Page:History of the Literature of Ancient Greece (Müller) 2ed.djvu/259

237 LITERATURE OF ANCIENT GREECE. 237 stand in different relations to Zeus and to Eros. The Orphic poets also described Zens as uniting the jarring elements into one harmonious structure ; and thus restoring 1, by his wisdom, the unity which existed in Phanes, but which had afterwards been destroyed, and replaced by confusion and strife. Here we meet with the idea of a creation, which was quite unknown to the most ancient Greek poets. While the Greeks of the time of Homer and Hesiod considered the world as an organic being, which was constantly growing into a state of greater perfection ; the Orphic poets conceived the world as having been formed by the Deity out of pre-existing matter, and upon a predetermined plan. Hence, in describing creation, they usually employed the image of a " crater," in which the different elements were supposed to be mixed in certain proportions ; and also of a " peplos," or garment, in which the different threads are united into one web. Hence " Crater," and " Peplos," occur as the titles of Orphic poems. § 7. Another great difference between the notions of the Orphic poets and those of the early Greeks concerning the order of the world was, that the former did not limit their views to the -present state of mankind ; still less did they acquiesce in Hesiod 's melancholy doctrine of successive ages, each one worse than the preceding; but they looked for a cessation of strife, a holy peace, a state of the highest happiness and beatitude of souls at the end of all things. Their firm hopes of this result were founded upon Dionysus, from the worship of whom all their peculiar religious ideas were derived. According to them, Dionysus-Zagreus was a son of Zeus, whom he had begotten, in the form of a dragon, upon his daughter Cora-Persephone, before she was carried off to the kingdom of shadows. The young god was supposed to pass through great perils. This was always an essential part of the mythology of Dionysus, especially as it was related in the neighbour- hood of Delphi ; but it was converted by the Orphic poets, and espe- cially by Onomacritus, into the marvellous legend which is preserved by later writers. According to this legend, Zeus destined Dionysus for king, set him upon the throne of heaven, and gave him Apollo and the Curetes to protect him. But the Titans, instigated by the jealous Here, attacked hi in by surprise, having disguised themselves under a coating of plaster (a rite of the Bacchic festivals), while Dionysus, whose attention was engaged with various playthings, particularly a splendid mirror, did not perceive their approach. After a long and fearful conflict the Titans overcame Dionysus, and tore him into seven pieces*, one piece for each of themselves. Pallas, however, succeeded in saving his palpitating heartf, which was swallowed by Zeus in a drink. As the ancients considered the heart as the seat of life, Diony- sus was again contained in Zeus, and again begotten by him. Zeus f KjaSi'nv T«x>.9/iiv?iv, an etymological fable.
 * The Orphic poets added Phorcys and Dione to the Titans and Titaiiidos of Hesiod,