⸻ · ⸻
The Orphic Hymns
the Orphic tradition · Hymn 82, lines 4–5 · Your privilege from Zeus
82.4
The Orphic Hymns 82.4 · Your privilege from Zeus
Zeus gave Notos his task: to send the rain clouds down from the air to the earth.
· · ·
γὰρ1
gàr
for
τοῦτο2
toûto
this
ἐστι3
esti
is
σέθεν4
séthen
your
ἠερόφοιτον5
ēeróphoiton
air-roaming
γέρας6
géras
privilegegift of honor
ἐκ7
ek
from
Διός8
Diós
Zeus
: πέμπειν9
pémpein
to send
ὀμβροτόκους10
ombrotókous
rain-bearinggiving birth to rain
νεφέλας11
nephélas
clouds
ἐξ12
ex
from
ἠέρος13
ēéros
the air
ἐς14
es
to
χθόνα15
chthóna
the earth
. for this is your air-roaming privilege from Zeus: to send rain-bearing clouds from the air to the earth.
for this is your air-roaming privilege from Zeus: to send rain-bearing clouds from the air to the earth.
Interpretation
for this is the privilege Zeus gave you as you roam the air: to send rain-bearing clouds from the air down to the earth.
A geras is a gift of honor, the special share a king gave to a man he wished to honor, and in Hesiod Zeus, once he has won his kingship, divides their honors among the gods. Rain properly belonged to Zeus himself: in Greek, "Zeus rains" was the ordinary way of saying that it was raining. The hymn makes the sending of rain the South Wind's share, given to him by Zeus.
82.6
The Orphic Hymns 82.6 · Send fruitful rain on mother earth
The prayer: may the South Wind, pleased by the offerings, send rain that makes the crops grow.
· · ·
So we pray you, blessed one, rejoicing in the offerings, to send fruit-nourishing rains upon mother earth.