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The Orphic Hymns
the Orphic tradition · Hymn 57, lines 9–12 · Persephone's gift
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.
· · ·
καὶ1
kaì
and
πάλιν2
pálin
again
ἐγείρεις3
egeíreis
you wake
ὑπνώοντας4
hypnṓontas
the sleepersthose sleeping
; γὰρ5
gàr
for
Φερσεφόνεια6
Phersephóneia
Persephone
, the
θεὰ7
theà
goddess
, ἔδωκε8
édōke
gave
σοὶ9
soì
to you
τιμὴν10
timḕn
the honoroffice
ἡγεμονεύειν11
hēgemoneúein
to lead
ὁδὸν12
hodòn
the way
for the
αἰνομόροις13
ainomórois
ill-fated
ψυχαῖς14
psychaîs
souls
θνητῶν15
thnētôn
of mortals
κατὰ16
katà
through
εὐρὺν17
eurỳn
wide
Τάρταρον18
Tártaron
Tartarus
. ἀλλά19
allá
But
, μάκαρ20
mákar
blessed one
, πέμποις21
pémpois
may you send
μύσταις22
mýstais
the initiates
a
ἐσθλὸν23
esthlòn
good
τέλος24
télos
endfulfilment
ἐπʼ25
ep’
to
ἔργοις26
érgois
their works
. 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.
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.
Interpretation
and again you wake the sleepers; for Persephone, the goddess, gave you the honor of leading the way for the ill-fated souls of mortals through wide Tartarus. But, blessed one, send the initiates a good end to their works.
In Homer the wand that charms men to sleep also wakes them, and the hymn keeps both halves: Hermes leads the dead down and rouses the sleepers. The honor of the work is a gift from Persephone, the queen of the dead. The prayer at the end turns on the word telos, "end" or "fulfilment." The Greek words for initiation, teleō and teletē, are built on the same root, so when initiates ask the guide of the dead for a good telos, the words can mean a good end to their work and also a good death.
58.1
The Orphic Hymns 58.1 · Holding the keys of all things
A hymn to Eros, the winged archer who plays with gods and men, and the power who holds the keys of everything.
· · ·
Of Eros. Incense: aromatics. I call great, pure, lovely, sweet Eros, mighty with the bow, winged, roaring with fire, swift in his rush, who plays with gods and mortal men, ingenious, twofold, holding the keys of all things,