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The Orphic Hymns
the Orphic tradition · Hymn 19, lines 5–8 · Squalls, rainstorms, firestorms
19.5
The Orphic Hymns 19.5 · Squalls, rainstorms, firestorms
Zeus hurls every kind of storm, and keeps his winged weapon, the thunderbolt, hidden in the clouds.
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βάλλων1
bállōn
hurling
λαίλαπας2
laílapas
squalls
, ὄμβρους3
ómbrous
rainstorms
, πρηστῆρας4
prēstêras
firestormslightning-whirlwinds
τε5
te
and
κρατερούς6
krateroús
mighty
κεραυνούς7
keraunoús
thunderbolts
, παμφλέκτους8
pamphléktous
all-blazing
, κραιπνούς9
kraipnoús
swift
, φρικώδεας10
phrikṓdeas
terrifying
, ὀβριμοθύμους11
obrimothýmous
fiercestrong of spirit
, εὐροθίους12
eurothíous
rushing
, φλογερούς13
phlogeroús
fiery
; καλύπτων14
kalýptōn
hiding
νεφέεσσι15
nephéessi
in clouds
the
πτηνὸν16
ptēnòn
winged
ὅπλον17
hóplon
weapon
, δεινόν18
deinón
terrible
, κλονοκάρδιον19
klonokárdion
heart-shaking
, ὀρθοέθειρον20
orthoétheiron
hair-raisingwith hair on end
, hurling squalls, rainstorms, firestorms and mighty thunderbolts, all-blazing, swift, terrifying, fierce, rushing, fiery; hiding in clouds the winged weapon, terrible, heart-shaking, hair-raising,
hurling squalls, rainstorms, firestorms and mighty thunderbolts, all-blazing, swift, terrifying, fierce, rushing, fiery; hiding in clouds the winged weapon, terrible, heart-shaking, hair-raising,
Interpretation
hurling squalls, rainstorms, firestorms and mighty thunderbolts, all-blazing, swift, terrifying, fierce, rushing and fiery; hiding in the clouds your winged weapon, terrible, heart-shaking, hair-raising,
Greek had more words for a storm than English has. A lailaps is a furious squall of wind and rain. A prēstēr is a whirlwind or waterspout that comes with lightning, the kind of storm in which wind and fire seem to be one thing. Herodotus tells how thunder and prēstēres fell on Xerxes' army as it camped below Mount Ida on the march into Greece (7.42). The thunderbolt itself is a winged weapon, kept hidden in the clouds until the god throws it.
19.9
The Orphic Hymns 19.9 · The sharp heavenly shaft
The thunderbolt itself, described like a living thing: sudden, invincible, holy, devouring all in its rush.
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sudden, thundering, the invincible holy shaft, with whirlings of boundless rushing, all-devouring in its rush, unbreakable, heavy with wrath, irresistible, the sharp heavenly shaft of the swooping, smoking firestorm,