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The Orphic Hymns
the Orphic tradition · Hymn 33, lines 4–7 · The sweetest glory
33.4
The Orphic Hymns 33.4 · The sweetest glory
Victory decides wars and contests and brings glory and feasting to the winner.
· · ·
κρίνουσα1
krínousa
judgingdeciding
ἐν2
en
in
πολέμοις3
polémois
wars
ἐπʼ4
ep’
over
τροπαιούχοισιν5
tropaioúchoisin
trophy-winninghaving trophies
ἔργοις6
érgois
deeds
, οἷς7
hoîs
to whomever
ἂν8
àn
—
, ἐφορμαίνουσα9
ephormaínousa
rushing in
, φέρῃς10
phérēis
you bring
γλυκερώτατον11
glykerṓtaton
the sweetest
εὖχος12
eûchos
glorything prayed for
; γὰρ13
gàr
for
κρατέεις14
kratéeis
you rule
πάντων15
pántōn
all
, δʼ16
d’
and
ἐσθλὸν17
esthlòn
the good
κλέος18
kléos
fame
πάσης19
pásēs
of every
ἔριδος20
éridos
conteststrife
κεῖται21
keîtai
rests
ἐπʼ22
ep’
on
εὐδόξῳ23
eudóxōi
glorious
Νίκῃ24
Níkēi
Victory
, βρυάζον25
bryázon
teeming
θαλίῃσι26
thalíēisi
with feasts
. 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.
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.
Interpretation
judging in wars over the deeds that win trophies, and bringing the sweetest glory to whomever you rush to; for you rule all, and the good fame of every contest rests on glorious Victory, rich with feasting.
A Greek army that won a battle set up a tropaion, a trophy: captured armor hung on a post at the spot where the enemy had turned to run, from tropē, "a turning." Victory decides which side raises one. She rules every kind of eris, contest or strife, from war to the games, and the hymn pictures the glory of winning "teeming with feasts," the celebration that followed a victory.
33.8
The Orphic Hymns 33.8 · Come with a bright eye
The prayer: come, and bring a good end to glorious deeds.
· · ·
But, blessed one, may you come, longed for, with bright eyes, always bringing a good end to glorious deeds.