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The Orphic Hymns
the Orphic tradition · Hymn 40, lines 18–20 · Bring peace, good order, wealth and health
40.18
The Orphic Hymns 40.18 · Bring peace, good order, wealth and health
The prayer: come laden with the summer harvest, and bring peace, good order, wealth and health.
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ἐλθέ1
elthé
come
ἁγνή2
hagnḗ
pure
and
μάκαιρʼ3
mákair’
blessed one
, βρίθουσα4
bríthousa
laden
θερείοις5
thereíois
with summer
καρποῖς6
karpoîs
fruits
, κατάγουσα7
katágousa
bringing down
εἰρήνην8
eirḗnēn
peace
καὶ9
kaì
and
ἐρατεινὴν10
erateinḕn
lovely
εὐνομίην11
eunomíēn
good order
καὶ12
kaì
and
πλοῦτον13
ploûton
wealth
πολύολβον14
polýolbon
rich in blessings
, δʼ15
d’
and
ὁμοῦ16
homoû
together
with them
ὑγίειαν17
hygíeian
Health
ἄνασσαν18
ánassan
the queen
. come, pure and blessed one, laden with summer fruits, bringing down peace and lovely good order and wealth rich in blessings, and together with them Health the queen.
come, pure and blessed one, laden with summer fruits, bringing down peace and lovely good order and wealth rich in blessings, and together with them Health the queen.
Interpretation
come, blessed one, pure, laden with the fruits of summer, bringing down peace and lovely good order and wealth rich in blessings, and with them Health, the queen.
The goods asked for are those of a farming town at peace. Peace and Good Order, Eirēnē and Eunomia, are two of the three Seasons, the daughters of Zeus and Themis, whose hymn comes a little later (43). Health, Hygieia, is called "queen" here, and she has a hymn of her own as well (68).
41.1
The Orphic Hymns 41.1 · Mother of gods and of mortals
A hymn to a mother goddess called Antaia, "she who is approached with prayers". The hymn tells her story as the story of Demeter.
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Of Mother Antaia. Incense: aromatics. Antaia, queen, goddess, many-named mother of immortal gods and of mortal men,