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The Orphic Hymns
the Orphic tradition · Hymn 74, lines 8–10 · A fair wind for the initiates
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.
· · ·
ἀλλά1
allá
But
δέσποινα2
déspoina
lady
θεὰ3
theà
goddess
, μόλοις4
mólois
may you come
ἐοῦσα5
eoûsa
being
ἐπαρωγὸς6
eparōgòs
a helper
ἐπʼ7
ep’
on
the
εὐσέλμοις8
eusélmois
well-benched
νηυσὶν9
nēusìn
ships
, σωτήριος10
sōtḗrios
saving
with
εὔφρονι11
eúphroni
kindly
βουλῇ12
boulêi
intent
, ἄγουσα13
ágousa
bringing
οὖρον14
oûron
a fair wind
ναυσίδρομον15
nausídromon
that speeds shipsship-speeding
μύσταις16
mýstais
for the initiates
ἐν17
en
at
πόντῳ18
póntōi
sea
. 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.
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.
Interpretation
But, lady goddess, may you come as a helper on the well-benched ships, saving them with kindly intent, bringing your initiates at sea a fair wind that speeds the ship along.
At the end the worshippers name themselves: mystai, initiates, out on the sea. They ask for ouros, the following wind that carries a ship home. Homer describes one in the Odyssey, where Circe sends Odysseus a wind "that filled the sail, a good companion."
75.1
The Orphic Hymns 75.1 · Foster-brother of Dionysus
Palaemon, Leukothea's son, was brought up with the child Dionysus. Now he lives in the depths of the sea.
· · ·
Of Palaemon. Incense: frankincense powder. Foster-brother of joyful Dionysus, who leads the Bacchic dance, you who live in the holy, wave-washed depths of the sea,