Platonic mysteries: the Orphic seeds of Plato's philosophy

Thesis

This thesis provides an in-depth analysis of Plato's engagement with ancient Greek mystery religion, which I consider collectively under the traditional umbrella term of 'Orphism'. By comparing key passages from the Platonic dialogues with ancient Orphic texts, such as the Derveni papyrus and the gold tablets, and other Orphic material, I show how Plato adopted (and adapted) from the Orphic tradition certain core themes and ideas, which provided the foundation for his mature philosophical views: that is to say, above all, the belief in the primacy of the soul over the body, and the devaluation of the material world in favour of the invisible realm. The result is a new interpretative approach to the work of Plato, based on a radical re-evaluation of the mystic and religious aspects of his thought. Such an approach not only allows for a deeper and more well-rounded understanding of Plato's writings and philosophy but also offers new important insights on early Orphism and on its role in Greek intellectual history. Therefore, this study will be of interest to students of ancient religion, as well as Plato scholars.

The first part of the thesis is dedicated to defining 'Orphism': Chapter 1 contains a brief history of the scholarship, followed by a discussion of the methodological challenges inherent to the study of Orphism and a survey of the evidence pertaining to early Orphism; Chapter 2 examines the interrelationships between the Bacchic mysteries, the Eleusinian mysteries, early Pythagoreanism, and the Orphic cult (which I consider all as different manifestations of the same religious phenomenon), and provides a working definition of 'Orphism' based on a careful review of the ancient evidence. Part II is dedicated to analysing the Orphic elements in Platonic eschatology, metaphysics, and cosmology, highlighting the paradigm-shifting potential inherent in the Orphic movement and fully realised in Plato's 'Two Worlds' theory. Chapter 3 examines Plato’s reception of Orphic ideas about the human soul and the afterlife, with an extensive focus on the eschatological myths of the Gorgias, Phaedo, Phaedrus, and Republic. Chapter 4 analyses the Platonic theory of recollection and its links to the Orphic tradition. Chapter 5 examines the parallels between Orphic dualism and Plato's theory of Forms and offers a novel analysis of the allegory of the Cave. Chapter 6 examines the influence of the Orphic theogony and anthropogony on the creation story of the Timaeus, highlighting the affinities between the Platonic Demiurge and the Orphic creator god(s); the final section of Ch. 6 analyses the myth of the Statesman and its Hesiodic and Orphic precedents, arguing in favour of a Platonic theory of cosmic cycles.

Authors: Sessini, C

• DOI: 10.5287/ora-qxqjo70k6
• Type of award: DPhil
• Level of award: Doctoral
• Awarding institution: University of Oxford
• Language: English
• Keywords: creation; eschatology; dualism; afterlife; theogony; Orphism; Orphic; mystic; mystery religion; immortality; metempsychosis; reincarnation; recollection; Plato; soul
• Subjects: Plato's cave (Allegory); Mysteries, Religious; Philosophy, Ancient