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The Orphic Hymns
the Orphic tradition · Hymn 8, lines 18–20 · Eye of justice, light of life
8.18
The Orphic Hymns 8.18 · Eye of justice, light of life
The Sun drives his four-horse chariot across the sky. The prayer asks him to hear, and to show the initiates a sweet life.
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ὄμμα1
ómma
eye
δικαιοσύνης2
dikaiosýnēs
of justice
, φῶς3
phôs
light
ζωῆς4
zōês
of life
; ὦ5
ô
O
ἐλάσιππε6
elásippe
driver of horses
, διώκων7
diṓkōn
driving
τετράορον8
tetráoron
the four-horse
ἅρμα9
hárma
chariot
λιγυρῇ10
ligyrêi
with a whistling
μάστιγι11
mástigi
whip
; κλῦθι12
klŷthi
hear
our
λόγων13
lógōn
words
, δὲ14
dè
and
πρόφαινε15
próphaine
show forthbring to light
ἡδὺν16
hēdỳn
a sweet
βίον17
bíon
life
μύστῃσι18
mýstēisi
to the initiates
. eye of justice, light of life; O driver of horses, driving the four-horse chariot with a whistling whip; hear our words, and show forth a sweet life to the initiates.
eye of justice, light of life; O driver of horses, driving the four-horse chariot with a whistling whip; hear our words, and show forth a sweet life to the initiates.
Interpretation
eye of justice, light of life; O driver of horses, driving your four-horse chariot with a whistling whip: hear our words, and show a sweet life to the initiates.
The chariot and its four horses belong to the Sun's picture in Greek poetry and art: every day he drives them across the sky from east to west. The last verb, prophaine, "show forth, bring to light," comes from phainō, the root of the names Phanes and neophantēs in the hymns before. The god who makes everything visible is asked to make a sweet life appear for the mystai, the initiates.
9.1
The Orphic Hymns 9.1 · Hear, goddess, bull-horned Moon
The Moon, called by both her names, Selene and Mene. She has horns like a bull, runs through the night, and carries a torch.
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Of the Moon. Incense: aromatics. Hear, goddess, queen, bringer of light, divine Selene, bull-horned Mene, running by night, roaming the air, of the night, torch-bearer, maiden, fair star, Mene,