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The Orphic Hymns
the Orphic tradition · Hymn 74, lines 5–7 · The restless course of ships
74.5
The Orphic Hymns 74.5 · The restless course of ships
Why sailors call on her: the voyages of ships are in her power, and she alone can save the drowning.
· · ·
γὰρ1
gàr
For
ἐν2
en
in
σοὶ3
soì
you
is
ἄστατος4
ástatos
the restlessnever standing still
πελαγοδρόμος5
pelagodrómos
sea-runningsailing the open sea
ὁρμή6
hormḗ
courseonrush
νηῶν7
nēôn
of ships
, δὲ8
dè
and
you
μούνη9
moúnē
alone
λύεις10
lýeis
undountie
οἰκτρὸν11
oiktròn
the pitiful
μόρον12
móron
doom
θνητῶν13
thnētôn
of mortals
εἰν14
ein
at
ἁλὶ15
halì
sea
, οἷς16
hoîs
for those to whom
ἂν17
àn
—
ἔλθῃς18
élthēis
you come
ἐφορμαίνουσα19
ephormaínousa
rushing
, φίλη20
phílē
a friendly
σωτήριος21
sōtḗrios
savior
. For in you is the restless, sea-running course of ships, and you alone undo the pitiful doom of mortals at sea, for those to whom you come rushing, a friendly savior.
For in you is the restless, sea-running course of ships, and you alone undo the pitiful doom of mortals at sea, for those to whom you come rushing, a friendly savior.
Interpretation
For in you is the restless course of ships across the sea, and you alone undo the pitiful doom of mortals at sea, for those to whom you come rushing as a friendly savior.
Drowning was a death the Greeks particularly feared, because it left no body to bury. In the Odyssey, when the storm breaks his raft, Odysseus wishes he had fallen at Troy, where he would at least have had a funeral. Leukothea "undoes," lyeis, that pitiful doom: the verb is the one for untying a knot or setting a prisoner free.
74.8
The Orphic Hymns 74.8 · A fair wind for the initiates
The prayer: come as a helper to the ships and send the initiates at sea a favoring wind.
· · ·
But, lady goddess, may you come being a helper on the well-benched ships, saving, with kindly intent, bringing a fair wind that speeds ships for the initiates at sea.