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The Orphic Hymns
the Orphic tradition · Hymn 45, lines 1–3 · Come, blessed Dionysus
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Hymn 45 · Dionysus Bassareus
ΥΜΝΟΣ ΔΙΟΝΥΣΟΥ ΒΑΣΣΑΡΕΩΣ ΤΡΙΕΤΗΡΙΚΟΥ
Hymn to Dionysus Bassareus Trieterikos
45.1
The Orphic Hymns 45.1 · Come, blessed Dionysus
A short hymn, with no incense in its heading, to Dionysus as Bassareus, the god of the festival held every other year. He delights in swords and blood and in his Maenads.
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ΥΜΝΟΣ1
Hýmnos
Hymn
ΔΙΟΝΥΣΟΥ2
Dionýsou
to Dionysus
ΒΑΣΣΑΡΕΩΣ3
Bassaréōs
Bassareus
ΤΡΙΕΤΗΡΙΚΟΥ4
Trietērikoû
Trieterikosof the three-year festival
. Ἐλθέ5
Elthé
Come
μάκαρ6
mákar
blessed
Διόνυσε7
Diónyse
Dionysus
, πυρίσπορε8
pyríspore
born in firesown in fire
, ταυρομέτωπε9
taurométōpe
bull-facedwith a bull's brow
, Βάσσαρε10
Bássare
Bassaros
καὶ11
kaì
and
Βακχεῦ12
Bakcheû
Bakcheus
, πολυώνυμε13
polyṓnyme
many-named
, παντοδυνάστα14
pantodynásta
all-powerful
, ὃς15
hòs
you who
χαίρεις16
chaíreis
delight
ξίφεσιν17
xíphesin
in swords
ἠδʼ18
ēd’
and
αἵματι19
haímati
in blood
θʼ20
th’
and
ἁγναῖς21
hagnaîs
in holy
Μαινάσι22
Mainási
Maenads
, Hymn to Dionysus Bassareus Trieterikos. Come, blessed Dionysus, born in fire, bull-faced, Bassaros and Bakcheus, many-named, all-powerful, you who delight in swords and in blood and in holy Maenads,
Hymn to Dionysus Bassareus Trieterikos. Come, blessed Dionysus, born in fire, bull-faced, Bassaros and Bakcheus, many-named, all-powerful, you who delight in swords and in blood and in holy Maenads,
Interpretation
Hymn to Dionysus Bassareus, god of the festival held every other year. Come, blessed Dionysus, born in fire, bull-faced, Bassaros and Bakcheus, many-named, all-powerful, you who delight in swords and blood and in your holy Maenads,
Bassareus and Bassaros most likely come from bassara, a fox, and so the fox-skin dress worn by the Bacchants of Thrace; Aeschylus named a play after those women, the Bassarids. "Bull-faced" belongs to one of the god's oldest forms: in Euripides' Bacchae Pentheus, already half in the god's power, sees Dionysus walking before him as a bull. The first lines also show the god's violence, for he delights in swords and blood as well as in his holy Maenads.
45.4
The Orphic Hymns 45.4 · Come, leaping god
He raves through Olympus with the Bacchic cry, honored by gods and men, and the prayer asks the leaping god to come and bring joy to all.
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crying euoi through Olympus, loud-roaring, raving Bacchus, with the thyrsus for spear, heavy in wrath, honored by all gods and mortal men, all who dwell on the earth; come, blessed leaper, bringing much joy to all.