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The Orphic Hymns
the Orphic tradition · Hymn 44, lines 4–5 · Birth in the lightning
44.4
The Orphic Hymns 44.4 · Birth in the lightning
Semele died as she gave birth: her child came into the world in the blaze of Zeus's lightning.
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ἣ1
hḕ
who
ἐλάσσατο2
elássato
went throughdrove through
μεγάλας3
megálas
great
ὠδῖνας4
ōdînas
birth pains
πυρφόρῳ5
pyrphórōi
in the fire-bearing
αὐγῇ6
augêi
light
, τεκοῦσα7
tekoûsa
giving birth
βολίσι8
bolísi
by the boltsmissiles
Διὸς9
Diòs
of Zeus
ἀστραπίοιο10
astrapíoio
of the lightning
, Κρονίοιο11
Kroníoio
son of Kronos
; who went through great birth pains in the fire-bearing light, giving birth by the bolts of Zeus of the lightning, son of Kronos;
who went through great birth pains in the fire-bearing light, giving birth by the bolts of Zeus of the lightning, son of Kronos;
Interpretation
who went through great pains of birth in the fire-bearing light, giving birth by the bolts of Zeus of the lightning, the son of Kronos;
The story behind these lines: Zeus loved Semele, and when she asked to see him as he truly was, he came to her with his lightning and she was burned to death. The child was saved. Euripides' Bacchae opens with Dionysus at Thebes beside his mother's tomb, still smoking with the living flame of Zeus's fire. The second line is largely an editors' reconstruction: in the manuscripts Semele is "born by the will of immortal Zeus, son of Kronos", and three of its words are later corrections.
44.6
The Orphic Hymns 44.6 · Honored at the feasts of every third year
Persephone, queen of the dead, granted Semele honors among mortals. At the festival held every other year, the birth of Dionysus is celebrated with a sacred table and mysteries.
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having won honors from noble Persephone among mortal men at the triennial seasons, when they celebrate the birth-giving labor of your Bacchus, and the holy table and the pure mysteries.