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The Orphic Hymns

the Orphic tradition · Hymn 36, lines 1–3 · Hear me, many-named daughter of Zeus

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Hymn 36 · Artemis

ΑΡΤΕΜΙΔΟΣ, θυμίαμα μάνναν Of Artemis · incense: frankincense powder

36.1

The Orphic Hymns 36.1 · Hear me, many-named daughter of Zeus

The hymn to Artemis, sung over frankincense powder, begins with her names: archer, torch-bearer, Diktynna, goddess of childbirth.

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ΑΡΤΕΜΙΔΟΣ¹

Artémidos

Of Artemis

θυμίαμα²

thymíama

Incense

μάνναν³

mánnan

frankincense powder

Κλῦθί⁴

Klŷthí

Hear

μευ⁵

meu

ὦ⁶

βασίλεια⁷

basíleia

queen

πολυώνυμε⁸

polyṓnyme

many-named

κούρη⁹

koúrē

daughter

Διὸς¹⁰

Diòs

of Zeus

Τιτηνίς¹¹

Titēnís

Titaness

βρομίη¹²

bromíē

loud-roaringnoisy

μεγαλώνυμε¹³

megalṓnyme

of great name

τοξότι¹⁴

toxóti

archer

σεμνή¹⁵

semnḗ

revered

πασιφαές¹⁶

pasiphaés

shining on all

δᾳδοῦχε¹⁷

daidoûche

torch-bearer

θεὰ¹⁸

theà

goddess

Δίκτυννα¹⁹

Díktynna

Diktynnalady of the nets

λοχείη²⁰

locheíē

of childbirth

Of Artemis. Incense: frankincense powder. Hear me, O queen, many-named daughter of Zeus, Titaness, loud-roaring, of great name, archer, revered, shining on all, torch-bearer, goddess Diktynna, of childbirth,

Interpretation

Of Artemis. Incense: frankincense powder. Hear me, queen, many-named daughter of Zeus, Titaness, loud-roaring, of great name, archer, revered, shining on all, torch-bearer, goddess Diktynna, goddess of childbirth,

Artemis is greeted with names from across the Greek world. Diktynna was a goddess of Crete whose name the Greeks connected with diktyon, a hunting net, and she was taken for Artemis the huntress. Dadouchos, "torch-bearer," was also the title of one of the chief priests at the mysteries of Eleusis, and Artemis was often shown carrying torches. Titēnis, "Titaness," recalls her descent: her mother Leto was the daughter of two Titans.

Artemis with a deer, known as the Diana of Versailles, Roman marble of the 1st or 2nd century AD after a Greek original of about 325 BC. The huntress strides forward and reaches over her shoulder for an arrow, with a deer leaping at her side.Musée du Louvre, Ma 589 · photo Shonagon, CC0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

36.4

The Orphic Hymns 36.4 · Helper in labor, untouched by it

She helps women in labor though she has never given birth; she frees from care, hunts by day and roams by night.

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helper in labor pains and uninitiated in labor pains, loosener of belts, lover of frenzy, huntress, freeing from care, swift-running, archer, lover of the chase, roaming by night,

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