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The Orphic Hymns

the Orphic tradition · Hymn 0, lines 26–28 · Rhea and Kronos, and the strength of Atlas

0.26

The Orphic Hymns 0.26 · Rhea and Kronos, and the strength of Atlas

The older generation of gods, from Rhea and Kronos to the strength of Atlas and of Aion.

· · ·

Ῥείαν¹

Rheían

Rhea

τʼ²

t’

—

ἠδὲ³

ēdè

and

Κρόνον⁴

Krónon

Kronos

καὶ⁵

kaì

and

κυανόπεπλον⁶

kyanópeplon

dark-robeddark-veiled

Τηθύα⁷

Tēthýa

Tethys

τε⁸

and

μέγαν⁹

mégan

great

Ὠκεανόν¹⁰

Ōkeanón

Ocean

τʼ¹¹

t’

and

σύν¹²

sýn

with them

θύγατρας¹³

thýgatras

the daughters

Ὠκεανοῖο¹⁴

Ōkeanoîo

of Ocean

and the

μέγʼ¹⁵

még’

far

ὑπείροχον¹⁶

hypeírochon

surpassing

ἰσχύν¹⁷

ischýn

strength

Ἄτλαντός¹⁸

Átlantós

of Atlas

τε¹⁹

—

καὶ²⁰

kaì

and

Αἰῶνος²¹

Aiônos

of AionEternity

Rhea and Kronos and dark-robed Tethys, and great Ocean, and with them the daughters of Ocean, and the far surpassing strength of Atlas and of Aion,

Interpretation

Rhea and Kronos, and dark-robed Tethys, and great Ocean, and with them the daughters of Ocean, and the far surpassing strength of Atlas and of Aion,

These are the Titans, who ruled before Zeus. Rhea and Kronos are his parents, and Ocean and Tethys are the pair the Iliad calls the origin of the gods. Beside Atlas, who holds up the sky, stands Aiōn, a word for a lifetime or an age that later Greek religion used for eternity itself, and here he has a Titan's strength.

0.29

The Orphic Hymns 0.29 · Time, the Styx, the two Daimons

Time and the river of oaths, the gentle gods and Providence, and two Daimons of opposite kinds.

· · ·

and ever-flowing Time, and the bright water of the Styx, and the gentle gods, and besides these good Providence, and the most holy Daimon and the Daimon baneful to mortals,

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