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The Orphic Hymns
the Orphic tradition · Hymn 56, lines 9–12 · Below in Tartarus, then on Olympus
56.9
The Orphic Hymns 56.9 · Below in Tartarus, then on Olympus
Born in the bed of Persephone, Adonis lives part of the time below the earth and part of it on Olympus, and the prayer asks him to bring the fruits of the earth.
· · ·
λοχευθείς1
locheutheís
bornbrought forth
in the
λέκτροισι2
léktroisi
bed
of
ἐρασιπλοκάμου3
erasiplokámou
lovely-haired
Φερσεφόνης4
Phersephónēs
Persephone
, ὃς5
hòs
you who
ποτὲ6
potè
at times
μὲν7
mèn
—
ναίεις8
naíeis
live
ὑπὸ9
hypò
down in
ἠερόεντα10
ēeróenta
misty
Τάρταρον11
Tártaron
Tartarus
, ἠδὲ12
ēdè
and
πάλιν13
pálin
again
ἄγεις14
ágeis
bring
your
δέμας15
démas
body
, ὡριόκαρπον16
hōriókarpon
ripe with fruitwith fruit in its season
, πρὸς17
pròs
to
Ὄλυμπον18
Ólympon
Olympus
; ἐλθέ19
elthé
come
, μάκαρ20
mákar
blessed one
, φέρων21
phérōn
bringing
καρποὺς22
karpoùs
fruits
ἀπὸ23
apò
from
γαίης24
gaíēs
the earth
μύστῃσι25
mýstēisi
to the initiates
. born in the bed of lovely-haired Persephone, you who at times live down in misty Tartarus, and again bring your body, ripe with fruit, to Olympus; come, blessed one, bringing fruits from the earth to the initiates.
born in the bed of lovely-haired Persephone, you who at times live down in misty Tartarus, and again bring your body, ripe with fruit, to Olympus; come, blessed one, bringing fruits from the earth to the initiates.
Interpretation
born in the bed of lovely-haired Persephone, you who at times live down in misty Tartarus, and then again bring your body, ripe with fruit, up to Olympus: come, blessed one, bringing the fruits of the earth to the initiates.
The usual story makes Adonis the son of Myrrha, the girl who was turned into the myrrh tree. This hymn has him born in the bed of Persephone instead, which ties him to the queen of the dead, and the next lines show why: part of his time is spent under the earth and part of it on Olympus. In the handbook of myths that goes under the name of Apollodorus, Aphrodite and Persephone quarrel over the boy and Zeus settles it by dividing his year between them. A god who goes below and comes back up is the one the initiates ask to bring them the fruits of the earth.
57.1
The Orphic Hymns 57.1 · On the road of no return
A hymn to Hermes as the guide who leads the souls of the dead below. Here he is the son of Dionysus and Aphrodite.
· · ·
Of Hermes of the underworld. Incense: storax. Dwelling on the road of Kokytos from which none return, the road of Necessity, you who lead the souls of mortals down to the depths of the earth, Hermes, offspring of Dionysus, leader of the Bacchic dance, and of the Paphian maiden, quick-glancing Aphrodite,