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The Orphic Hymns
the Orphic tradition · Hymn 32, lines 1–3 · Pallas, only-begotten daughter of Zeus
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Hymn 32 · Athena
ΑΘΗΝΑΣ, θυμίαμα ἀρώματα
Of Athena · incense: aromatics
32.1
The Orphic Hymns 32.1 · Pallas, only-begotten daughter of Zeus
The hymn to Athena, sung over aromatics, opens with her birth from Zeus and her love of battle.
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ΑΘΗΝΑΣ1
Athēnâs
Of Athena
. θυμίαμα2
thymíama
Incense
ἀρώματα3
arṓmata
aromatics
. Παλλὰς4
Pallàs
Pallas
, μουνογενές5
mounogenés
only-begotten
, σεμνή6
semnḗ
revered
ἔκγονε7
ékgone
offspringchild
μεγάλου8
megálou
of great
Διὸς9
Diòs
Zeus
, δῖα10
dîa
divine
, μάκαιρα11
mákaira
blessed
θεά12
theá
goddess
, πολεμόκλονος13
polemóklonos
raising the din of war
, ὀβριμόθυμε14
obrimóthyme
strong of spirit
, ἀρρήτη15
arrḗtē
unspokennot to be spoken
, ῥητή16
rhētḗ
spokenthat may be spoken
, μεγαλώνυμος17
megalṓnymos
of great name
, ἀντροδίαιτε18
antrodíaite
cave-dwellerliving in caves
, Of Athena. Incense: aromatics. Pallas, only-begotten, revered offspring of great Zeus, divine, blessed goddess, raising the din of war, strong of spirit, unspoken, spoken, of great name, cave-dweller,
Of Athena. Incense: aromatics. Pallas, only-begotten, revered offspring of great Zeus, divine, blessed goddess, raising the din of war, strong of spirit, unspoken, spoken, of great name, cave-dweller,
Interpretation
Of Athena. Incense: aromatics. Pallas, only-begotten, revered child of great Zeus, divine, blessed goddess, raising the din of war, strong of spirit, unspoken and spoken, of great name, dweller in caves,
Athena is mounogenēs, "only-begotten," and Hesiod tells how Zeus bore her by himself, from his own head. The third line sets two words side by side, arrhētē, "unspoken," and rhētē, "spoken": she is the goddess whose name is on every lip and also a secret that cannot be told. She is a cave-dweller too, a title the hymns also give to Pan (11), which places her in wild country far from her temples on the citadels of cities.
32.4
The Orphic Hymns 32.4 · Stinging souls with madness
The goddess of the mountains and wild places, who loves weapons and can drive mortals mad.
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you who dwell on the high-echoing ridges of the hills and the shadowy mountains, and delight your heart in the glens, delighting in arms, stinging the souls of mortals with madness, athletic maiden, with an awe-inspiring spirit,