⸻ · ⸻
The Orphic Hymns
the Orphic tradition · Hymn 61, lines 6–9 · You see all and hear all
61.6
The Orphic Hymns 61.6 · You see all and hear all
Nothing escapes Nemesis: she sees, hears and judges everything, and the judgments of mortals rest with her.
· · ·
γὰρ1
gàr
For
γνώμη2
gnṓmē
the mind
πάντων3
pántōn
of all
ἀεὶ4
aeì
always
μέλει5
mélei
matters
σοὶ6
soì
to you
, οὐδέ7
oudé
nor
does
ψυχὴ8
psychḕ
a soul
λήθει9
lḗthei
escape
σε10
se
you
ὑπερφρονέουσα11
hyperphronéousa
scorning
λόγων12
lógōn
reasonwords
with
ἀδιακρίτῳ13
adiakrítōi
undiscerning
ὁρμῇ14
hormêi
impulse
. ἐσορᾷς15
esorâis
You see
πάντʼ16
pánt’
all things
καὶ17
kaì
and
ἐπακούεις18
epakoúeis
you hear
πάντʼ19
pánt’
all things
, βραβεύεις20
brabeúeis
you judgeyou act as umpire
πάντα21
pánta
all things
; δʼ22
d’
and
δίκαι23
díkai
the judgments
θνητῶν24
thnētôn
of mortals
εἰσὶ25
eisì
are
ἐν26
en
with
σοὶ27
soì
you
, δαῖμον28
daîmon
power
πανυπέρτατε29
panypértate
most high
. For the mind of all always matters to you, nor does a soul escape you scorning reason with undiscerning impulse. You see all things and you hear all things, you judge all things; and the judgments of mortals are with you, power most high.
For the mind of all always matters to you, nor does a soul escape you scorning reason with undiscerning impulse. You see all things and you hear all things, you judge all things; and the judgments of mortals are with you, power most high.
Interpretation
For the mind of every man is always your concern, and no soul escapes you that scorns reason with an undiscerning impulse. You see all things and you hear all things, you judge all things; and the judgments of mortals rest with you, power most high.
"You see all things and you hear all things" comes from Homer. In the Iliad, when the Greeks and Trojans swear a solemn oath, Agamemnon calls on the Sun "who sees all things and hears all things," because the Sun watches every oath and will know if it is broken. The hymn gives the Sun's line to Nemesis and adds a third verb of its own, brabeueis: she is the brabeus, the umpire at the games who judged the contest and handed out the prize.
61.10
The Orphic Hymns 61.10 · Grant a good mind
The prayer: come as the helper of the initiates, give them a good mind and stop the thoughts that are hateful and fickle.
· · ·
Come, blessed one, pure, always a helper to the initiates; and grant them to have a good mind, putting an end to all-hateful thoughts, not holy, utterly arrogant, fickle.