⸻ · ⸻
The Orphic Hymns
the Orphic tradition · Hymn 6, lines 1–3 · Egg-born, with golden wings
⸻ · ⸻
Hymn 6 · Protogonos, the First-born
ΠΡΩΤΟΓΟΝΟΥ, θυμίαμα σμύρναν
Of Protogonos · incense: myrrh
6.1
The Orphic Hymns 6.1 · Egg-born, with golden wings
Protogonos, "the First-born," is the first god in the Orphic poems about the beginning of the world. He hatched from an egg, has golden wings, and is the origin of gods and men.
· · ·
ΠΡΩΤΟΓΟΝΟΥ1
Prōtogónou
Of Protogonosthe First-born
. θυμίαμα2
thymíama
Incense
σμύρναν3
smýrnan
myrrh
. καλέω4
kaléō
I call
Πρωτογόνον5
Prōtogónon
Protogonos
, διφυῆ6
diphyê
of double nature
, μέγαν7
mégan
great
, αἰθερόπλαγκτον8
aitheróplankton
roaming the aether
, ᾠογενῆ9
ōiogenê
born from an egg
, ἀγαλλόμενον10
agallómenon
glorying
χρυσέῃσιν11
chryséēisin
in golden
πτερύγεσσι12
pterýgessi
wings
, ταυροβόαν13
taurobóan
bellowing like a bull
, γένεσιν14
génesin
origin
μακάρων15
makárōn
of the blessed
τʼ16
t’
and
θνητῶν17
thnētôn
of mortal
ἀνθρώπων18
anthrṓpōn
men
, Of Protogonos. Incense: myrrh. I call Protogonos, of double nature, great, roaming the aether, born from an egg, glorying in golden wings, bellowing like a bull, origin of the blessed and of mortal men,
Of Protogonos. Incense: myrrh. I call Protogonos, of double nature, great, roaming the aether, born from an egg, glorying in golden wings, bellowing like a bull, origin of the blessed and of mortal men,
Interpretation
Of Protogonos. Incense: myrrh. I call Protogonos, of double nature, great, roaming the aether, born from an egg, glorying in golden wings, bellowing like a bull, origin of the blessed gods and of mortal men,
The Orphic poems told of a cosmic egg, and of a shining god who broke out of it at the start of everything. Aristophanes plays on the same story in the Birds, where Night lays an egg and Eros springs from it, his back glittering "with golden wings." The hymn adds two strange details. The god is diphyēs, "of double nature," most likely male and female at once, since he is the parent of everything that follows. And he is tauroboas, "bellowing like a bull."
6.4
The Orphic Hymns 6.4 · Seed, Erikepaios, shining shoot
More names for the First-born: a seed long remembered, a god of many rites, Erikepaios, a secret not to be spoken, a shining young shoot.
· · ·
much-remembered seed, honored with many rites, Erikepaios, unspeakable, hidden, whirring one, all-shining shoot,