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The Orphic Hymns
the Orphic tradition · Hymn 67, lines 3–4 · Bring health, stop the spirits of death
67.3
The Orphic Hymns 67.3 · Bring health, stop the spirits of death
The request comes early: let him come bringing health, and stop disease and the spirits of death.
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ἠπιόδωρε1
ēpiódōre
giver of gentle giftssoothing by gifts
, κραταιέ2
krataié
mighty one
, μόλοις3
mólois
may you come
κατάγων4
katágōn
bringing
ὑγίειαν5
hygíeian
health
καὶ6
kaì
and
παύων7
paúōn
stopping
χαλεπὰς8
chalepàs
hard
νούσους9
noúsous
diseases
τε10
te
and
κῆρας11
kêras
the Keresspirits of doom
θανάτοιό12
thanátoió
of death
, giver of gentle gifts, mighty one, may you come bringing health and stopping hard diseases and the Keres of death,
giver of gentle gifts, mighty one, may you come bringing health and stopping hard diseases and the Keres of death,
Interpretation
giver of gentle gifts, mighty one, come, bringing health, and stop hard diseases and the Keres, the spirits of death,
Ēpiodōros, "giver of gentle gifts," is the word the Iliad uses for Hector's mother, Hecuba, when she comes out to meet her son on his way in from the battle. The address to Musaeus gave Asclepius a near twin of it, ēpiodōtēs; in both, the gift is gentleness, the soothing remedies of medicine. Against him stand the Kēres of death. In Homer these are spirits of doom, and the shield of Achilles shows one on the battlefield, dragging a dead man by the feet through the fighting.
67.5
The Orphic Hymns 67.5 · Strong scion of Apollo
More titles: the healer makes things grow and keeps evil away, and he is the son of Apollo.
· · ·
you who make things grow, youth and averter of evil, blessed in your lot, strong scion of Phoebus Apollo, splendidly honored,