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The Orphic Hymns
the Orphic tradition · Hymn 13, lines 1–4 · Father of gods and men
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Hymn 13 · Kronos
ΚΡΟΝΟΥ, θυμίαμα στύρακα
Of Kronos · incense: storax
13.1
The Orphic Hymns 13.1 · Father of gods and men
Kronos, the Titan who ruled before Zeus, is called the father of gods and men. He eats up all things and makes them grow again.
· · ·
ΚΡΟΝΟΥ1
Krónou
Of Kronos
. θυμίαμα2
thymíama
Incense
στύρακα3
stýraka
storax
. Ἀιθαλές4
Aithalés
Ever-flourishing
, πάτερ5
páter
father
μακάρων6
makárōn
of the blessed
τε7
te
—
θεῶν8
theôn
gods
ἠδὲ9
ēdè
and
ἀνδρῶν10
andrôn
of men
καὶ11
kaì
too
, ποικιλόβουλʼ12
poikilóboul’
wilyof changeful counsel
, ἀμίαντε13
amíante
undefiled
, μεγασθενές14
megasthenés
mighty in strength
, ἄλκιμε15
álkime
brave
Τιτάν16
Titán
Titan
, ὃς17
hòs
you who
δαπανᾷς18
dapanâis
consume
μὲν19
mèn
—
ἅπαντα20
hápanta
all things
καὶ21
kaì
and
αὐτός22
autós
yourself
αὔξεις23
aúxeis
increase
them
ἔμπαλιν24
émpalin
in turnback again
, ὃς25
hòs
you who
ἔχεις26
écheis
hold
ἀρρήκτους27
arrḗktous
unbreakable
δεσμοὺς28
desmoùs
bonds
κατʼ29
kat’
throughout
ἀπείρονα30
apeírona
the boundless
κόσμον31
kósmon
world
, Of Kronos. Incense: storax. Ever-flourishing, father of the blessed gods and of men too, wily, undefiled, mighty in strength, brave Titan, you who consume all things and yourself increase them in turn, you who hold unbreakable bonds throughout the boundless world,
Of Kronos. Incense: storax. Ever-flourishing, father of the blessed gods and of men too, wily, undefiled, mighty in strength, brave Titan, you who consume all things and yourself increase them in turn, you who hold unbreakable bonds throughout the boundless world,
Interpretation
Of Kronos. Incense: storax. Ever-flourishing, father of the blessed gods and of men too, wily, undefiled, mighty in strength, brave Titan, you who consume all things and yourself increase them in turn, you who hold unbreakable bonds throughout the boundless world,
"Father of gods and men" is Homer's title for Zeus; here it goes to Zeus's father. In Hesiod, Kronos swallowed each of his children as soon as it was born, until Rhea saved the infant Zeus by giving him a stone to swallow instead. The hymn turns the myth into a description of the world: Kronos "consumes all things and increases them in turn." Ancient writers linked the name Kronos with chronos, time, which wears everything away and brings everything back.
13.5
The Orphic Hymns 13.5 · Husband of Rhea, revered forethinker
Kronos is the child of Earth and starry Heaven and the husband of Rhea. He brings birth and the waning of growth, and he lives in every part of the world.
· · ·
Kronos, all-begetter of eternity, Kronos of varied speech, offspring of Earth and of starry Heaven, birth, waning of growth, husband of Rhea, revered forethinker, you who dwell in all the parts of the world, first ancestor,