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The Orphic Hymns
the Orphic tradition · Hymn 6, lines 6–9 · For this I call you Phanes
6.6
The Orphic Hymns 6.6 · For this I call you Phanes
The First-born flew through the world beating his wings and brought the first light, clearing the darkness from every eye, and from that light comes his best-known name, Phanes.
· · ·
ὃς1
hòs
you who
ἀπημαύρωσας2
apēmaúrōsas
cleared awaytook the darkness away
σκοτόεσσαν3
skotóessan
the dark
ὁμίχλην4
homíchlēn
mist
ὄσσων5
óssōn
from the eyes
, δινηθεὶς6
dinētheìs
whirling
πάντη7
pántē
everywhere
κατὰ8
katà
through
κόσμον9
kósmon
the world
ῥιπαῖς10
rhipaîs
with the beating
πτερύγων11
pterýgōn
of your wings
, ἄγων12
ágōn
bringing
ἁγνόν13
hagnón
pure
λαμπρὸν14
lampròn
bright
φάος15
pháos
light
, ἀφʼ16
aph’
from
οὗ17
hoû
which
κικλήσκω18
kiklḗskō
I call
σε19
se
you
Φάνητα20
Phánēta
Phaneshe who brings to light
, ἠδὲ21
ēdè
and
ἄνακτα22
ánakta
lord
Πρίηπον23
Príēpon
Priapus
, καὶ24
kaì
and
ἑλίκωπον25
helíkōpon
quick-glancingwith rolling eyes
Ἀνταύγην26
Antaúgēn
Antaugesshining back
. you who cleared away the dark mist from the eyes, whirling everywhere through the world with the beating of your wings, bringing pure bright light, from which I call you Phanes, and lord Priapus, and quick-glancing Antauges.
you who cleared away the dark mist from the eyes, whirling everywhere through the world with the beating of your wings, bringing pure bright light, from which I call you Phanes, and lord Priapus, and quick-glancing Antauges.
Interpretation
you who cleared the dark mist from our eyes, whirling everywhere through the world on beating wings, bringing pure, bright light; for this I call you Phanes, and lord Priapus, and quick-glancing Antauges.
The hymn explains its own name for the god. He brought light, phaos, and so he is Phanēs, from phainō, "bring to light, show." Antaugēs, "shining back," is another name of light, used of the Sun in the Orphic poems. Priapus is a surprise in this company. He was a rustic god of fertility, and his name is most likely given to the First-born for the power to beget, the "seed" of the line before.
6.10
The Orphic Hymns 6.10 · Come rejoicing to the holy rite
The request: come with joy to the rite and to the priests who perform it.
· · ·
But, blessed one, wise in counsel, rich in seed, come rejoicing to the holy, many-colored rite, for the priests.