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The Mystical Hymns of Orpheus - Platonic Philosophy

The Mystical Hymns of Orpheus - Platonic Philosophy

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1 INTRODUCTION.<br />

and having corrupted the priest privately<br />

with money, he took the Orphic lyre, and<br />

fixed another similar to it in the temple.<br />

But Neanthus, considering that he was not<br />

safe in the city in the day, departed from it<br />

by night; having concealed the lyre in his<br />

bosom, on which he began to play. As how-<br />

ever he was a rude and unlearned youth, he<br />

confounded the chords ; yet pleasing himself<br />

with the sound, and fancying he produced<br />

a divine harmony, he thought himself to be<br />

the blessed successor <strong>of</strong> <strong>Orpheus</strong>. But in the<br />

midst <strong>of</strong> his transports, the neighbouring dogs,<br />

roused by the sound, fell on the unhappy<br />

harper and tore him in pieces.<br />

<strong>The</strong> former part <strong>of</strong> this fable is thus admir-<br />

ably explained by Proclus, in his Commen-<br />

taries (or rather fragments <strong>of</strong> Commentaries)<br />

on the Republic <strong>of</strong> Plato, "<strong>Orpheus</strong> (says<br />

he), on account <strong>of</strong> his perfect erudition, is<br />

reported to have been destroyed in various<br />

ways; because, as it appears to me, men <strong>of</strong><br />

that age participated partially <strong>of</strong> the Orphic<br />

harmony : for they were incapable <strong>of</strong> receiv-<br />

ing a universal and perfect science. But the<br />

principal part <strong>of</strong> his melody [i. e. <strong>of</strong> his<br />

mystic doctrine] was received by the Les-

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