⸻ · ⸻
The Orphic Hymns
the Orphic tradition · Hymn 81, lines 1–4 · Sweet-breathing breezes of the West
⸻ · ⸻
Hymn 81 · Zephyros, the West Wind
ΖΕΦΥΡΟΥ, θυμίαμα λίβανον
Of Zephyros · incense: frankincense
81.1
The Orphic Hymns 81.1 · Sweet-breathing breezes of the West
The hymn to the West Wind, sung over frankincense. It is spoken to his breezes: soft spring airs that bring rest and fair sailing.
· · ·
ΖΕΦΥΡΟΥ1
Zephýrou
Of Zephyrosthe West Wind
. θυμίαμα2
thymíama
Incense
λίβανον3
líbanon
frankincense
. ποντογενεῖς4
pontogeneîs
Sea-born
Αὖραι5
Aûrai
breezes
Ζεφυρίτιδες6
Zephyrítides
of the West Wind
, ἠερόφοιτοι7
ēeróphoitoi
roaming the air
, ἡδύπνοοι8
hēdýpnooi
sweet-breathing
, ψιθυραί9
psithyraí
whispering
, ἔχουσαι10
échousai
holding
ἀνάπαυσιν11
anápausin
rest
καμάτου12
kamátou
from toil
, εἰαριναί13
eiarinaí
of spring
, λειμωνιάδες14
leimōniádes
of the meadows
, πεποθημέναι15
pepothēménai
longed for
ὅρμοις16
hórmois
in harborsanchorages
, σύρουσαι17
sýrousai
drawing
τρυφερὸν18
trypheròn
a gentlesoft, delicate
πόρον19
póron
passage
νηυσὶ20
nēusì
for ships
, κοῦφον21
koûphon
a light
ἠέρα22
ēéra
air
; Of Zephyros. Incense: frankincense. Sea-born breezes of the West Wind, roaming the air, sweet-breathing, whispering, holding rest from toil, of spring, of the meadows, longed for in harbors, drawing a gentle passage for ships, a light air;
Of Zephyros. Incense: frankincense. Sea-born breezes of the West Wind, roaming the air, sweet-breathing, whispering, holding rest from toil, of spring, of the meadows, longed for in harbors, drawing a gentle passage for ships, a light air;
Interpretation
Of Zephyros. Incense: frankincense. Sea-born breezes of the West Wind, roaming the air, sweet-breathing, whispering, bringing rest from toil, breezes of spring and of the meadows, longed for in the harbors, drawing a gentle passage for ships, a light air;
In Homer the West Wind can be wild and wet, but later Greeks knew him as the gentlest of the winds, the wind of spring, and the hymn speaks to his breezes, aurai, in the plural. Ships waiting in harbor long for them, because they make for an easy crossing. Hēdypnoos, "sweet-breathing," is a word Euripides gives to the breezes that Aphrodite breathes over the land of Athens in the Medea. The text printed here rests on several corrections: the manuscripts call the breezes "all-begetting" where the edition has "sea-born," and say they bring "rest from death" where it has "rest from toil."
81.5
The Orphic Hymns 81.5 · Come kindly, unseen and light-winged
The prayer: may the breezes come kindly and blow without fault, airy, unseen and light-winged.
· · ·
May you come kindly, breathing on us, blameless, airy, unseen, light-winged, formed of air.