Proclus’ hymns: philosophy and cults
Ewa Osek
Katolicki Uniwersytet Lubelski Jana Pawła II , PolandAbstract
The present paper consists of the introduction to the Neoplatonic and Chaldean systems, the first Polish translation of seven extant Hymns by Proclus (AD 412- 485), and the commentaries on each of them. This essay is a polemic against the well-known book by R.M. Van den Berg entitled Proclus’ Hymns (Leiden 2001, Brill), which shows, above all, the Chaldean influences (cf. The Chaldean Oracles, ed. R. Majercik, Leiden 1989, Brill). I has argued that the philosopher used much more literary patterns than the Chaldean Oracles to illustrate the Neoplatonic „oecumenism” (an expression of P. Athanassiadi), i.e. syncretism of all the late-pagan religions. I has argued, further, that the philosopher’s cult-songs had been used in purifications and mystery rites of all the religions, but there is no evidence for the theurgy alone. I disagree with M. Van den Berg in the main thesis of his book that the gods to whom the hymns were adressed should be identified with the leader-gods of Proclus’ system. My argumentation leads to the conclusion that the gods of Proclus’ Hymns can be identified with the Great Demiurges (Hymns 2, 6, 7) and the Lesser Demiurges (Hymns 1, 3, 4, 5). The elaborate theological system constructed by Proclus and the location of gods from the Hymns in it are shown in the special diagram (table 1).
Keywords:
Proclus, hymns, neoplatonic systemReferences
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Sheppard A., Proclus’ Attitude to Theurgy, CQ N.S. 32 (1982) nr 1, 212-224
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Anthologia Graeca, ed. W.R. Paton: The Greek An¬thology, II, London 1919
Apollodorus, Bibliotheca
Ashwin-Siejkowski P. Porfiriusz z Tyru, Grota Nimf, ŹMF, Kraków 2006
Athanassiadi P., Persecution and Response in Late Paganism: The Evidence of Damas¬cius, JHS 113 (1993)
Berg R.M. Van den, Proclus’ Hymns, Leiden 2001
Chlup R., Proclus: An Introduction, Cambridge 2012
Clemens Alexandrinus, Protrepticus, ed. M. Marcovich, Leiden 1995
Corpus Cultus Cybelae Attidisque, ed. M.J. Vermaseren, I-VII, Leiden 1977-1989
Damascius, Vita Isidori, ed. C. Zintzen: Damascii Vitae Isidori reliquiae, Hildesheim 1967
Danielewicz J., Morfologia hymnu antycznego, Poznań 1976
Diogenes Laertius, Vitae philosophorum, ed. M. Marcovich, I, Berlin 2008
Documents of Ancient Greek Music: The Extant Melodies and Fragments, ed. E. Pöhlmann – M.L. West, Oxford 2001
Empedocles, Fragmenta, ed. H. Diels – W. Kranz: Die Fragmente der Vorso¬kratiker, I-III, Berlin 1951-1952
Fauth W., Helios Megistos: Zur syn¬kretistischen Theologie der Spätantike, Leiden 1995
Greek Hymns: Selected Cult Songs from the Archaic to the Hellenistic Period, ed. W.D. Furley – J.M. Bremer, I, Tübingen 2001
Gregorius Nazianzenus, Carmina, PG 37
Heitsch E., Drei Helioshymnen, „Hermes” 88 (1960) 139-158
Herodianus, Ab excessu divi Marci, ed. E. Bekker, Leipzig 1855
Hymni Homerici, ed. H.G. Evelyn-White, The Homeric Hymns and Homerica, w: Hesiod, Cambridge MA 1914, Loeb, 285-463, tłum. W. Appel: Hymny homeryckie, Warszawa 2001
Inscriptiones Graecae III: Inscriptiones Atticae aetatis Romanae, ed. G. Dittenberger, I, Berlin 1878
Inscriptiones Graecae IV: Inscriptiones Epidauri, ed. F. Hiller von Gaertringen, Berlin 1929
Johnston S.I., Hekate Soteira: A Study of Hecate’s Roles in the Chaldean Oracles and Related Literature, Atlanta 1990
Julianus, Orationes, ed. W.C. Wright: The Works of the Emperor Julian, I, London – New York 1913
Julianus the Theurgist: The Chaldean Oracles, red. R.D. Majercik, Leiden 1989
Karivieri A., The „House of Proclus” on the Southern Slope of the Acropolis: A Contri¬bution, w: Post-Herulian Athens: Aspects of Life and Culture in Athens A.D. 267-529, ed. P. Castrén, Helsinki 1994
Klitenic Wear S. – Dillon J.M., Dionysius the Areopagite and the Neoplatonist Tradition: Despoiling the Hellenes, Aldershot 2007
Klutstein I., Marsilio Ficino et la théologie ancienne: oracles chaldaïques, hymnes or¬phiques, hymnes de Proclus, Firenze 1987
Lankila T., Aphrodite in Proclus’ Theology, „Journal for Late Antique Religion and Culture” 3 (2009) 21-43
Levi D., Aion, „Hesperia” 13 (1944)
Lewy H., Chaldean Oracles and Theurgy: Mysticism Magic and Platonism in the Later Roman Empire, Paris 1978
Lexicon iconographicum mythologiae classicae, ed. H.C. Ackermann et al., I-XX, Zürich 1981-2009
Macrobio, Sat. I 18, 12 e Inno orfico 52: Dioniso tra teogonia e attualità religiosa, w: Tracing Orpheus. Studies of Orphic fragments. In honour of Al¬berto Bernabé, ed. M. Herrero, Berlin 2011
Macrobius, Saturnalia, ed. R.A. Kaster, I, Cambridge 2011
Majercik R.D., Introduction, w: Julianus the Theurgist, The Chaldean Oracles, red. R.D. Majercik, Leiden 1989
Marinus Neapolitanus, Vita Procli, ed. R. Masullo: Marino di Neapoli, Vita di Proclo, Napoli 1985
Mesomedes, Fragmenta
Michael Psellus, Expositio in Oracula Chaldaica, PG 122
Neumann G., Neufunde lykischer Inschriften seit 1901, Wien 1979
Nilsson M.P., The Bacchic Mysteries of the Roman Age, HTR 46 (1953)
Nonnus Panopolitanus, Dionysiaca, ed. W.H.D. Rouse, I-III, Cambridge 1940
Oracles chaldaïques, avec un choix de commentaires anciens, Paris 1996
Osek E. Juliana Apostaty mit o Heliosie, VoxP 30 (2010) nr 55, 477-498
Papyri Graecae Magicae, I-II, ed. K. Preisendanz – A. Henrichs, Stuttgart 1973-1974
Pausanias, Graeciae descriptio, ed. M.H. Rocha-Pereira, I-III, Leipzig 1973- 1981
Payne E., Lycia – Crossroads of Hittite and Greek Traditions, w: E. Cingano – L. Milano, Papers on Ancient Literatures: Greece, Rome and Near East, Padova 2008
Plato, Phaedrus
Plato, Timaeus
Plotinus, Enneades, éd. É. Bréhier: Plotin, Ennéades, I-VI, Paris 1924-1938, tłum. A. Krokiewicz: Plotyn, Enneady, I, Warszawa 2000
Plutarchus Chaeronensis, Numa
Plutarchus Chaeronensis, Pericles
Poetae epici Graeci, testi¬monia et fragmenta, pars II, fasc. 1-2: Orphicorum et Orphicis similium testimonia et fragmenta (= OF), ed. A. Bernabé, München 2004-2005
Porphyrius, De abstinentia, ed. J. Bouffartigue – S. Patillon: Porphyre: De l’abstinence, II, Paris 1979
Porphyrius, De antro nympharum, ed. L. Simonini: Porfirio, L’antro delle Ninfe, Milan 1986
Procli hymni accedunt hymnorum fragmen¬ta, epigrammata, scholia, fontium et locorum similium apparatus, indices, ed. E. Vogt, Wiesbaden 1957
Proclus, Eclogae e Proclo de philosophia Chaldaica, accedit hymnus in deum Platonicus, ed. A. Iahnius, Halis Saxonum 1891
Proclus, Hymni, ed. E. Vogt: Procli hymni accedunt hymnorum fragmenta, epigrammata, scholia, fontium et locorum similium apparatus, indices, Wiesbaden 1957
Proclus, In Platonis Alcibiadem, ed. A.P. Segonds: Sur le „Premier Alcibiade” de Platon, I, Paris 1985
Proclus, In Platonis Cratylum commentaria, ed. G. Pasquali, Leipzig 1908
Proclus, In Platonis Parmenidem, ed. C. Steel, I-III, Oxford 2007-2009
Proclus, In Platonis Rem publicam commentarii, II, ed. W. Kroll, Leipzig 1901
Proclus, In Platonis Timaeum commentaria, ed. E. Diehl, I-III, Lipsiae 1903-1906
Proclus, Theologia Platonica, ed. H.D. Saffrey – L.G. Westerink: Proclus, Théolo¬gie platonicienne, I-VI, Paris 1968-1997
Pseudo-Dionizy Areopagita, Pisma teologiczne, wyd. 2 popr., Kraków 2005
Pseudo-Dionysius, De coelesti hierar¬chia
Pseudo-Dionysius, De divinis nominibus
Saffrey H.D., La dévotion de Proclus au Soleil, w: Philosophies non chrétiennes et christianisme, éd. J. Sojcher – G. Hottois, Bruxelles 1984
Sheppard A., Proclus’ Attitude to Theurgy, CQ N.S. 32 (1982) nr 1, 212-224
Sicherl M., Ein Neuplatonischer Hymnus unter den Gedichten Gregors von Nazianz, w: Gonimos: Neoplatonic and Byzantine studies presented to Leendert G. Westerink at 75, ed. J. Duffy – J. Pera¬dotto, Buffalo 1988, Arethusa, 61-83
Sokolowski F., Aphrodite as Guardian of Greek Magistrates, HTR 57 (1964)
Strong D.E., A Greek Silver Head-Vase, „The British Museum Quarterly” 28 (1964) 95-102
Synesius Cyrenensis, Hymni, éd. C. Lacombrade: Synésios de Cyrène, Hymnes, I, Paris 1978
Theiler W., Die chaldäischen Orakel und die Hymnen des Synesios, Schriften der Kö-nigsberger Gelehrten Gesellschaft: Geitsteswissenschaftliche Klasse 18, Halle 1942, 1-41
Tituli Asiae Minoris, ed. E. Kalinka, Vienna 1920
Tituli Lyciae lingua Lycia conscripti, ed. E. Kalinka, Vindobonae 1901
Wagman R., Restorations on the Epidaurian Hymns, ZPE 103 (1994)
West M.L., The Eighth Homeric Hymn and Proclus, CQ 20 (1970)
Osek, E. (2013). Hymny Proklosa: filozofia i kult. Vox Patrum, 59, 487–530. https://doi.org/10.31743/vp.4055
Ewa Osek
Katolicki Uniwersytet Lubelski Jana Pawła II
Katolicki Uniwersytet Lubelski Jana Pawła II
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