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The Orphic Hymns
the Orphic tradition · Hymn 34, lines 7–9 · Lord of Delos and of the oracles
34.7
The Orphic Hymns 34.7 · Lord of Delos and of the oracles
The list reaches his oracles at Didyma and Patara and his birthplace on Delos, and ends with his all-seeing eye.
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Βράγχιε1
Bránchie
Branchian
καὶ2
kaì
and
Διδυμεῦ3
Didymeû
Didymeanof Didyma
, Παταρήιε4
Patarḗie
Patareanof Patara
, Λοξία5
Loxía
Loxiasthe Oblique One
, ἁγνέ6
hagné
holy
, Δήλιʼ7
Dḗli’
Delian
ἄναξ8
ánax
lord
, ἔχων9
échōn
withhaving
πανδερκὲς10
panderkès
the all-seeing
ὄμμα11
ómma
eye
φαεσίμβροτον12
phaesímbroton
that gives mortals light
, χρυσοκόμη13
chrysokómē
golden-haired
, ἀναφαίνων14
anaphaínōn
revealing
καθαρὰς15
katharàs
pure
φήμας16
phḗmas
sayingsutterances from the gods
τʼ17
t’
and
χρησμούς18
chrēsmoús
oracles
; Branchian and Didymean, Patarean, Loxias, holy, Delian lord, with the all-seeing eye that gives mortals light, golden-haired, revealing pure sayings and oracles;
Branchian and Didymean, Patarean, Loxias, holy, Delian lord, with the all-seeing eye that gives mortals light, golden-haired, revealing pure sayings and oracles;
Interpretation
god of the Branchidai and of Didyma, god of Patara, Loxias, holy, lord of Delos, with the all-seeing eye that gives mortals light, golden-haired, revealing pure sayings and oracles;
Here the map of oracles reaches Asia Minor. The Branchidai were the priestly family who kept Apollo's great oracle at Didyma, near Miletus, so "Branchian and Didymean" name the same shrine twice. Patara in Lycia had an oracle of Apollo too, and Delos, his birthplace, closes the list. Loxias is the name Apollo bears as god of oracles; the Greeks connected it with loxos, "slanting," because his answers were famously indirect.
34.10
The Orphic Hymns 34.10 · You look upon the boundless aether
The prayer: hear me as I pray for the people, for you see the whole sky and the earth, by day and through the night.
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Hear me as I pray for the people, with a kindly heart; for you look upon this whole boundless aether and the blessed earth beneath the aether, and through the dead of night;