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The Orphic Hymns
the Orphic tradition · Hymn 78, lines 7–9 · No one flees your face
78.7
The Orphic Hymns 78.7 · No one flees your face
Every human being is glad of the dawn. No one hides from her face when she shakes sleep from their eyes.
· · ·
γένος1
génos
the race
θνητῶν2
thnētôn
of mortal
μερόπων3
merópōn
men
χαίρει4
chaírei
delights
ᾗ5
hêi
in you
; οὐδέ6
oudé
nor
ἐστιν7
estin
is there
τίς8
tís
anyone
ὃς9
hòs
who
φεύγει10
pheúgei
flees
τὴν11
tḕn
—
σὴν12
sḕn
your
ὄψιν13
ópsin
face
οὖσαν14
oûsan
when it is
καθυπέρτερον15
kathypérteron
high above
, ἡνίκα16
hēníka
when
ἀποσείσῃς17
aposeísēis
you shakeshake off
τὸν18
tòn
—
γλυκὺν19
glykỳn
sweet
ὕπνον20
hýpnon
sleep
ἀπὸ21
apò
from
their
βλεφάρων22
blephárōn
eyelids
, the race of mortal men delights in you; nor is there anyone who flees your face when it is high above, when you shake sweet sleep from their eyelids,
the race of mortal men delights in you; nor is there anyone who flees your face when it is high above, when you shake sweet sleep from their eyelids,
Interpretation
the race of mortal men delights in you, and there is no one who flees your face when it is high above, when you shake sweet sleep from their eyelids;
Everyone is glad of the dawn, and the hymn catches the moment of waking. The verb for what Dawn does to sleep, aposeiein, means to shake something off; Herodotus uses it of a horse throwing its rider. Sleep is pictured as a weight resting on the eyelids, and Dawn shakes it loose. The word for men here, meropes, is an old one from Homer whose meaning is uncertain; ancient grammarians explained it as "dividing the voice," that is, speaking in words.
78.10
The Orphic Hymns 78.10 · Every creature rejoices
At dawn all living things rejoice, and the day gives everyone a living to work for. The hymn ends with a prayer for the initiates.
· · ·
and every mortal rejoices, every creeping thing and the other tribes of four-footed beasts, birds and the countless creatures of the sea; for you provide all mortals with a livelihood to work for. But, blessed one, pure one, may you increase the sacred light for the initiates.