them, upon a cubit-shaped base, is a house with four windows in its upper half, and upon the roof two triangular projections similar to those which admit air into modern houses in the East.
Before the door are a sycamore (?) tree an…”
Both passages deal with themes of the afterlife, divine judgment, and the role of deities in guiding the souls of the deceased. They share a focus on the transition from life to death and the importance of righteousness in the underworld.
◆egyptian|The Egyptian Book of the Dead (Papyrus of Ani)|Chapter 31 (part 1)
“PLATE XXIII.
AND PLATE XXIV.
The whole of Plate XXIII.
and part of Plate XXIV contain a repetition of the XVIIIth Chapter of the "Book of the Dead," which has also been given on Plates XIII.
and XIV.
The arrangement of the gods in the…”
Both passages describe a deity associated with the afterlife and the cycle of life and death. The Egyptian Book of the Dead focuses on Osiris and the journey of the soul, while the Orphic Hymn addresses Proserpine (Persephone) and her role in life and death. Both texts emphasize the divine power over these realms and the rituals associated with them.
◆egyptian|The Egyptian Book of the Dead (Papyrus of Ani)|Chapter 38 (part 8)
“I am he who riseth and shineth; the wall of walls; the only One, [son] of an only One.
Ra (24) never lacketh his form, he never passeth away, he never passeth away.
Verily, I say: I am the plant which cometh forth from Nu, and my mother i…”
Both passages describe a deity or divine figure with multiple aspects or attributes, reflecting a complex and multifaceted divine nature. They also emphasize the divine's role in life, death, and the afterlife, as well as the deity's power and authority.
◆egyptian|The Egyptian Book of the Dead (Papyrus of Ani)|Chapter 41 (part 2)
“(6) May Osiris Ani, triumphant, be born upon your thighs; may he be like unto one (7) Of you for ever and for ever; and may he become a glorious being (8) in the beautiful Amenta." [ Address to the Rudders ]: "(1) Hail, thou beautiful Power…”
Both passages address deities associated with the afterlife and the cycle of life and death. The Egyptian Book of the Dead invokes Osiris and Amenta, while the Orphic Hymn addresses Proserpine and Pluto, highlighting their roles in governing life and death and the transition of souls.
◆egyptian|The Egyptian Book of the Dead (Papyrus of Ani)|Chapter 42
“PLATE XXXVII. Vignette: A shrine wherein stands Sekeri-Ausar neb setait neter aa neb Neter-xert Seker-Osiris, lord of the hidden place, the great god, the lord of the underworld. He wears the white crown with feathers, and holds in his hand…”
Both passages are hymns addressed to deities associated with the underworld and the cycle of life and death. They share themes of reverence, divine power, and the afterlife, reflecting a common mystical focus on the divine and the beyond.
◆egyptian|The Egyptian Book of the Dead (Papyrus of Ani)|Chapter 43 (part 97)
“Thou art one in thine attributes among the gods, thou beautiful bull of the company of the gods, thou chief of all the gods, lord of Maat , father of the gods, creator of men, maker of beasts and cattle, lord of all that existeth, maker of…”
Both passages describe a divine figure associated with creation, life, and death. Amen-Ra in the Egyptian tradition and Proserpine in the Orphic tradition are depicted as powerful deities with significant roles in the cosmos, embodying both creative and destructive forces.
2 more
◆egyptian|The Egyptian Heaven and Hell|Chapter 21 (part 1)
“p.
158 CHAPTER XI.
SIXTH DIVISION OF THE TUAT.
II.
KINGDOM OF OSIRIS ACCORDING TO THE BOOK OF GATES.
THE Boat of AFU-RA, having passed through the first five DIVISIONS of the Tuat, now, according to the BOOK OF GATES, arrives near the…”
Both passages describe mystical realms associated with the afterlife and deities who govern these realms. Passage A discusses the Egyptian underworld and the god Osiris, while Passage B describes the Roman goddess Proserpine and her role in the underworld. Both texts emphasize the divine control over life and death, and the sacred rituals associated with these deities.
◆gnosticism|Gospel of Philip|Section 1i
“His seed was Jesus, and the plant was the cross.” The tree of life in the middle of that garden of paradise is an olive tree, and from the olive tree comes chrism, and from that oil comes the resurrection.
THE WORLD EATS BODIES The world e…”
Both passages explore themes of life, death, and transformation through divine intervention. The Gospel of Philip discusses the transformative power of chrism and the tree of life, while the Hymn to Proserpine describes the goddess's role in life and death cycles. Both texts emphasize the mystical union with the divine for spiritual rebirth.