⸻ · ⸻
The Orphic Hymns
the Orphic tradition · Hymn 14, lines 9–11 · From you came earth and sky
14.9
The Orphic Hymns 14.9 · From you came earth and sky
Rhea is the mother of gods and men, and earth, sky, sea and winds all come from her.
· · ·
μῆτερ1
mêter
mother
μέν2
mén
—
τε3
te
—
θεῶν4
theôn
of gods
ἠδὲ5
ēdè
and
of
θνητῶν6
thnētôn
mortal
ἀνθρώπων7
anthrṓpōn
men
; γὰρ8
gàr
for
ἐκ9
ek
from
σοῦ10
soû
you
come
καὶ11
kaì
both
γαῖα12
gaîa
the earth
καὶ13
kaì
and
the
εὐρὺς14
eurỳs
wide
οὐρανὸς15
ouranòs
sky
ὕπερθε16
hýperthe
above
, καὶ17
kaì
and
πόντος18
póntos
the sea
τε19
te
and
πνοιαί20
pnoiaí
the windsbreaths
; φιλόδρομος21
philódromos
fond of runningloving the course
, ἠερόμορφε22
ēerómorphe
formed of air
; mother of gods and of mortal men; for from you come both the earth and the wide sky above, and the sea and the winds; fond of running, formed of air;
mother of gods and of mortal men; for from you come both the earth and the wide sky above, and the sea and the winds; fond of running, formed of air;
Interpretation
mother of gods and of mortal men; for from you come the earth and the wide sky above, the sea and the winds. You love to run, and your form is air;
In Hesiod, Rhea is a daughter of Earth and Sky; here the order is reversed, and earth and sky come from her. "Mother of gods and men" is how the Greeks addressed the Mother of the Gods: the short Homeric Hymn to her begins "sing to me of the mother of all gods and all men," and the hymn to the Mother in this book (27) says "from you the race of immortals and of mortals was born." Ēeromorphos, "formed of air," is a rare word, and the hymn to Hera (16) uses it again.
14.12
The Orphic Hymns 14.12 · Send pollution to the ends of the earth
The prayer: come with peace and plenty, and carry every impurity and every doom far away.
· · ·
Come, blessed goddess, bringing safety with kindly counsel, bringing down peace with rich possessions, sending defilements and spirits of doom to the ends of the earth.