Author(s):
Maharam, Wolfram-Aslan (Gilching)
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Zimmermann, Bernhard (Freiburg)
(Φάνης;
Phánēs). [German version] [1] Primordial god of the Orphic cosmogony In Greek, 'the one who illuminates, enlightens, appears; the one who is (makes something) obvious' (OF frr. 56; 61; 109); the light-like (Nonnus, Dion. 9,141) and golden-winged (OF frr. 54; 78; 87,2) primordial god of the Orphic cosmogony (OF fr. 78; 86; World, creation of the). This cosmogony, recorded by a certain Hieronymus and Hellanicus (OF fr. 54), must be distinguished from that in the
Hieroì Lógoi, an Orphic poem in 14 rhapsodies (OF testimonia 174; 196). P. was not the original name of that god, as is shown by the earliest document, a parody on the old Orphic cosmogony in Aristoph. Av. 690-703 (OF fr. 1): There it is Eros [1]that emerges from the egg of the world born by Nyx, an egg originally created by Chronos for Aether (OF fr. 70). According to a different version, P. emerges as a hermaphroditic (OF frr. 56-57; 81; 87; 98) potency from the world egg that was created by Chronos-Heracles in the shape of a lion and snake. P. is the son of Aether (OF fr. 73), and also the father of Nyx (OF fr. 98), who receives the rulership from him (OF fr. 101; cf. fr. 104), although three Nyktes are claimed to have existed (OF fr. 98-99). By himself, he engenders Echidna (OF fr. 58,2). P. was identified with daylight or Helios (OF fr. 239; 300) as well, and was also referred to as
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