Orpheus (attributed), Orphic poems (fragments) in the early church
Texts outside the 66 books of the Protestant Bible. A bracket shows which other churches include a book in their Old Testament canon: RC = Roman Catholic, EO = Eastern Orthodox, ETH = Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo.
Poems circulated under the name of Orpheus; they survive in fragments quoted by later writers.
83 passages cite it, in date order.
| Passage | Cites | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| On the Sole Government of God 2 · Anonymous | 245 | quotation, high confidence | 2nd–3rd century (disputed) |
| Oration to the Greeks 8 · Tatian | — | quotation, high confidence | ca. 165–172 |
| To Autolycus 3.2 · Theophilus of Antioch | — | allusion, high confidence | ca. 180–185 |
| A Plea for the Christians 18 · Athenagoras | — | quotation, high confidence | ca. 176–180 |
| A Plea for the Christians 20 · Athenagoras | — | quotation, high confidence | ca. 176–180 |
| Exhortation to the Greeks 2.17 · Clement of Alexandria | — | quotation, high confidence | ca. 190–200 |
| Exhortation to the Greeks 2.21 · Clement of Alexandria | — | quotation, high confidence | ca. 190–200 |
| Exhortation to the Greeks 7.74 · Clement of Alexandria | — | quotation, high confidence | ca. 190–200 |
| Hortatory Address to the Greeks 15 · Anonymous | 245 | quotation, high confidence | 2nd–3rd century (disputed) |
| Hortatory Address to the Greeks 15 · Anonymous | 239 | quotation, medium confidence | 2nd–3rd century (disputed) |
| Hortatory Address to the Greeks 15 · Anonymous | 300 | quotation, medium confidence | 2nd–3rd century (disputed) |
| Hortatory Address to the Greeks 17 · Anonymous | 48 | quotation, low confidence | 2nd–3rd century (disputed) |
| Miscellanies 3.3.16 · Clement of Alexandria | — | allusion, medium confidence | ca. 198–203 |
| Miscellanies 5.8.45 · Clement of Alexandria | — | quotation, high confidence | ca. 198–203 |
| Miscellanies 5.8.46 · Clement of Alexandria | — | quotation, high confidence | ca. 198–203 |
| Miscellanies 5.8.49 · Clement of Alexandria | — | allusion, medium confidence | ca. 198–203 |
| Miscellanies 5.12.78 · Clement of Alexandria | — | quotation, high confidence | ca. 198–203 |
| Miscellanies 5.14.116 · Clement of Alexandria | — | quotation, high confidence | ca. 198–203 |
| Miscellanies 5.14.122 · Clement of Alexandria | — | quotation, high confidence | ca. 198–203 |
| Miscellanies 5.14.123 · Clement of Alexandria | — | quotation, high confidence | ca. 198–203 |
| Miscellanies 5.14.124 · Clement of Alexandria | — | quotation, high confidence | ca. 198–203 |
| Miscellanies 5.14.125 · Clement of Alexandria | — | quotation, high confidence | ca. 198–203 |
| Miscellanies 5.14.126 · Clement of Alexandria | — | quotation, high confidence | ca. 198–203 |
| Miscellanies 5.14.127 · Clement of Alexandria | — | quotation, high confidence | ca. 198–203 |
| Miscellanies 5.14.129 · Clement of Alexandria | — | quotation, high confidence | ca. 198–203 |
| Miscellanies 5.14.133 · Clement of Alexandria | — | quotation, high confidence | ca. 198–203 |
| Miscellanies 6.2.5 · Clement of Alexandria | — | quotation, medium confidence | ca. 198–203 |
| Miscellanies 6.2.17 · Clement of Alexandria | — | quotation, high confidence | ca. 198–203 |
| Miscellanies 6.2.26 · Clement of Alexandria | — | quotation, high confidence | ca. 198–203 |
| On the Soul 2 · Tertullian | — | echo, low confidence | ca. 210 |
| Refutation of All Heresies 5.20.5 · Hippolytus of Rome | — | allusion, medium confidence | ca. 222–235 |
| Instructions 1.12 · Commodian | — | allusion, low confidence | 3rd century (disputed) |
| Against Celsus 3.23 · Origen | — | allusion, medium confidence | ca. 248 |
| Against Celsus 4.17 · Origen | — | allusion, medium confidence | ca. 248 |
| Against Celsus 7.54 · Origen | — | allusion, low confidence | ca. 248 |
| Against the Manichaeans 5 · Alexander of Lycopolis | — | allusion, medium confidence | ca. 280–320 |
| Against the Nations 5.19 · Arnobius of Sicca | — | allusion, medium confidence | ca. 297–303 |
| Against the Nations 5.26 · Arnobius of Sicca | — | quotation, high confidence | ca. 297–303 |
| Homilies 6.3 · Anonymous | — | allusion, medium confidence | 4th century (reworking earlier material) |
| Homilies 6.4 · Anonymous | — | allusion, low confidence | 4th century (reworking earlier material) |
| Homilies 6.5 · Anonymous | — | allusion, medium confidence | 4th century (reworking earlier material) |
| Homilies 6.6 · Anonymous | — | quotation, medium confidence | 4th century (reworking earlier material) |
| Recognitions 10.17 · Anonymous | cosmic egg, Phanes | allusion, high confidence | Greek original 3rd–4th century; Rufinus's Latin translation before 407 |
| Recognitions 10.30 · Anonymous | cosmic egg | allusion, high confidence | Greek original 3rd–4th century; Rufinus's Latin translation before 407 |
| Divine Institutes 1.5.4 · Lactantius | — | quotation, medium confidence | ca. 303–311 |
| Divine Institutes 1.5.5 · Lactantius | — | quotation, high confidence | ca. 303–311 |
| Divine Institutes 1.5.6 · Lactantius | — | quotation, high confidence | ca. 303–311 |
| Divine Institutes 1.7.7 · Lactantius | — | allusion, medium confidence | ca. 303–311 |
| Divine Institutes 1.13.11 · Lactantius | — | quotation, high confidence | ca. 303–311 |
| Divine Institutes 4.8.4 · Lactantius | fragment | allusion, medium confidence | ca. 303–311 |
| Preparation for the Gospel 1.9.3 · Eusebius of Caesarea | — | quotation, medium confidence | ca. 313–324 |
| Preparation for the Gospel 2.3.21 · Eusebius of Caesarea | — | quotation, medium confidence | ca. 313–324 |
| Preparation for the Gospel 2.3.23 · Eusebius of Caesarea | — | quotation, high confidence | ca. 313–324 |
| Preparation for the Gospel 2.3.34 · Eusebius of Caesarea | — | quotation, high confidence | ca. 313–324 |
| Preparation for the Gospel 3.3.5 · Eusebius of Caesarea | — | quotation, medium confidence | ca. 313–324 |
| Preparation for the Gospel 3.7.1 · Eusebius of Caesarea | — | allusion, medium confidence | ca. 313–324 |
| Preparation for the Gospel 3.9.2 · Eusebius of Caesarea | 168 | quotation, high confidence | ca. 313–324 |
| Preparation for the Gospel 3.9.8 · Eusebius of Caesarea | 168 | quotation, high confidence | ca. 313–324 |
| Preparation for the Gospel 3.9.9 · Eusebius of Caesarea | 168 | quotation, high confidence | ca. 313–324 |
| Preparation for the Gospel 3.11.4 · Eusebius of Caesarea | 168 | quotation, high confidence | ca. 313–324 |
| Preparation for the Gospel 13.12.5 · Eusebius of Caesarea | Testament | quotation, high confidence | ca. 313–324 |
| Preparation for the Gospel 13.13.49 · Eusebius of Caesarea | fr. 21a | quotation, high confidence | ca. 313–324 |
| Preparation for the Gospel 13.13.50 · Eusebius of Caesarea | Testament | quotation, high confidence | ca. 313–324 |
| Preparation for the Gospel 13.13.51 · Eusebius of Caesarea | Testament | quotation, high confidence | ca. 313–324 |
| Preparation for the Gospel 13.13.52 · Eusebius of Caesarea | fr. 248 | quotation, high confidence | ca. 313–324 |
| Preparation for the Gospel 13.13.53 · Eusebius of Caesarea | fr. 248 | quotation, high confidence | ca. 313–324 |
| Preparation for the Gospel 13.13.54 · Eusebius of Caesarea | Testament | quotation, high confidence | ca. 313–324 |
| Preparation for the Gospel 13.13.55 · Eusebius of Caesarea | fr. 168 | quotation, high confidence | ca. 313–324 |
| Preparation for the Gospel 13.13.62 · Eusebius of Caesarea | Testament | quotation, high confidence | ca. 313–324 |
| Preparation for the Gospel 14.22.11 · Eusebius of Caesarea | fr. 14 | quotation, high confidence | ca. 313–324 |
| Preparation for the Gospel 15.30.8 · Eusebius of Caesarea | — | allusion, medium confidence | ca. 313–324 |
| Epitome of the Divine Institutes 3.3 · Lactantius | — | allusion, medium confidence | ca. 314–320 |
| Oration 4.60 · Gregory of Nazianzus | — | quotation, medium confidence | ca. 362–383 |
| Oration 5.31 · Gregory of Nazianzus | — | allusion, medium confidence | ca. 362–383 |
| Panarion (Adversus Haereses), Haer. 1-64 31.4.9 · Epiphanius of Salamis | — | allusion, low confidence | 374-377 |
| Panarion (Adversus Haereses), Haer. 1-64 33.8.9 · Epiphanius of Salamis | — | allusion, low confidence | 374-377 |
| Theological Oration 5 (Or. 31), On the Holy Spirit 16 · Gregory of Nazianzus | Phanes | allusion, medium confidence | 380 |
| Against Jovinianus 2.14 · Jerome | — | allusion, medium confidence | 393 |
| Against Faustus the Manichaean 13.1 · Augustine of Hippo | — | allusion, low confidence | ca. 398–400 |
| Against Faustus the Manichaean 13.2 · Augustine of Hippo | — | allusion, low confidence | ca. 398–400 |
| Against Faustus the Manichaean 13.15 · Augustine of Hippo | — | allusion, low confidence | ca. 398–400 |
| Against Faustus the Manichaean 13.17 · Augustine of Hippo | — | allusion, low confidence | ca. 398–400 |
| City of God 18.14 · Augustine of Hippo | — | echo, low confidence | 413–426 |