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The Orphic Hymns
the Orphic tradition · Hymn 68, lines 8–11 · Without health, nothing is worth having
68.8
The Orphic Hymns 68.8 · Without health, nothing is worth having
Without health nothing helps, neither wealth at a feast nor a long life, because she alone rules over all.
· · ·
γὰρ1
gàr
For
ἄτερ2
áter
without
σοῦ3
soû
you
πάντʼ4
pánt’
all things
ἐστὶν5
estìn
are
ἀνωφελέʼ6
anōphelé’
uselessunprofitable
ἀνθρώποισιν7
anthrṓpoisin
to people
; γὰρ8
gàr
for
οὔτε9
oúte
neither
is
Πλοῦτος10
Ploûtos
Wealth
ὀλβοδότης11
olbodótēs
giver of bliss
, γλυκερὸς12
glykeròs
sweet
θαλίῃσιν13
thalíēisin
at feasts
, οὔτε14
oúte
nor
ἄτερ15
áter
without
σέο16
séo
you
does
ἀνήρ17
anḗr
a man
γίγνεται18
gígnetai
become
γέρων19
gérōn
an old man
πολύμοχθος20
polýmochthos
of many laborsmuch-laboring
; γὰρ21
gàr
for
you
μούνη22
moúnē
alone
κρατέεις23
kratéeis
rule
πάντων24
pántōn
over all
καὶ25
kaì
and
ἀνάσσεις26
anásseis
are queen
πᾶσιν27
pâsin
over all
. For without you all things are useless to people; for neither is Wealth, giver of bliss, sweet at feasts, nor without you does a man become an old man of many labors; for you alone rule over all and are queen over all.
For without you all things are useless to people; for neither is Wealth, giver of bliss, sweet at feasts, nor without you does a man become an old man of many labors; for you alone rule over all and are queen over all.
Interpretation
for without you all things are useless to people: Wealth, the giver of bliss, is not sweet at the feast, and no man lives to become an old man of many labors without you; for you alone rule over all, and are queen over all.
An old drinking song, which Plato quotes in the Gorgias, ranks the good things of life: "To be healthy is best, second to be handsome, third to be rich without cheating." The hymn makes the same ranking with two pictures. Wealth, Ploutos, here a god, is the "giver of bliss," and still he is not sweet at a feast without health; and no one lives long enough to become an old man worn by work unless she stays with him.
68.12
The Orphic Hymns 68.12 · Help the initiates
The prayer: come always to help the initiates, and keep the misery of disease away.
· · ·
But, goddess, come always as a helper to the initiates, warding off the ill-fated misery of hard diseases.