⸻ · ⸻
The Orphic Hymns
the Orphic tradition · Hymn 0, lines 10–13 · Ares, Hephaestus, Aphrodite, the king below
0.10
The Orphic Hymns 0.10 · Ares, Hephaestus, Aphrodite, the king below
Next come Ares, Hephaestus and Aphrodite, then the king of the dead; after him come Hebe and Eileithyia with mighty Heracles.
· · ·
τʼ1
t’
and
Ἆρές2
Ârés
Ares
, ὀβριμόθυμε3
obrimóthyme
strong of spirit
, καὶ4
kaì
and
ἁγνὸν5
hagnòn
the holy
μένος6
ménos
might
Ἡφαίστου7
Hēphaístou
of Hephaestus
, τε8
te
and
ἀφρογενής9
aphrogenḗs
the foam-born
θεά10
theá
goddess
, λαχοῦσα11
lachoûsa
who receivedwho got by lot
μεγαλώνυμα12
megalṓnyma
gloriousgreat-named
δῶρα13
dôra
gifts
; καὶ14
kaì
and
σύ15
sý
you
, βασιλεῦ16
basileû
king
καταχθονίων17
katachthoníōn
of those under the earth
, μέγʼ18
még’
greatly
ὑπείροχε19
hypeíroche
exalted
δαῖμον20
daîmon
goddaimon
; Ἥβη21
Hḗbē
HebeYouth
τʼ22
t’
and
Εἰλείθυια23
Eileíthyia
Eileithyia
, καὶ24
kaì
and
ἠύ25
ēú
the noble
μένος26
ménos
strength
Ἡρακλέος27
Hērakléos
of Heracles
, and Ares, strong of spirit, and the holy might of Hephaestus, and the foam-born goddess, who received glorious gifts; and you, king of those under the earth, greatly exalted god; Hebe and Eileithyia, and the noble strength of Heracles,
and Ares, strong of spirit, and the holy might of Hephaestus, and the foam-born goddess, who received glorious gifts; and you, king of those under the earth, greatly exalted god; Hebe and Eileithyia, and the noble strength of Heracles,
Interpretation
and Ares, strong of spirit, and the holy might of Hephaestus, and the foam-born goddess who received glorious gifts; and you, king of those under the earth, greatly exalted god; Hebe and Eileithyia and the noble strength of Heracles,
Two of these gods are named by a description. Aphrodite is "the foam-born goddess," after the story in Hesiod that she rose from the foam of the sea. Hades is "king of those under the earth," and his name is never spoken; Greeks often called the god of the dead by a title instead. Hephaestus and Heracles appear as menos, "might," the way Homer names a hero by his force: "the might of Hephaestus" is Hephaestus himself.
0.14
The Orphic Hymns 0.14 · I call the Nymphs, Pan and Hera
The verb arrives at last, "I call," and after it comes the long list of the gods the singer calls by name.
· · ·
and I call the great blessing of Justice and Piety, the famous Nymphs and Pan the greatest, and Hera, the blooming wife of aegis-bearing Zeus;