⸻ · ⸻
The Orphic Hymns
the Orphic tradition · Hymn 63, lines 12–16 · A life in balance
63.12
The Orphic Hymns 63.12 · A life in balance
The prayer: break the wickedness of mortals, so that men and every creature of land and sea may live in balance.
· · ·
κλῦθι1
klŷthi
Hear
, θεά2
theá
goddess
, δικαίως3
dikaíōs
justly
θραύουσα4
thraúousa
breaking
κακίην5
kakíēn
the wickedness
θνητῶν6
thnētôn
of mortals
, ὡς7
hōs
so that
ἂν8
àn
—
the
ἐσθλὸς9
esthlòs
good
βίος10
bíos
life
θνητῶν11
thnētôn
of mortal
ἀνθρώπων12
anthrṓpōn
men
, οἳ13
hoì
who
ἔδουσι14
édousi
eat
καρπὸν15
karpòn
the fruit
ἀρούρης16
aroúrēs
of the ploughland
, καὶ17
kaì
and
of
πάντων18
pántōn
all the
ζῴων19
zṓiōn
creatures
ὁπόσʼ20
hopós’
that
γαῖα21
gaîa
Earth
, the
θεὰ22
theà
goddess
and
μήτηρ23
mḗtēr
mother
, καὶ24
kaì
and
εἰνάλιος25
einálios
sea-dwelling
Ζεύς26
Zeús
Zeus
πόντιος27
póntios
of the deep
τιθηνεῖ28
tithēneî
nurse
ἐν29
en
in
κόλποισι30
kólpoisi
their bosom
, may
ἀεὶ31
aeì
always
ὁδεύῃ32
hodeúēi
go ontravel
ἰσορροπίῃσιν33
isorropíēisin
in balanceequipoise
. Hear, goddess, justly breaking the wickedness of mortals, so that the good life of mortal men, who eat the fruit of the ploughland, and of all the creatures that Earth, the goddess and mother, and sea-dwelling Zeus of the deep nurse in their bosom, may always go on in balance.
Hear, goddess, justly breaking the wickedness of mortals, so that the good life of mortal men, who eat the fruit of the ploughland, and of all the creatures that Earth, the goddess and mother, and sea-dwelling Zeus of the deep nurse in their bosom, may always go on in balance.
Interpretation
Hear, goddess, as you justly break the wickedness of mortals, so that the good life of mortal men, who eat the fruit of the ploughland, and of all the creatures that Earth, the goddess and mother, and sea-dwelling Zeus of the deep nurse in their bosom, may always go on in balance.
The prayer widens to every living thing. "Mortal men, who eat the fruit of the ploughland" is a phrase from the Iliad, where it marks off human beings from the gods. Beside them stand all the creatures nursed by Earth and by the "Zeus of the sea," most likely Poseidon, named here as the ruler of the deep the way Zeus rules the sky. The hope is isorropia, "equipoise," the scales of the earlier lines held level, so that life goes on steadily for all of them.
64.1
The Orphic Hymns 64.1 · Law, lord of gods and men
A hymn to Nomos, Law, as the power that holds the whole world in order; its heading names no incense.
· · ·
A hymn of Law. I call the holy lord of immortals and of mortals, heavenly Law, who orders the stars, the just seal of the briny sea and of the land, who always keeps the steadiness of nature unswerving and free from strife by his laws,