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The Orphic Hymns
the Orphic tradition · Hymn 33, lines 1–3 · Victory, who ends the contest
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Hymn 33 · Victory
ΝΙΚΗΣ, θυμίαμα μάνναν
Of Victory · incense: frankincense powder
33.1
The Orphic Hymns 33.1 · Victory, who ends the contest
The hymn to Victory, sung over frankincense powder. She alone ends the struggle of rivals in battle.
· · ·
ΝΙΚΗΣ1
Níkēs
Of Victory
. θυμίαμα2
thymíama
Incense
μάνναν3
mánnan
frankincense powder
. καλέω4
kaléō
I call
Εὐδύνατον5
Eudýnaton
mighty
Νίκην6
Níkēn
VictoryNike
, ποθεινήν7
potheinḗn
longed for
θνητοῖσι8
thnētoîsi
by mortals
, ἣ9
hḕ
who
μούνη10
moúnē
alone
λύει11
lýei
releases
ἐναγώνιον12
enagṓnion
the competitiveof the contest
ὁρμὴν13
hormḕn
drive
θνητῶν14
thnētôn
of mortals
, καὶ15
kaì
and
ἀλγινόεσσαν16
alginóessan
painful
στάσιν17
stásin
strife
ἐπʼ18
ep’
in
μάχῃσιν19
máchēisin
battles
ἀντιπάλοισι20
antipáloisi
between rivalswrestling against
, Of Victory. Incense: frankincense powder. I call mighty Victory, longed for by mortals, who alone releases the competitive drive of mortals, and painful strife in battles between rivals,
Of Victory. Incense: frankincense powder. I call mighty Victory, longed for by mortals, who alone releases the competitive drive of mortals, and painful strife in battles between rivals,
Interpretation
Of Victory. Incense: frankincense powder. I call mighty Victory, longed for by mortals, who alone frees mortals from the drive to compete and from painful strife in battles between rivals,
Nike is the goddess Victory, the winged figure who flies to the winner. The hymn gives her an unexpected task: she alone "releases" mortals from the urge to compete and from the painful strife of battle, because once she has chosen a winner the struggle is over. The incense is manna, powdered frankincense; the manna that fell from heaven in the Greek Bible is a different word that happens to be spelled the same way.
33.4
The Orphic Hymns 33.4 · The sweetest glory
Victory decides wars and contests and brings glory and feasting to the winner.
· · ·
judging in wars over trophy-winning deeds, to whomever, rushing in, you bring the sweetest glory; for you rule all, and the good fame of every contest rests on glorious Victory, teeming with feasts.