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The Orphic Hymns
the Orphic tradition · Hymn 50, lines 4–6 · A cure that ends toil
50.4
The Orphic Hymns 50.4 · A cure that ends toil
He makes the vine grow and its joyful fruit swell, and he comes to mortals as a cure for their toil.
· · ·
εὐτραφές1
eutraphés
thrivingwell-fed
, εὔκαρπος2
eúkarpos
fruitful
, ἀέξων3
aéxōn
increasing
πολυγηθέα4
polygēthéa
the joyful
καρπὸν5
karpòn
fruit
, ῥήξιχθον6
rhḗxichthon
bursting from the earth
, ληναῖε7
lēnaîe
Lenaios
, μεγασθενές8
megasthenés
mighty
, αἰολόμορφε9
aiolómorphe
of changing form
, φανεὶς10
phaneìs
appearing
θνητοῖσι11
thnētoîsi
to mortals
as
ἄκος12
ákos
a cure
παυσίπονον13
pausíponon
that ends toil
, ἱερὸν14
hieròn
holy
ἄνθος15
ánthos
flower
, thriving, fruitful, increasing the joyful fruit, bursting from the earth, Lenaios, mighty, of changing form, appearing to mortals as a cure that ends toil, holy flower,
thriving, fruitful, increasing the joyful fruit, bursting from the earth, Lenaios, mighty, of changing form, appearing to mortals as a cure that ends toil, holy flower,
Interpretation
thriving, fruitful, making the joyful fruit increase, bursting from the earth, god of the wine-press, mighty, of changing form, appearing to mortals as a cure that ends their toil, a holy flower,
The god comes to mortals as "a cure that ends toil". Teiresias says the same of wine in Euripides' Bacchae: the drink of the grape stops the grief of wretched mortals, gives them sleep and forgetting of the day's troubles, and there is no other remedy for their toils. Two titles here are about growth: he makes "the fruit that brings joy" increase, and he is rhēxichthōn, "bursting out of the earth".
50.7
The Orphic Hymns 50.7 · To whom you choose to show yourself
More names of the god of release and of wine, and then the call: come to the initiates.
· · ·
joy to mortals, carefree, Epaphios, with beautiful hair, Releaser, raving with the thyrsus, Bromios, Euios, kind to all of mortals and immortals to whom you wish to reveal yourself; now I call you to come to the initiates, sweet, fruit-bearing.