Diodorus Siculus, Bibliotheca Historica 5.64.4 = Orph. 519 Bernabé

How to quote this translation

ἔνιοι δ’ ἱστοροῦσιν, ὧν ἐστι καὶ Ἔφορος FGrHist 70 F 104, τοὺς Ἰδαίους Δακτύλους γενέσθαι μὲν κατὰ τὴν Ἴδην τὴν ἐν Φρυγίαι, διαβῆναι δὲ μετὰ Μυγδόνος εἰς τὴν Εὐρώπην· ὑπάρξαντας δὲ γόητας ἐπιτηδεῦσαι τάς τε ἐπωιδὰς καὶ τελετὰς καὶ μυστήρια, καὶ περὶ Σαμοθράικην διατρίψαντας οὐ μετρίως ἐν τούτοις ἐκπλήττειν τοὺς ἐγχωρίους· καθ’ ὃν δὴ χρόνον καὶ τὸν Ὀρφέα, φύσει διαφόρωι κεχορηγημένον πρὸς ποίησιν καὶ μελωιδίαν, μαθητὴν γενέσθαι τούτων, καὶ πρῶτον εἰς τοὺς Ἕλληνας ἐξενεγκεῖν τελετὰς καὶ μυστήρια.

Some, including Ephorus, recount that the Idaian Dactyls were born on Mount Ida in Phrygia and crossed with Mygdon into Europe. Being wizards, they practised charms and initiations and mysteries, and when they were staying on Samothrace, they astonished the inhabitants not a little in these activities. At which time, Orpheus, too, being endowed with exceptional talent for poetry and song, became their pupil, and first introduced initiations and mysteries to the Greeks.


Relevant guides Orpheus