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The Orphic Hymns
the Orphic tradition · Hymn 2, lines 1–4 · She who stands at the door
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Hymn 2 · Prothyraia, goddess of birth
ΠΡΟΘΥΡΑΙΑΣ, θυμίαμα στύρακα
Of Prothyraia · incense: storax
2.1
The Orphic Hymns 2.1 · She who stands at the door
A hymn for childbirth. Prothyraia, "she before the door," is the goddess who helps women in labor.
· · ·
ΠΡΟΘΥΡΑΙΑΣ1
Prothyraías
Of Prothyraiashe before the door
. θυμίαμα2
thymíama
Incensewhat is burned
στύρακα3
stýraka
storax
. Κλῦθί4
Klŷthí
Hear
μοι5
moi
me
, ὦ6
ô
O
πολύσεμνε7
polýsemne
most revered
θεά8
theá
goddess
, πολυώνυμε9
polyṓnyme
many-named
δαῖμον10
daîmon
powerdaimon
, ἐπαρωγέ11
eparōgé
helper
ὠδίνων12
ōdínōn
in labor pains
, ἡδεῖα13
hēdeîa
sweet
πρόσοψι14
prósopsi
sightface
λεχῶν15
lechôn
to women in childbed
, σώτειρα16
sṓteira
savior
θηλειῶν17
thēleiôn
of women
, μόνη18
mónē
you alone
φιλόπαις19
philópais
who love children
, ἀγανόφρον20
aganóphron
gentle-hearted
, ὠκυλόχεια21
ōkylócheia
giver of quick births
, παροῦσʼ22
paroûs’
present
ἀνίαις23
aníais
in the painsgriefs
θνητῶν24
thnētôn
of mortals
, Προθυραία25
Prothyraía
Prothyraiashe before the door
, Of Prothyraia. Incense: storax. Hear me, O most revered goddess, many-named power, helper in labor pains, sweet sight to women in childbed, savior of women, you alone who love children, gentle-hearted, giver of quick births, present in the pains of mortals, Prothyraia,
Of Prothyraia. Incense: storax. Hear me, O most revered goddess, many-named power, helper in labor pains, sweet sight to women in childbed, savior of women, you alone who love children, gentle-hearted, giver of quick births, present in the pains of mortals, Prothyraia,
Interpretation
Of Prothyraia. Incense: storax. Hear me, most revered goddess, many-named power, helper in the pains of labor, sweet sight to women in childbed, savior of women, you alone who love children, gentle-hearted, giver of quick births, present in the pains of mortals, Prothyraia,
Here the incense headings begin. Storax is a fragrant resin from a Mediterranean tree, and the heading tells the worshipper what to burn while this hymn is sung. The goddess is named for the threshold: prothyraia means "she before the door," the place where a statue of Artemis or Hekate stood to guard the house. A woman in labor called on her as the one who would open the way for the child.
2.5
The Orphic Hymns 2.5 · Unseen, yet seen in every birth
The goddess of the threshold holds the keys, lives in every house, and shares the pain and the joy of birth.
· · ·
keeper of the keys, easy to approach, lover of nursing, kind to all, you who dwell in the homes of all and delight in the feasts, loosener of belts, unseen, yet you appear to all in your works; you suffer with the labor pains and delight in easy births,