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The Orphic Hymns
the Orphic tradition · Hymn 60, lines 6–9 · Without you, no joy
60.6
The Orphic Hymns 60.6 · Without you, no joy
Nothing in life gives joy without the Graces. In the manuscripts these four lines stand in the hymn to the Erinyes; editors moved them here.
· · ·
γὰρ1
gàr
For
οὔτε2
oúte
neither
the
ταχιναὶ3
tachinaì
swift
φλόγες4
phlóges
flames
ἠελίου5
ēelíou
of the sun
οὔτε6
oúte
nor
σελήνης7
selḗnēs
of the moon
, καὶ8
kaì
nor
the
εὐχέρειʼ9
euchérei’
ease
σοφίης10
sophíēs
of wisdom
, ἀρετῆς11
aretês
of virtue
τε12
te
—
καὶ13
kaì
and
of
ἐργασίμου14
ergasímou
active
θρασύτητος15
thrasýtētos
boldness
, οὔτε16
oúte
nor
of
βίου17
bíou
life's
λιπαρῆς18
liparês
sleekshining
περικαλλέος19
perikalléos
lovely
ἥβης20
hḗbēs
youth
, ἐγείρει21
egeírei
wakes
ἐυφροσύνας22
euphrosýnas
the joys
βιότοιο23
biótoio
of life
χωρὶς24
chōrìs
without
ὑμῶν25
hymôn
you
. For neither the swift flames of the sun nor of the moon, nor the ease of wisdom, of virtue and of active boldness, nor of life's sleek, lovely youth, wakes the joys of life without you.
For neither the swift flames of the sun nor of the moon, nor the ease of wisdom, of virtue and of active boldness, nor of life's sleek, lovely youth, wakes the joys of life without you.
Interpretation
For neither the swift flames of the sun nor those of the moon, nor the ease of wisdom, of virtue and of active boldness, nor that of life's sleek and lovely youth, can wake the joys of life without you.
In the manuscripts these four lines stand in the hymn to the Erinyes (69), the goddesses of vengeance, where they fit poorly. An eighteenth-century editor moved them here, and Abel prints them in this place. They suit the Graces well. Sunlight and moonlight, wisdom and virtue, daring and youth are all good things, and the hymn says that none of them gives joy without the Graces. The joys of the last line are euphrosynai, the plural of the name of the third Grace.
60.10
The Orphic Hymns 60.10 · Givers of happiness
The closing prayer asks the Graces, givers of happiness, to come and to stay kind to the initiates.
· · ·
prayed for, circling, rosy-faced, lovely; may you come, givers of happiness, always kind to the initiates.