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The Orphic Hymns
the Orphic tradition · Hymn 0, lines 32–35 · Daimons of sky and fire; Semele and Ino
0.32
The Orphic Hymns 0.32 · Daimons of sky and fire; Semele and Ino
Daimons of every region of the world, then the family and company of Dionysus: his mother Semele and his revelers, and the sea gods Ino and Palaemon.
· · ·
Δαίμονας1
Daímonas
the Daimons
οὐρανίους2
ouraníous
of the skyheavenly
τε3
te
—
καὶ4
kaì
and
ἠερίους5
ēeríous
of the air
καὶ6
kaì
and
ἐνύδρους7
enýdrous
of the waters
, καὶ8
kaì
and
χθονίους9
chthoníous
of the earth
καὶ10
kaì
and
ὑποχθονίους11
hypochthoníous
under the earth
ἠδʼ12
ēd’
and
ἐμπυριφοίτους13
empyriphoítous
moving in firefire-haunting
, καὶ14
kaì
and
Σεμέλην15
Semélēn
Semele
, τε16
te
and
ἅπαντας17
hápantas
all
συνευαστῆρας18
syneuastêras
the fellow revelerswho cry euoi with him
Βάκχου19
Bákchou
of Bacchus
, Ἰνὼ20
Inṑ
Ino
Λευκοθέην21
Leukothéēn
Leukotheathe White Goddess
τε22
te
and
Παλαίμονά23
Palaímoná
Palaemon
τʼ24
t’
—
, ὀλβιοδώτην25
olbiodṓtēn
giver of blessings
, the Daimons of the sky and of the air and of the waters, and of the earth and under the earth and moving in fire, and Semele, and all the fellow revelers of Bacchus, Ino Leukothea and Palaemon, giver of blessings,
the Daimons of the sky and of the air and of the waters, and of the earth and under the earth and moving in fire, and Semele, and all the fellow revelers of Bacchus, Ino Leukothea and Palaemon, giver of blessings,
Interpretation
the Daimons of the sky and of the air and of the waters, of the earth and under the earth and the ones who move in fire, and Semele, and all the fellow revelers of Bacchus, Ino Leukothea and Palaemon, giver of blessings,
The Daimons are sorted by where they live: sky, air, water, earth, under the earth and fire. Semele is the mortal mother of Dionysus. Ino, her sister, nursed the child; later, driven mad, she leapt into the sea with her son Melikertes, and the two became sea gods, Leukothea, "the White Goddess," and Palaemon. Each of the three has a hymn later in the book: Semele (44), Leukothea (74) and Palaemon (75).
0.36
The Orphic Hymns 0.36 · Sweet-voiced Victory and the four-pillared world
Victory and Adrasteia, Asclepius the healer, Athena, and the whole sky with its winds and thunder.
· · ·
And I name sweet-voiced Victory and queen Adrasteia, and the great king Asclepius, giver of gentle cures, and Pallas, rouser of battle, maiden, and all the Winds, and the Thunders, and the parts of the four-pillared World.