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The Orphic Hymns
the Orphic tradition · Hymn 40, lines 12–15 · Of the earth, and seen by all
40.12
The Orphic Hymns 40.12 · Of the earth, and seen by all
She belongs to the earth below and to the visible world above. She loves children, and she drives a chariot drawn by serpents while her worshippers whirl around her throne.
· · ·
σὺ1
sỳ
you
are
χθονίη2
chthoníē
of the earth
, δὲ3
dè
and
σὺ4
sỳ
you
are
φαινομένη5
phainoménē
seenappearing
, δὲ6
dè
and
σὺ7
sỳ
you
are
προσηνής8
prosēnḗs
gentle
πᾶσι9
pâsi
to all
; εὔτεκνε10
eútekne
blessed in children
, παιδοφίλη11
paidophílē
child-loving
, σεμνή12
semnḗ
revered
, κούρη13
koúrē
maiden
κουροτρόφε14
kourotróphe
nurse of the young
, ὑποζεύξασα15
hypozeúxasa
yoking
ἅρμα16
hárma
your chariot
δρακοντείοισιν17
drakonteíoisin
with serpent
χαλινοῖς18
chalinoîs
bridles
, while
περὶ19
perì
around
σὸν20
sòn
your
θρόνον21
thrónon
throne
εὐαζόντων22
euazóntōn
they cry euoi
ἐγκυκλίοις23
enkyklíois
in circling
δίναις24
dínais
whirls
, you are of the earth, and you are seen, and you are gentle to all; blessed in children, child-loving, revered, maiden, nurse of the young, yoking your chariot with serpent bridles, while around your throne they cry euoi in circling whirls,
you are of the earth, and you are seen, and you are gentle to all; blessed in children, child-loving, revered, maiden, nurse of the young, yoking your chariot with serpent bridles, while around your throne they cry euoi in circling whirls,
Interpretation
you are of the earth, and you are seen, and you are gentle to all: blessed in your children, lover of children, revered, the maiden who nurses the young, yoking your chariot with serpent bridles, while around your throne they whirl in circles crying euoi,
"You are of the earth, and you are seen" sets two sides of the goddess against each other. Chthonios is the word for what is in or under the earth, where the seed lies hidden and the dead are buried; the green crop above ground is the goddess showing herself. Hymn 2 said something similar of Prothyraia, unseen and yet visible in her works. The serpent chariot is Demeter's in myth too: the mythographer Apollodorus tells how she gave Triptolemos a chariot drawn by winged serpents, and he flew over the whole earth sowing grain.
40.16
The Orphic Hymns 40.16 · Whose forms are many
She is an only child and the mother of many, honored by mortals, and she shows herself in many forms, all of them in flower.
· · ·
only-born, goddess, mother of many, great queen to mortals, whose forms are many, flowery, holy-blooming;