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The Orphic Hymns
the Orphic tradition · Hymn 38, lines 1–3 · Bronze-clashing Kouretes, breaths of life
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Hymn 38 · The Kouretes, a second hymn
ΚΟΥΡΗΤΩΝ, θυμίαμα λίβανον
Of the Kouretes · incense: frankincense
38.1
The Orphic Hymns 38.1 · Bronze-clashing Kouretes, breaths of life
The second hymn to the Kouretes, sung over frankincense, makes them powers of the whole world and life-giving winds.
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ΚΟΥΡΗΤΩΝ1
Kourḗtōn
Of the Kouretes
. θυμίαμα2
thymíama
Incense
λίβανον3
líbanon
frankincense
. Χαλκόκροτοι4
Chalkókrotoi
Bronze-clashingrattling with bronze
Κουρῆτες5
Kourêtes
Kouretes
, ἔχοντες6
échontes
bearing
τεύχεʼ7
teúche’
the arms
Ἀρήια8
Arḗia
of Ares
, οὐράνιοι9
ouránioi
of the sky
χθόνιοί10
chthónioí
of the earth
τε11
te
—
καὶ12
kaì
and
εἰνάλιοι13
einálioi
of the sea
, πολύολβοι14
polýolboi
rich in blessings
, ζῳογόνοι15
zōiogónoi
life-giving
πνοιαί16
pnoiaí
breathsbreezes
, ἀγαυοί17
agauoí
glorious
σωτῆρες18
sōtêres
saviors
κόσμου19
kósmou
of the world
, Of the Kouretes. Incense: frankincense. Bronze-clashing Kouretes, bearing the arms of Ares, of the sky, of the earth and of the sea, rich in blessings, life-giving breaths, glorious saviors of the world,
Of the Kouretes. Incense: frankincense. Bronze-clashing Kouretes, bearing the arms of Ares, of the sky, of the earth and of the sea, rich in blessings, life-giving breaths, glorious saviors of the world,
Interpretation
Of the Kouretes. Incense: frankincense. Bronze-clashing Kouretes, bearing the arms of Ares, gods of the sky, of the earth and of the sea, rich in blessings, life-giving breaths, glorious saviors of the world,
This second hymn to the Kouretes makes them much more than dancers. They still carry the weapons of Ares and clash their bronze, but they belong to sky, earth and sea, and they are pnoiai, "breaths," life-giving winds that blow through the world. The rest of the hymn treats them as powers of storm and of fair weather, and in the end as the gods who keep sailors safe.
38.4
The Orphic Hymns 38.4 · You first gave mortals the rite
They live on Samothrace, protect people at sea, and were the first to establish the mysteries.
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you who, dwelling in Samothrace, the holy land, ward off the dangers of sea-roaming mortals; you also first established the rite for mortals, immortal Kouretes, bearing the arms of Ares;