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The Orphic Hymns
the Orphic tradition · Hymn 19, lines 15–17 · Tearing the veil of the sky
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.
· · ·
δὲ1
dè
and
πρόσωπʼ2
prósōp’
its face
μαρμαίρει3
marmaírei
flashes
αὐγαῖς4
augaîs
with rays
, δὲ5
dè
and
κεραυνὸς6
keraunòs
the thunderbolt
σμαραγεῖ7
smarageî
crashes
ἐν8
en
in
γυάλοισι9
gyáloisi
the hollows
αἰθέρος10
aithéros
of the upper air
; δὲ11
dè
and
διαρρήξας12
diarrḗxas
tearing apart
χιτῶνα13
chitôna
the tunic
οὐράνιον14
ouránion
of the sky
, its
προκάλυμμʼ15
prokálymm’
veil
, ἀφίεις16
aphíeis
you let fly
the
ἀργῆτα17
argêta
bright
κεραυνόν18
keraunón
thunderbolt
. 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.
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.
Interpretation
Its face flashes with rays, and the thunderbolt crashes in the hollows of the upper air; tearing apart the tunic of the sky, its veil, you let fly the bright thunderbolt.
The colors of this storm are Hesiod's. In his war of the gods against the Titans, "the flashing gleam of thunderbolt and lightning" blinds the Titans, with the verb marmairō that opens this line, and smarageō, "to crash," is used for the noise of that battle. Hesiod also says who made the weapon: the Cyclopes Brontes, Steropes and Arges, whose names mean Thunder, Lightning and Bright, gave Zeus his thunder and forged his bolt. The hymn's last word for the bolt, argēs, "bright," is the name of the third Cyclops.
19.18
The Orphic Hymns 19.18 · Throw your anger on the sea and the mountains
The prayer at last: let the storm fall on the open sea and the mountain tops, where it harms no one.
· · ·
But, blessed one, cast your heavy anger on the waves of the sea and on the peaks of the mountains; we all know your might.