⸻ · ⸻
The Orphic Hymns
the Orphic tradition · Hymn 81, lines 5–6 · Come kindly, unseen and light-winged
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.
· · ·
ἔλθοιτʼ1
élthoit’
May you come
εὐμενέουσαι2
eumenéousai
kindly
, ἐπιπνείουσαι3
epipneíousai
breathing
on us
,ἀμεμφεῖς4
amempheîs
blameless
, ἠέριαι5
ēériai
airy
, ἀφανεῖς6
aphaneîs
unseen
, κουφόπτεροι7
kouphópteroi
light-winged
, ἠερόμορφοι8
ēerómorphoi
formed of air
. May you come kindly, breathing on us, blameless, airy, unseen, light-winged, formed of air.
May you come kindly, breathing on us, blameless, airy, unseen, light-winged, formed of air.
Interpretation
come kindly, blowing on us without fault, airy, unseen, light-winged, formed of air.
The last line piles up four words for something that can be felt but not seen: airy, unseen, light-winged, formed of air. Aphanēs, "unseen," is the word Hymn 2 used for the goddess of birth, who cannot be seen yet shows herself to all in her works. The breezes are asked to come kindly and to blow amempheis, "blameless," a wind no one could find fault with.
82.1
The Orphic Hymns 82.1 · Father of rain
The hymn to Notos, the South Wind, sung over frankincense. He brings the rain clouds up from the south.
· · ·
Of Notos. Incense: frankincense. In a swift leap through the air on wet paths, whirled here and there by swift wings, may you come with the rain clouds, father of rain;