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The Orphic Hymns
the Orphic tradition · Hymn 19, lines 13–14 · Earth and sea shudder
19.13
The Orphic Hymns 19.13 · Earth and sea shudder
The whole world fears the lightning: earth and sea shudder at its blaze, and wild beasts cower at its crash.
· · ·
ὃν1
hòn
which
καὶ2
kaì
both
γαῖα3
gaîa
earth
τε4
te
and
θάλασσά5
thálassá
the sea
πέφρικε6
péphrike
shudder at
as it
παμφανόωντα7
pamphanóōnta
blazesall-shining
, καὶ8
kaì
and
θῆρες9
thêres
the beasts
πτήσσουσιν10
ptḗssousin
cower
ὅτʼ11
hót’
when
ἂν12
àn
—
κτύπος13
ktýpos
its crash
ἐσέλθῃ14
esélthēi
reachesgoes into
οὖας15
oûas
their ears
; which both earth and the sea shudder at as it blazes, and the beasts cower when its crash reaches their ears;
which both earth and the sea shudder at as it blazes, and the beasts cower when its crash reaches their ears;
Interpretation
which earth and sea shudder at when it blazes, and the beasts cower whenever its crash reaches their ears;
Greek uses one family of words for the shudder of fear and for the bristling of hair. Phrissō, the verb here, means "to bristle" or "to stand on end," as a field bristles with ears of grain or a battle line with spears. A few lines above, the bolt was called phrikōdēs, "terrifying," and "hair-raising"; now earth and sea themselves shudder at it, and the beasts crouch low.
19.15
The Orphic Hymns 19.15 · Tearing the veil of the sky
The lightning flashes and the thunder crashes, as Zeus tears open the sky and lets his bolt fly.
· · ·
and its face flashes with rays, and the thunderbolt crashes in the hollows of the upper air; and tearing apart the tunic of the sky, its veil, you let fly the bright thunderbolt.