The Golden Verses of Pythagoras · 102 of 122 · tr. Florence M. Firth
Section 13 (part 69)
Ὅς κεν τὴν ἐπίορκον ἀπολλείψας ἐπομόσσῃ ἀθανάτων, οἳ ἔχουσι κάρη νιφόεντος Ὀλύμπου, κεῖται νήυτμος τετελεσμένον εἰς ἐνιαυτόν· 795 οὐδέ ποτ᾽ ἀμβροσίης καὶ νέκταρος ἔρχεται ἆσσον βρώσιος, ἀλλά τε κεῖται ἀνάπνευστος καὶ ἄναυδος στρωτοῖς ἐν λεχέεσσι, κακὸν δέ ἑ κῶμα καλύπτει.
Αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ νοῦσον τελέσῃ μέγαν εἰς ἐνιαυτόν, ἄλλος γ᾽ ἐξ ἄλλου δέχεται χαλεπώτερος ἄεθλος.
800 Εἰνάετες δὲ θεῶν ἀπαμείρεται αἰὲν ἐόντων, οὐδέ ποτ᾽ ἐς βουλὴν ἐπιμίσγεται οὐδ᾽ ἐπὶ δαῖτας ἐννέα πάντα ἔτεα· δεκάτῳ δ᾽ ἐπιμίσγεται αὖτις εἴρας ἐς ἀθανάτων, οἳ Ὀλύμπια δώματ᾽ ἔχουσιν.
Τοῖον ἄρ᾽ ὅρκον ἔθεντο θεοὶ Στυγὸς ἄφθιτον ὕδωρ 805 ὠγύγιον, τὸ δ᾽ ἵησι καταστυφέλου διὰ χώρου.
Themes
◆Anthropomorphismtheology
Attributing human characteristics, emotions, or form to the divine; embodied divine imagery.
The passage depicts deities with human-like physical attributes (swift feet) and actions (sending messengers, drinking water).
All passages →◆Living Godtheology
The divine conceived as active, present, and dynamic—not an abstract principle but a personal responsive reality.
Zeus is portrayed as an active, personal agent who intervenes directly to resolve conflict among the immortals.
All passages →◆Ritual Puritypraxis
The maintenance of a state of cleanliness—physical, moral, or spiritual—required for encounter with the divine.
The text specifies that holy water from Oceanus is required for the validity of the divine oath.
All passages →