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The Orphic Hymns
the Orphic tradition · Hymn 71, lines 4–5 · Zeus in the shape of Plouton
71.4
The Orphic Hymns 71.4 · Zeus in the shape of Plouton
How Melinoe was conceived: Zeus came to Persephone disguised as her husband Plouton, and the child was born with a double body.
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ᾗ1
hêi
with whom
Zeus
ἐμίγη2
emígē
lay
, ψευσθεὶς3
pseustheìs
disguised asplaying false
Πλούτωνʼ4
Ploútōn’
Plouton
, by
δολίαις5
dolíais
crafty
ἀπάτῃσι6
apátēisi
tricks
; δὲ7
dè
and
through
Φερσεφόνης8
Phersephónēs
Persephone's
θυμῷ9
thymôi
anger
she
ἔσπασε10
éspase
took ondrew
δισώματον11
disṓmaton
a two-bodieddouble-bodied
χροιήν12
chroiḗn
skin
, with whom Zeus lay, disguised as Plouton, by crafty tricks; and through Persephone's anger she took on a two-bodied skin,
with whom Zeus lay, disguised as Plouton, by crafty tricks; and through Persephone's anger she took on a two-bodied skin,
Interpretation
with whom Zeus lay, disguised as Plouton, by crafty tricks; and through Persephone's anger the child took on a skin of two bodies,
Plouton, "the Wealthy One," is the king of the dead and Persephone's husband. Zeus comes to her in his shape, as in the story of Heracles' birth he comes to Alcmene in the shape of her husband Amphitryon. The deceived mother's anger marks the child: Melinoe takes on a "two-bodied" skin, most likely a body of two colors, for a daughter who seems to have two fathers, one from the sky and one from below.
71.6
The Orphic Hymns 71.6 · Phantoms in the air
What Melinoe does: she sends phantoms that appear and vanish in the dark and drive people mad.
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she who maddens mortals with airy phantoms, showing the outline of her form in strange shapes, now plain to see, now dark, shining by night, in hostile visitations through the black night.