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The Orphic Hymns
the Orphic tradition · Hymn 1, lines 9–10 · Come to the rites
1.9
The Orphic Hymns 1.9 · Come to the rites
The prayer itself, in two lines: come to the holy rites, and be kind to the herdsman.
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I call
κούρην1
koúrēn
the maiden
παρεῖναι2
pareînai
to be present
at
ὁσίῃσι3
hosíēisi
the holy
τελεταῖς4
teletaîs
ritesinitiations
λισσομένοις5
lissoménois
for those who pray
, εὐμενέουσαν6
eumenéousan
kindly
βουκόλῳ7
boukólōi
to the herdsmanthe oxherd
, ἀεὶ8
aeì
always
with a
κεχαρηότι9
kecharēóti
rejoicing
θυμῷ10
thymôi
heartspirit
. I call the maiden to be present at the holy rites for those who pray, kindly to the herdsman, always with a rejoicing heart.
I call the maiden to be present at the holy rites for those who pray, kindly to the herdsman, always with a rejoicing heart.
Interpretation
I call the maiden to be present at the holy rites for those who pray, kindly to the herdsman, always with a rejoicing heart.
The "herdsman," boukolos, is almost certainly not a farmer. Initiates in the Dionysian mysteries of Asia Minor were called boukoloi, "oxherds," and inscriptions record associations of them. So the prayer asks Hekate, the maiden, to be kind to the worshipper who belongs to that group, and the title will come back again and again in the hymns that follow.
2.1
The Orphic Hymns 2.1 · She who stands at the door
A hymn for childbirth. Prothyraia, "she before the door," is the goddess who helps women in labor.
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Of Prothyraia. Incense: storax. Hear me, O most revered goddess, many-named power, helper in labor pains, sweet sight to women in childbed, savior of women, you alone who love children, gentle-hearted, giver of quick births, present in the pains of mortals, Prothyraia,