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The Orphic Hymns

the Orphic tradition · Hymn 0, lines 17–19 · Memory, the Muses, the Graces, the Seasons

0.17

The Orphic Hymns 0.17 · Memory, the Muses, the Graces, the Seasons

Memory and her daughters the Muses, then the gods of grace and of time, then two mothers of gods.

· · ·

τʼ¹

t’

and

ἐρατὴν²

eratḕn

lovely

Μνημοσύνην³

Mnēmosýnēn

MnemosyneMemory

τʼ⁴

t’

and

ἐπικέκλομαι⁵

epikéklomai

I call on

ἁγνὰς⁶

hagnàs

the holy

Μούσας⁷

Moúsas

Muses

ἐννέα⁸

ennéa

nine

καὶ⁹

kaì

and

Χάριτάς¹⁰

Cháritás

the Graces

τε¹¹

—

καὶ¹²

kaì

and

Ὥρας¹³

Hṓras

the Seasonsthe Hours

ἠδʼ¹⁴

ēd’

and

Ἐνιαυτὸν¹⁵

Eniautòn

the Year

τʼ¹⁶

t’

and

εὐπλόκαμον¹⁷

euplókamon

lovely-hairedwith fine braids

Λητώ¹⁸

Lētṓ

Leto

θείην¹⁹

theíēn

divine

τε²⁰

and

σεμνήν²¹

semnḗn

revered

Διώνην²²

Diṓnēn

Dione

and lovely Mnemosyne, and I call on the holy Muses, nine, and the Graces and the Seasons and the Year, and lovely-haired Leto, divine, and revered Dione,

Interpretation

and lovely Mnemosyne, and I call on the holy Muses, all nine, and the Graces and the Seasons and the Year, and Leto with her lovely hair, divine, and revered Dione,

Mnemosyne is Memory, and in Hesiod she is the mother of the Muses, so mother and daughters are called in one breath. The Seasons (Hōrai) and the Year (Eniautos) bring time itself into the prayer; the Seasons have their own hymn later (43). Leto is the mother of Apollo and Artemis, and Dione, in the Iliad, is the mother of Aphrodite.

0.20

The Orphic Hymns 0.20 · The armed Kouretes and the great Saviors

The list turns to the gods of the mystery cults, from the armed dancers to the Saviors who are sons of Zeus.

· · ·

and the armed Kouretes, and the Korybantes and the Kabeiroi, and the great Saviors together, the immortal children of Zeus, and the gods of Mount Ida, and the messenger of the heavenly ones,

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