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The Orphic Hymns
the Orphic tradition · Hymn 64, lines 5–7 · Envy driven out
64.5
The Orphic Hymns 64.5 · Envy driven out
Law carries the sky as he travels, drives envy away, and brings mortals a good end of life.
· · ·
οἷσιν1
hoîsin
by which
αὐτὸς2
autòs
he himself
ὁδεύει3
hodeúei
travels
, φέρων4
phérōn
bearing
μέγαν5
mégan
the great
οὐρανὸν6
ouranòn
sky
ἄνωθε7
ánōthe
from above
, καὶ8
kaì
and
ἐλαύνει9
elaúnei
drives
ἐκτὸς10
ektòs
out
οὐτιδανὸν11
outidanòn
worthless
φθόνον12
phthónon
envy
τρόπον13
trópon
likein the manner of
ῥοίζου14
rhoízou
a whistling rush
; ὃς15
hòs
he who
καὶ16
kaì
also
ἐγείρει17
egeírei
brings aboutrouses
ἐσθλὸν18
esthlòn
a good
τέλος19
télos
end
βιοτῆς20
biotês
of life
θνητοῖσιν21
thnētoîsin
for mortals
; by which he himself travels, bearing the great sky from above, and drives out worthless envy like a whistling rush; he who also brings about a good end of life for mortals;
by which he himself travels, bearing the great sky from above, and drives out worthless envy like a whistling rush; he who also brings about a good end of life for mortals;
Interpretation
by which he travels himself, carrying the great sky from above, and drives worthless envy out like a whistling rush; he who also brings about a good end of life for mortals;
Law does two things here. He carries the sky as he goes, as Atlas holds it up in older myth, and he drives out envy. Phthonos, envy or grudging, was a dark word in Greek religion: in Herodotus, Solon warns Croesus that the divine is envious and loves to throw human affairs into confusion. Plato answered in the Phaedrus that "envy stands outside the divine chorus," and the Law of this hymn agrees, driving envy ektos, outside, with a whistling rush.
64.8
The Orphic Hymns 64.8 · At the tiller of living things
Law alone steers all living things, keeping company with upright judgments, harmless to the law-abiding and heavy on the lawless.
· · ·
For he alone holds the tiller of living things, keeping company with the most upright judgments, always unbending, primeval, of long experience, living without harm with all the law-abiding, but bringing heavy misery to the lawless.