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The Orphic Hymns
the Orphic tradition · Hymn 84, lines 1–2 · Hestia, keeper of the everlasting fire
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Hymn 84 · Hestia, the Hearth
ΕΣΤΙΑΣ, θυμίαμα ἀρώματα
Of Hestia · incense: aromatics
84.1
The Orphic Hymns 84.1 · Hestia, keeper of the everlasting fire
The hymn to Hestia, the goddess of the hearth, sung over aromatic herbs. She holds the center of the house, where the fire never goes out.
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ΕΣΤΙΑΣ1
Hestías
Of HestiaHearth
. θυμίαμα2
thymíama
Incense
ἀρώματα3
arṓmata
aromatics
. Ἱστίη4
Histíē
Hestia
, βασίλεια5
basíleia
queen
, θύγατερ6
thýgater
daughter
εὐδυνάτοιο7
eudynátoio
of mighty
Κρόνου8
Krónou
Kronos
, ἣ9
hḕ
you who
ἔχεις10
écheis
hold
μέσον11
méson
the center
οἶκον12
oîkon
of the house
ἀενάοιο13
aenáoio
of everlasting
μεγίστου14
megístou
greatest
πυρὸς15
pyròs
fire
, Of Hestia. Incense: aromatics. Hestia, queen, daughter of mighty Kronos, you who hold the center of the house of everlasting, greatest fire,
Of Hestia. Incense: aromatics. Hestia, queen, daughter of mighty Kronos, you who hold the center of the house of everlasting, greatest fire,
Interpretation
Of Hestia. Incense: aromatics. Hestia, queen, daughter of mighty Kronos, you who hold the center of the house of the everlasting, greatest fire,
Hestia is the ordinary Greek word for a hearth, and the goddess is the hearth fire itself. The Homeric Hymn to Aphrodite tells how she refused marriage, and Zeus gave her instead a seat in the middle of the house, with the richest portion of the offerings; this hymn uses the same phrase, "the middle of the house." Greek cities also kept a common hearth in their town halls, where the fire was kept burning, and the hymn calls her fire everlasting.
84.3
The Orphic Hymns 84.3 · Make your initiates ever-blooming
The singer asks Hestia to make the initiates shine in the holy rites: blooming, prosperous, glad and pure.
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may you show forth these initiates in the holy rites, making them ever-blooming, rich in blessings, glad and pure;