Cercops ( grc, Κέρκωψ) was one of the oldest

Orphic Orphism (more rarely Orphicism; grc, Ὀρφικά, Orphiká) is the name given to a set of religious beliefs and practices originating in the ancient Greek and Hellenistic world, associated with literature ascribed to the mythical poet Orpheus ...

poets. He was called a

Pythagorean Pythagorean, meaning of or pertaining to the ancient Ionian mathematician, philosopher, and music theorist Pythagoras, may refer to: Philosophy * Pythagoreanism, the esoteric and metaphysical beliefs purported to have been held by Pythagoras * Ne ...

Clement of Alexandria Titus Flavius Clemens, also known as Clement of Alexandria ( grc , Κλήμης ὁ Ἀλεξανδρεύς; – ), was a Christian theologian and philosopher who taught at the Catechetical School of Alexandria. Among his pupils were Origen and ...

, which might have meant a

Neopythagorean Neopythagoreanism (or neo-Pythagoreanism) was a school of Hellenistic philosophy which revived Pythagorean doctrines. Neopythagoreanism was influenced by middle Platonism and in turn influenced Neoplatonism. It originated in the 1st century BC a ...

.Clement of Alexandria, '' Stromata'', i.

Cicero Marcus Tullius Cicero ( ; ; 3 January 106 BC – 7 December 43 BC) was a Roman statesman, lawyer, scholar, philosopher, and academic skeptic, who tried to uphold optimate principles during the political crises that led to the estab ...

, was said by

Epigenes of Alexandria Epigenes may refer to: * Epigenes of Athens, an Ancient Greek comic poet * Epigenes of Byzantium, an Ancient Greek astrologer * Epigenes of Sicyon, an Ancient Greek tragedist * Epigenes, son of Antiphon Epigenes (''Epigetês''), son of Antiphon, ...

to have been the author of an Orphic epic poem entitled the "Descent to Hades", which seems to have been extant in the Alexandrian period. Others attribute this work to

Prodicus of Samos Prodicus of Ceos (; grc-gre, Πρόδικος ὁ Κεῖος, ''Pródikos ho Keios''; c. 465 BC – c. 395 BC) was a Greek philosophy, Greek philosopher, and part of the first generation of Sophists. He came to Athens as ambassador from Ceos, a ...

, or

Herodicus of Perinthus Herodicus ( el, Ἡρóδιĸος) was a 5th century BC Greeks, Greek physician, dietician, became nurse, sophist, and gymnastic-master (παιδοτρίβης). He was born in the city of Selymbria, a colony of the city-state Megara, and practice ...

, or

Orpheus of Camarina Orpheus (; Ancient Greek: Ὀρφεύς, classical pronunciation: ; french: Orphée) is a Thracians, Thracian bard, legendary musician and prophet in ancient Greek religion. He was also a renowned Ancient Greek poetry, poet and, according to ...

.Suda, ''Orpheus''. Epigenes also assigns to Cercops the Orphic which was ascribed by some to

Theognetus of Thessaly Theognetus (Greek: Θεόγνητος) was an Ancient Greek comic poet of the 3rd century BC. Works The titles of three of his works survive. * Κένταυρος (''The Centaur'') * Φάσμα ἢ Φιλάργυρος (''The Ghost'' or ''The M ...

, and was a poem in twenty-four books. The book ''The works of Aristotle'' (1908, p. 80 Fragments) mentioned. :

Aristotle Aristotle (; grc-gre, Ἀριστοτέλης ''Aristotélēs'', ; 384–322 BC) was a Greek philosopher and polymath during the Classical period in Ancient Greece. Taught by Plato, he was the founder of the Peripatetic school of phil ...

says the poet ''Orpheus'' never existed; the Pythagoreans ascribe this Orphic poem to a certain ''Cercon'' (which likely means ''Cercops'').

Notes

References

* {{authority control Ancient Greek poets 6th-century BC poets Pythagoreans Underworld in classical literature 6th-century BC religious leaders