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The Orphic Hymns
the Orphic tradition · Hymn 13, lines 5–8 · Husband of Rhea, revered forethinker
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.
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Κρόνε1
Króne
Kronos
, παγγενέτορ2
pangenétor
all-begetter
αἰῶνος3
aiônos
of eternitylifetime, age
, Κρόνε4
Króne
Kronos
ποικιλόμυθε5
poikilómythe
of varied speech
, βλάστημα6
blástēma
offspring
γαίης7
gaíēs
of Earth
τε8
te
—
καὶ9
kaì
and
ἀστερόεντος10
asteróentos
of starry
οὐρανοῦ11
ouranoû
Heaven
, γέννα12
génna
birthorigin
, μείωσι13
meíōsi
waningdiminution
φυῆς14
phyês
of growth
, πόσι15
pósi
husband
Ῥέας16
Rhéas
of Rhea
, σεμνὲ17
semnè
revered
προμηθεῦ18
promētheû
forethinkerPrometheus
, ὃς19
hòs
you who
ναίεις20
naíeis
dwell
κατὰ21
katà
in
πάντα22
pánta
all
μέρη23
mérē
the parts
κόσμοιο24
kósmoio
of the world
, γενάρχα25
genárcha
first ancestorfounder of the race
, 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,
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,
Interpretation
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,
The hymn borrows from Prometheus, the other cunning Titan. Here promētheus is printed as an ordinary word, "forethinker," which is what the name Prometheus means, and two epithets close by are ones Hesiod gives to Prometheus: poikiloboulos, "wily" (line 2), and ankylomētēs, "crooked in counsel" (line 9). The second is also Homer's standing epithet for Kronos himself. "Birth" and "waning" frame the life of every growing thing, from its start to its decline.
13.9
The Orphic Hymns 13.9 · Send a blameless end to a prosperous life
The prayer: hear the pleading voice, and send a good, blameless end to a prosperous life.
· · ·
crooked in counsel, noblest; hearing the pleading voice, may you send an ever blameless end of a prosperous life.