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The Orphic Hymns
the Orphic tradition · Hymn 65, lines 6–8 · Turn to love, wine and the harvest
65.6
The Orphic Hymns 65.6 · Turn to love, wine and the harvest
The prayer asks the god of war to stop the fighting and turn his strength toward peaceful work.
· · ·
στῆσον1
stêson
Stop
the
λυσσῶσαν2
lyssôsan
raging
ἔριν3
érin
strife
, ἄνες4
ánes
ease
the
ἀλγεσίθυμον5
algesíthymon
heart-grieving
πόνον6
pónon
toil
, δὲ7
dè
and
νεῦσον8
neûson
incline
ἐς9
es
toward
πόθον10
póthon
the longing
Κύπριδος11
Kýpridos
of Kypristhe Cyprian
τε12
te
and
κώμους13
kṓmous
the revels
Λυαίου14
Lyaíou
of Lyaiosthe Loosener
, ἀλλάξας15
alláxas
changing
ἀλκὴν16
alkḕn
the strength
ὅπλων17
hóplōn
of arms
εἰς18
eis
into
τὰ19
tà
the
ἔργα20
érga
works
Δηοῦς21
Dēoûs
of DeoDemeter
. Stop the raging strife, ease the heart-grieving toil, and incline toward the longing of Kypris and the revels of Lyaios, changing the strength of arms into the works of Deo.
Stop the raging strife, ease the heart-grieving toil, and incline toward the longing of Kypris and the revels of Lyaios, changing the strength of arms into the works of Deo.
Interpretation
stop the raging strife, ease the toil that grieves the heart, and turn toward the longing of Kypris and the revels of Lyaios, changing the strength of arms into the works of Deo.
The singer asks the god of war for peace, and points him toward three other gods. Kypris, "the Cyprian," is Aphrodite, who in the Odyssey is Ares' lover. Lyaios, "the Loosener," is a name of Dionysus, most likely for the way wine loosens care. Deo is an old name of Demeter, so her "works" are ploughing, sowing and harvest: the strength that went into weapons is to go into the fields.
66.1
The Orphic Hymns 66.1 · Tireless fire
Hephaestus, the smith of the gods, is called by the names of fire itself: tireless, flaming, bringing light.
· · ·
Of Hephaestus. Incense: frankincense powder. Hephaestus, strong of spirit, great in strength, tireless fire, shining with flaming rays, power, light of mortals, light-bringer, strong-handed, eternal, living by your craft,