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The Orphic Hymns
the Orphic tradition · Hymn 69, lines 12–13 · Turn to a gentle mind
69.12
The Orphic Hymns 69.12 · Turn to a gentle mind
The prayer: the snake-haired goddesses, here called Fates, are asked to judge our life gently.
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ἀλλά1
allá
But
θεαὶ2
theaì
goddesses
, Μοῖραι3
Moîrai
FatesPortions
, ὀφιοπλόκαμοι4
ophioplókamoi
snake-hairedwith snaky curls
, πολύμορφοι5
polýmorphoi
of many forms
, μετάθεσθε6
metáthesthe
change
δόξαν7
dóxan
your judgment
βίου8
bíou
of our life
to a
πρηΰνοον9
prēý̈noon
gentle
, μαλακόφρονα10
malakóphrona
soft-hearted
one
.But, goddesses, Fates, snake-haired, of many forms, change your judgment of our life to a gentle, soft-hearted one.
But, goddesses, Fates, snake-haired, of many forms, change your judgment of our life to a gentle, soft-hearted one.
Interpretation
But, goddesses, Fates, snake-haired, of many forms, turn your judgment of our life to one that is gentle and soft-hearted.
The prayer gives the Erinyes a new name, Moirai, "Fates," literally the "portions" each person is allotted. In their own hymn (59) the Moirai are the "children of black Night," and Hesiod makes them sisters of the Keres of death; the goddesses who allot a life and those who punish it stand close together. The request itself is modest. They are asked to change their doxa, their view of the worshipper's life, to a gentle one: prēünoos and malakophrōn both mean "gentle of mind."
70.1
The Orphic Hymns 70.1 · The Eumenides, the kindly ones
A second hymn to the avenging goddesses, now under their gentler name, the Eumenides. Here they are daughters of the king of the dead and Persephone.
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Of the Eumenides. Incense: aromatics. Hear me, Eumenides of great name, with kindly intent, holy daughters of great Zeus of the underworld and of Persephone, the lovely maiden with beautiful hair,