Two Orphic Images in Euripides Hippolytus 952 957 and Cretans 472 Kannicht (original) (raw)

This article examines two Euripidean references to the presence of Orphics in classical Athens: the one is a negative view, where Orphics are seen as false and dangerous (Hippolytus 948–957), and the other is a positive view, where Cretan priests are presented as pure and saintly men (Cretans 472). Both views give an idea of the contradictory reactions (admiration and rejection) that adherents to this form of religion inspired in the Athenians. The purpose of this paper is to examine two important Euripidean references to the presence of Orphics in classical Athens: Hippolytus 952–957 and Cretans 472 Kannicht. These Orphic echoes present polar opposite views, one negative, and the other positive, something which makes them particularly interesting. They seem to offer different perspectives of a complex phenomenon, while mirroring its contradictory reception by the Athenian society of the fifth century BCE, the theatre of which is a clear reflection of the Athenian polis. Before arriving to some conclusions both references will be first analysed, taking into consideration the special context within which each passage is framed, who presents the testimony, to whom it is addressed, the contents of the texts, and their positive or negative character.