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The Golden Verses of Pythagoras · 100 of 122 · tr. Florence M. Firth

Section 13 (part 67)

Ἔνθα θεοῦ χθονίου πρόσθεν δόμοι ἠχήεντες [ἰφθίμου τ᾽ Ἀίδεω καὶ ἐπαινῆς Περσεφονείης] ἑστᾶσιν, δεινὸς δὲ κύων προπάροιθε φυλάσσει νηλειής, τέχνην δὲ κακὴν ἔχει· ἐς μὲν ἰόντας 770 σαίνει ὁμῶς οὐρῇ τε καὶ οὔασιν ἀμφοτέροισιν, ἐξελθεῖν δ᾽ οὐκ αὖτις ἐᾷ πάλιν, ἀλλὰ δοκεύων ἐσθίει, ὅν κε λάβῃσι πυλέων ἔκτοσθεν ἰόντα. [ἰφθίμου τ᾽ Ἀίδεω καὶ ἐπαινῆς Περσεφονείης. ] Ἔνθα δὲ ναιετάει στυγερὴ θεὸς ἀθανάτοισι, 775 δεινὴ Στύξ, θυγάτηρ ἀψορρόου Ὠκεανοῖο πρεσβυτάτη· νόσφιν δὲ θεῶν κλυτὰ δώματα ναίει μακρῇσιν πέτρῃσι κατηρεφέ᾽· ἀμφὶ δὲ πάντη κίοσιν ἀργυρέοισι πρὸς οὐρανὸν ἐστήρικται.
Themes
Anthropomorphismtheology

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

The text attributes human physical characteristics such as an 'iron heart' and 'bronze mind' to the deities Sleep and Death.

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Cosmic Dualismtheology

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

The passage establishes a clear opposition between the realm of Night (Sleep/Death) and the Sun, as well as between gentle and ruthless divine natures.

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Divine Hiddennesstheology

The supreme God's radical concealment beyond ordinary knowledge or perception; the Hidden Father.

The deities dwell in a place where the shining Sun never beholds them with his rays.

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Funerary Navigationpraxis

Texts and rituals guiding the soul through death.

By delineating the hidden realm of Death inaccessible to the Sun, the text provides cosmological knowledge relevant to navigating the afterlife.

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Living Godtheology

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

Sleep and Death are depicted as active divine agents who turn over the earth and interact with humans.

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Psychopomp Journeycosmology

Guided passage of the soul through afterlife realms.

It describes the dwelling and nature of Sleep and Death, who are central figures in guiding or receiving the soul after life.

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