Autogenerazione della divinità. Da Crizia (frammenti 3 e 4 Snell-Kannicht) al dio cristiano

The adjective autophyés, which is well attested as an epithet of the Christian God, appears also in the pagan oracles (see Lactantius, Divinae institutiones 1,7,1). The most ancient source in which autophyés is used in relation to the highest god goes as far back as the 5th century B.C. This adjective is in fact present in fragment 4 Snell-Kannicht. The five anapaests in fragment 4 Sn.-K belong to the lost tragedy Pirithous, which has been attributed to Euripides, but was probably composed by Critias. The identity of the god addressed in this fragment has been disputed and is problematic. According to the most widely-accepted hypothesis, this god (in what corresponds to an orphic view) ought to be identified with Time who is called tíkton autòs heautón in a different fragment (3 Snell-Kannicht) from the same work. Supported by Satyrus, Vita Euripidis fragmentum 37 I, II and III (92-94 Schorn), the author suggests that the Pirithous writer very deliberately chose not to identify the god addressed in fragment 4 Snell-Kannicht. Regarding the concept of the god’s self-generation, which is present in both the fragments from Pirithous, the author emphasizes the great importance this has for the transmission of these fragments by Clement of Alexandria.