The Initiations of Orpheus: X: To Pan

X.

TO PAN  *

The FUMIGATION from VARIOUS ODORS

I Call strong Pan, the substance of the whole,
Etherial, marine, earthly, general soul,
Immortal fire; for all the world is thine,
And all are parts of thee, O pow'r divine.

16
The sportive nymphs, thy ev'ry step attend,  17
And all thy works fulfill their destin'd end.
O all-producing pow'r, much-fam'd, divine,
The world's great ruler, rich increase is thine. 20
All-fertile Pæan, heav'nly splendor pure,
In fruits rejoicing, and in caves obscure. 22

23
When rous'd, 'tis hard for mortals to asswage.
By thee the earth wide-bosom'd deep and long, 25
Stands on a basis permanent and strong.
Th' unwearied waters of the rolling sea,
Profoundly spreading, yield to thy decree.
Old Ocean too reveres thy high command,
Whose liquid arms begirt the solid land. 30
The spacious air, whose nutrimental fire,
And vivid blasts, the heat of life inspire
The lighter frame of fire, whose sparkling eye
Shines on the summit of the azure sky,
Submit alike to thee, whole general sway 35
All parts of matter, various form'd obey.

Footnotes

130:* Pan, it is well known, is the same with the Universe, and is called by Orpheus προτογονοσ (Protogonos), as we are informed by Damascius περὶ ἀρχῶν. Now Jupiter in the Orphic theology, is the demiurgus of the universe, or the first intellect; and Apollo, in the intellectual world, is the same with Jupiter, as we have shewn in our notes to the Sun. Hence the reason is obvious why Pan is called in this Hymn, all-fertile Pan. And if we compare the Orphic fragment, given in the Dissertation, with the present Hymn, we shall find a striking resemblance; as the king and father of universe, Protogonus or Jupiter is there celebrated as being all things; and is represented under the symbol of a divine body, whole members are the various parts of the world.

131:16 Ver. 16] Echo's secret voice. Phurnutus informs us, that Pan is reported to dwell in solitary places, for the purpose of evincing his unity. For the World is one, and only-begotten. Opusc. Mythol. p. 203.

131:17 Ver. 17] The sportive nymphs. This is because Pan rejoices in the exhalations produced from humid substances; without which the world cannot subsist. Phurnutus.

131:22 Ver. 22.] In caves obscure. A cave, as we learn from Porphyry, de Antro Nympharum, is an apt symbol of the material world; since it is agreeable at its first entrance on account of 132:23 Ver 23.] True serpent-horned Jove. The reason why Pan is horned, is, because Jove is the mingler of all things, according to Orpheus, as we learn from Jo. Diac. Allegor. in Hesiod. p. 305; and the word κερασήσ is as Gesner observes, derived from the verb κεράννυμι, to mingle: so that horns are an occult symbol of the mingling and tempering power of the demiurgus of the world. But the literal meaning of the word κερασήσ is horned serpent; and one of the heads of Protogonus is that of a serpent. We may add that Pan considered as the soul of the world, is with great propriety called Jove; since that appellation is given by Orpheus to the mundane soul.