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The Orphic Hymns
the Orphic tradition · Hymn 0, lines 3–5 · Zeus, Earth, and the lights of heaven
0.3
The Orphic Hymns 0.3 · Zeus, Earth, and the lights of heaven
The roll call begins at the top of the world: Zeus, Earth, the lights of the sky, then Poseidon of the sea.
· · ·
βασιλεῦ1
basileû
King
Ζεῦ2
Zeû
Zeus
, καὶ3
kaì
and
Γαῖα4
Gaîa
Earth
, καὶ5
kaì
and
ἁγναὶ6
hagnaì
the holypure
οὐράνιαι7
ourániai
heavenly
φλόγες8
phlóges
flames
Ἠελίου9
Ēelíou
of the SunHelios
, θʼ10
th’
and
ἱερὸν11
hieròn
the sacred
σέλας12
sélas
lightblaze
Μήνης13
Mḗnēs
of the MoonMene
, τε14
te
and
πάντα15
pánta
all
Ἄστρα16
Ástra
the Stars
, καὶ17
kaì
and
σύ18
sý
you
, Ποσείδαον19
Poseídaon
Poseidon
, γαιήοχε20
gaiḗoche
earth-holderearth-carrying
, κυανοχαῖτα21
kyanochaîta
dark-haired
, King Zeus, and Earth, and the holy heavenly flames of the Sun, and the sacred light of the Moon, and all the Stars, and you, Poseidon, earth-holder, dark-haired,
King Zeus, and Earth, and the holy heavenly flames of the Sun, and the sacred light of the Moon, and all the Stars, and you, Poseidon, earth-holder, dark-haired,
Interpretation
King Zeus, and Earth, and the holy heavenly flames of the Sun, and the sacred light of the Moon, and all the Stars; and you, Poseidon, earth-holder, dark-haired,
The first gods named are the parts of the world you can see. Ēelios and Mēnē are the ordinary words for the sun and the moon, and here they are also persons who are spoken to like any other god. The Stars, the Sun and the Moon each have a hymn of their own later in the book (7, 8 and 9), one after the other.
0.6
The Orphic Hymns 0.6 · From pure Persephone to Dionysus the dancer
Next come the gods of the harvest and the hunt, Apollo at Delphi, and Dionysus.
· · ·
and pure Persephone, and Demeter, giver of fine crops, and Artemis, archer, maiden, and Phoebus of the cry, who live on the holy ground of Delphi; and you who hold the greatest honors among the blessed, Dionysus, dancer;