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The Orphic Hymns
the Orphic tradition · Hymn 22, lines 4–6 · Storm and calm
22.4
The Orphic Hymns 22.4 · Storm and calm
The sea in both its moods, breaking on the rocks and lying calm, and its love of ships and creatures.
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θραύουσʼ1
thraúous’
breaking
μακρά2
makrá
tall
κύματα3
kýmata
waves
αἰγιαλοῖσι4
aigialoîsi
on the beaches
τε5
te
and
πέτρῃσί6
pétrēisí
rocks
, γαληνιόωσα7
galēnióōsa
lying calm
in
ἁπαλοῖσι8
hapaloîsi
gentle
εὐδίοις9
eudíois
fair-weather
δρόμοισι10
drómoisi
courses
, ἀγαλλομένη11
agalloménē
delighting
νηυσὶν12
nēusìn
in ships
, θηροτρόφος13
thērotróphos
nurse of beastsfeeding wild creatures
, ὑγροκέλευθε14
hygrokéleuthe
of watery paths
, breaking tall waves on the beaches and rocks, lying calm in gentle, fair-weather courses, delighting in ships, nurse of beasts, of watery paths,
breaking tall waves on the beaches and rocks, lying calm in gentle, fair-weather courses, delighting in ships, nurse of beasts, of watery paths,
Interpretation
you who break your tall waves on the beaches and the rocks, then lie calm in gentle, fair-weather courses; delighting in ships, nurse of wild creatures, goddess of watery paths,
The hymn gives the sea both of its moods in two lines: the tall waves breaking on beaches and rocks, and then the calm. Galēniaō, "to lie calm," comes from galēnē, the Greek word for a sea without wind, and the philosopher Epicurus borrowed the verb for a mind at peace. The sea also delights in ships and feeds the wild creatures that live in it.
22.7
The Orphic Hymns 22.7 · Mother of Aphrodite and of the clouds
The sea is the mother of Aphrodite, of the dark clouds and of every spring on land.
· · ·
mother of Aphrodite, mother of dark clouds and of every spring of the Nymphs, teeming with streams;