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The Orphic Hymns
the Orphic tradition · Hymn 57, lines 5–8 · The sleep-giving wand
57.5
The Orphic Hymns 57.5 · The sleep-giving wand
Hermes serves in Persephone's house and leads the ill-fated souls down when their time has come, charming everything with his wand.
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ὃς1
hòs
you who
ἀμφιπολεύεις2
amphipoleúeis
hauntbusy yourself about
the
ἱερὸν3
hieròn
holy
δόμον4
dómon
house
παρὰ5
parà
beside
Φερσεφόνης6
Phersephónēs
Persephone
, ὑπάρχων7
hypárchōn
being
πομπὸς8
pompòs
escortguide
to the
αἰνομόροις9
ainomórois
ill-fated
ψυχαῖς10
psychaîs
souls
κατὰ11
katà
down through
γαῖαν12
gaîan
the earth
, ἃς13
hàs
whom
κατάγεις14
katágeis
you lead down
ὁπότʼ15
hopót’
whenever
ἂν16
àn
—
χρόνος17
chrónos
the time
μοίρης18
moírēs
of fateof one's portion
εἰσαφίκηται19
eisaphíkētai
comes
, θέλγων20
thélgōn
charmingenchanting
πάντα21
pánta
all things
with your
εὐιέρῳ22
euiérōi
holy
ὑπνοδώτιδι23
hypnodṓtidi
sleep-giving
ῥάβδῳ24
rhábdōi
wand
, you who haunt the holy house beside Persephone, being escort to the ill-fated souls down through the earth, whom you lead down whenever the time of fate comes, charming all things with your holy sleep-giving wand,
you who haunt the holy house beside Persephone, being escort to the ill-fated souls down through the earth, whom you lead down whenever the time of fate comes, charming all things with your holy sleep-giving wand,
Interpretation
you who haunt the holy house beside Persephone, escort of the ill-fated souls down through the earth, souls whom you lead down whenever the time of their fate has come, charming all things with your holy, sleep-giving wand,
The wand comes from Homer. At the start of the last book of the Odyssey, Hermes calls out the ghosts of the dead suitors and leads them down to the underworld, holding "the fair golden wand with which he charms the eyes of men, whomever he wishes, and wakes others again from sleep." The hymn follows that line closely, even into the next verse. The verb is thelgō, "to charm, enchant," the word Homer also uses for the spells of Circe and the song of the Sirens, and death here comes as a kind of enchanted sleep.
57.9
The Orphic Hymns 57.9 · Persephone's gift
Hermes also wakes the sleepers, because Persephone gave him the honor of guiding the souls, and the initiates ask him for a good end.
· · ·
and again you wake the sleepers; for Persephone, the goddess, gave to you the honor to lead the way for the ill-fated souls of mortals through wide Tartarus. But, blessed one, may you send the initiates a good end to their works.