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The Orphic Hymns
the Orphic tradition · Hymn 0, lines 40–44 · Come kindly to this rite
0.40
The Orphic Hymns 0.40 · Come kindly to this rite
The last gods named come from Asia Minor; Beginning and End follow, and then the prayer asks all of them to come.
· · ·
τʼ1
t’
and
κικλήσκω2
kiklḗskō
I call
Μητέρα3
Mētéra
the Mother
ἀθανάτων4
athanátōn
of the immortals
, Ἄττιν5
Áttin
Attis
καὶ6
kaì
and
Μῆνα7
Mêna
Menthe Moon god
, τε8
te
and
Οὐρανίην9
Ouraníēn
the HeavenlyOurania
θεάν10
theán
goddess
, τʼ11
t’
and
σύν12
sýn
with her
ἁγνὸν13
hagnòn
holy
ἄμβροτον14
ámbroton
immortaldeathless
Ἄδωνιν15
Ádōnin
Adonis
, Ἀρχήν16
Archḗn
Beginning
τʼ17
t’
—
ἠδὲ18
ēdè
and
Πέρας19
Péras
Endlimit
, γὰρ20
gàr
for
τὸ21
tò
this
ἔπλετο22
épleto
ishas come to be
μέγιστον23
mégiston
the greatest
πᾶσι24
pâsi
for all
, ἐλθεῖν25
eltheîn
to come
εὐμενέας26
eumenéas
kindly
, ἔχοντας27
échontas
withhaving
κεχαρημένον28
kecharēménon
rejoicing
ἦτορ29
êtor
hearts
, to
τήνδε30
tḗnde
this
ἱερὴν31
hierḕn
holy
θυηπολίην32
thyēpolíēn
rite of offering
τʼ33
t’
and
ἐπὶ34
epì
to the
σεμνήν35
semnḗn
solemn
σπονδήν36
spondḗn
libationdrink offering
. and I call the Mother of the immortals, Attis and Men, and the Heavenly goddess, and with her holy, immortal Adonis, Beginning and End, for this is the greatest for all, to come kindly, with rejoicing hearts, to this holy rite of offering and to the solemn libation.
and I call the Mother of the immortals, Attis and Men, and the Heavenly goddess, and with her holy, immortal Adonis, Beginning and End, for this is the greatest for all, to come kindly, with rejoicing hearts, to this holy rite of offering and to the solemn libation.
Interpretation
and I call the Mother of the immortals, Attis and Men, and the Heavenly goddess, and with her holy, immortal Adonis, and Beginning and End (for this is the greatest thing for all), to come kindly, with rejoicing hearts, to this holy rite of offering and to the solemn libation.
The Mother of the immortals, with Attis her young consort, and Men, a moon god, belong to the cults of Phrygia and Lydia in Asia Minor, the region where these hymns were most likely composed. The Heavenly goddess, Ourania, is Aphrodite, paired with Adonis, the mortal youth she loved. Last come two abstractions, Beginning and End, with the singer's aside that this matters most of all.
The final lines turn the long list into a request. Everyone named is asked to come to the offering and the libation being made now, and to come kindly and with a glad heart. Most of the hymns that follow end the same way, with a call for the god to come or to hear.
1.1
The Orphic Hymns 1.1 · Hekate of the roads
The first hymn has no incense note, and it calls Hekate by her places, from the crossroads to the tombs.
· · ·
To Hekate. I call Hekate of the roads, of the crossroads, dark, of the sky, of the earth and of the sea, saffron-robed, of the tombs, who revels with the souls of the dead, Perseia, lover of lonely places, delighting in deer,