Orphic Hymns · 76 of 138 · tr. Thomas Taylor

Hymn XXXIII. APOLLO (part 2)

Gesner well observes, in his notes to this Hymn, that the comparison and conjunction of the musical and astronomical elements are most ancient; being derived from Orpheus and Pythagoras, to Plato.

Now, according to the Orphic and Pythagoric doctrine, the lyre of Apollo is an image of the celestial harmony, or the melody caused by the orderly revolutions of thc celestial spheres.

But I cannot believe that Orpheus and Pythagoras considered this harmony as attended with sensible sounds, according to the vulgar acceptation of the word: for it is surely more rational to suppose, that they meant nothing more by the music of the spheres, than their harmonical proportions to each other.

Indeed these wise men, to whom metaphors were familiar, may be easily conceived p.

163 by vulgar sound and vulgar harmony to insinuate internal sound, and harmony subsisting in its origin and cause.

Hence we may consider the souls of the celestial spheres, together with the soul of the world, as composing the choir of the nine Muses; (who are called by the Platonists nine Syrens) and dancing in numerical order round Apollo the sun of the intellectual world.

But these nine Muses are far different from the marine Syrens of the poets who, resident as it were in the sea of material delights, draw us aside by their alluring melody, from the paths of rectitude.

For these are divine Syrens inviting us to the proper end of our nature; and forming from the eight tones of the eight spheres, one perfect and everlasting harmony.

The following quotation from the Platonic Nichomachus, Harm.

i.

p.

6.

illustrates the meaning of the Hypate and Nete, or the highest and lowest string.

From the motion of Saturn, (says he) "The most remote of the planets, the appellation of the gravest sound, Hypate, is derived: but from the lunar motion, which is the lowest of all, the most acute sound is called νεάτη, Nete, or the lowest." But Gesner observes, that a more ancient, and as it were archetypal appellation, is derived from the ancient triangular lyre, a copy of which was found among the pictures lately dug out of the ruins of Herculaneum; where the highest chord next to the chin of the musicians is the longest, and consequently (says he) the sound is the most grave.

Gesner proceeds in observing, that the three seasons of the year are so compared together in a musical ratio, that Hypate signifies the Winter, Nete the Summer, and the Dorian measure represents the intermediate seasons, Spring and Autumn.

Now the reason why the Dorian melody is assigned to the Spring, is because that measure wholly consists in temperament and moderation, as we learn from Plut.

de Mus.

p.

1136.

E.

and consequently p.

164 is with great propriety attributed to the Spring, considered as placed between Summer and Winter; and gratefully tempering the fervent heat of the one, and the intense cold of the other.

164:39 Ver.

39.] Pan-royal .

See the notes to the Hymn to Pan, to Hercules, and the Sun.

164:40 Ver.

40.] Emitting whistling winds .

Johannes Diaconus, in Allegorcis Theogoniæ Hesiodi, quotes the following lines from Orpheus.

Themes

◆Cosmic Dualismtheology

Ontological opposition between two primal principles (light/darkness, truth/lie, spirit/matter) as the fundamental structure of reality.

A distinction is drawn between divine Syrens inviting to the proper end and marine Syrens drawing aside into material delights.

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◆Cosmic Sympathycosmology

The Stoic and Plotinian doctrine that all parts of the cosmos are bound by hidden affinities, so that a movement in one part resonates through the whole; the metaphysical basis for astrology, magic, and divination.

The passage describes the celestial spheres composing a choir and forming one perfect harmony through their orderly revolutions.

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◆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 'orderly revolutions' of spheres and the assignment of seasons to musical ratios imply a divinely ordered cosmos.

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◆Hidden Sayingssoteriology

Esoteric teachings reserved for those ready to receive them; outer meaning conceals an inner liberating truth.

The author argues that metaphors insinuate an 'internal sound' beyond the vulgar acceptation of words.

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◆Inner Silencepraxis

The practice of stilling the mind and speech to open receptivity to divine knowledge or presence.

The text contrasts vulgar sound with 'internal sound,' suggesting a silent inner reality.

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◆Opposites Transcendedanthropology

The dissolution of binary oppositions (male/female, inner/outer, above/below) as a mark of spiritual completion.

The Dorian melody is described as tempering the heat of Summer and cold of Winter, representing moderation between opposites.

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◆Return To Sourcesoteriology

The soul's journey back to its divine origin, reversing the fall into matter through stages of purification or illumination.

The divine Syrens are described as inviting souls to the 'proper end of our nature,' implying a return to origin.

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◆Spiritual Ascentpraxis

A staged journey of the soul upward through heavenly realms or levels of being toward the divine source.

The text contrasts the paths of rectitude with material delights, implying an upward movement away from matter.

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◆Unity Of Beingtheology

The doctrine that all existence is ultimately one substance or one divine reality; non-duality as a theological claim.

The eight tones of the spheres are said to form 'one perfect and everlasting harmony,' suggesting cosmic unity.

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◇Anthropomorphismtheology

Attributing human characteristics, emotions, or form to the divine; embodied divine imagery.

[auto] Apollo is described with human physical attributes such as 'locks are gold,' a 'light-producing eye,' and being 'arm'd with arrows.'

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◇Correspondencecosmology

The Hermetic axiom that the structure of the cosmos is reflected at every scale — 'as above, so below; as within, so without' — making each level a legible map of the others.

[auto] The passage explicitly details the conjunction of musical and astronomical elements, stating the lyre is an image of celestial harmony.

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◇Demiurgecosmology

A secondary creator deity—often ignorant or malevolent—responsible for fashioning the material world, distinct from the supreme transcendent God.

[auto] Footnote 164:41 explicitly identifies Apollo as the 'demiurgus of the universe' who stamps the world with forms.

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◇Divine Lighttheology

The uncreated luminous quality of the divine, sometimes experienced directly in mystical states; illumination as revelation.

[auto] The hymn repeatedly invokes Apollo as the 'light-bearer' with a 'light-producing eye' and golden locks, making illumination a central theme.

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◇Fasting And Prayerpraxis

Ascetic disciplines that prepare the body and mind for spiritual receptivity or purification.

[auto] The passage is structured as a prayer ('propitious to my pray'r') accompanied by ritual rites and fumigation.

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◇Living Godtheology

The divine conceived as active, present, and dynamic—not an abstract principle but a personal responsive reality.

[auto] The text addresses Apollo as an active, responsive reality who 'Hear[s] me entreating' and is 'present with benignant mind.'

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◇Numerical Mysticismtheology

Numbers, proportions, and mathematical relationships as the underlying structure of divine reality.

[auto] Footnotes elaborate on musical ratios, the eight tones of spheres, and numerical order governing seasons and celestial harmony.

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◇Ritual Firepraxis

Fire as medium of divine presence.

[auto] The hymn begins with 'The FUMIGATION from MANNA,' indicating the use of burning incense as a medium for divine encounter.

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◇Sacred Namestheology

Divine names or formulas that carry ontological power, used in prayer, liturgy, or magical practice.

[auto] The text functions as a litany of divine epithets (Pæan, Lycorian Phœbus, Delphian king) used to invoke the deity's presence.

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Related passages · 15 parallels

◆christian_mysticism|The Life and Doctrines of Jacob Boehme|Chapter 6 (part 7)

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Both passages explore the relationship between celestial bodies and spiritual or musical harmony. The Orphic Hymns describe the celestial spheres as producing a harmonious melody, while the second passage discusses the spiritual influence of stars on living organisms, including the creation of man as a complete image of divine glory.

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◆egyptian|The Egyptian Heaven and Hell|Chapter 18 (part 1)

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Both passages describe a divine being associated with the sun and regeneration. In Passage A, Afu-Ra transforms into the living Sun-god and is revivified, while in Passage B, Apollo is described as the 'light-producing eye' and the source of fertility and music, which are also forms of renewal and life.

◆neoplatonism|Iamblichus: On the Mysteries|Chapter IX

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◆neoplatonism|Iamblichus: On the Mysteries|Chapter VIIIf

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◆neoplatonism|Iamblichus: On the Mysteries|Chapter VIII~

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◆platonism|Plato: Republic|Section 1l

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5 more

◆western_esoteric|The Secret Teachings of All Ages (Manly P. Hall)|The Pythagorean Theory of Music and Colorb

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◆western_esoteric|The Secret Teachings of All Ages (Manly P. Hall)|The Pythagorean Theory of Music and Colorc

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◆western_esoteric|The Secret Teachings of All Ages (Manly P. Hall)|The Pythagorean Theory of Music and Colore

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◆western_esoteric|The Secret Teachings of All Ages (Manly P. Hall)|The Pythagorean Theory of Music and Colorf

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◆western_esoteric|The Secret Teachings of All Ages (Manly P. Hall)|The Pythagorean Theory of Music and Colorh

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