⸻ · ⸻
The Orphic Hymns
the Orphic tradition · Hymn 85, lines 1–2 · Sleep, lord of gods and men
⸻ · ⸻
Hymn 85 · Sleep
ΥΠΝΟΥ, θυμίαμα μετὰ μήκωνος
Of Sleep · incense, with poppy
85.1
The Orphic Hymns 85.1 · Sleep, lord of gods and men
The hymn to Sleep, sung over incense mixed with poppy. Sleep is lord of every living thing, gods and mortals alike.
· · ·
ΥΠΝΟΥ1
Hýpnou
Of SleepHypnos
. θυμίαμα2
thymíama
Incense
μετὰ3
metà
with
μήκωνος4
mḗkōnos
poppy
. Ὕπνε5
Hýpne
Sleep
, ἄναξ6
ánax
lord
πάντων7
pántōn
of all
μακάρων8
makárōn
the blessed
τʼ9
t’
and
θνητῶν10
thnētôn
of mortal
ἀνθρώπων11
anthrṓpōn
men
, καὶ12
kaì
and
πάντων13
pántōn
of all
ζῴων14
zṓiōn
living creatures
ὁπόσα15
hopósa
that
εὐρεῖα16
eureîa
the broad
χθών17
chthṓn
earth
τρέφει18
tréphei
feeds
; Of Sleep. Incense, with poppy. Sleep, lord of all the blessed and of mortal men, and of all living creatures that the broad earth feeds;
Of Sleep. Incense, with poppy. Sleep, lord of all the blessed and of mortal men, and of all living creatures that the broad earth feeds;
Interpretation
Of Sleep. Incense, with poppy. Sleep, lord of all the blessed gods and of mortal men, and of every living creature that the broad earth feeds;
The first line is borrowed from the Iliad. In Book 14 Hera goes to Sleep to ask him to close the eyes of Zeus, and greets him as "Sleep, lord of all gods and of all men." The claim is meant seriously, since Sleep does put Zeus to sleep in that story. The heading asks for poppy with the incense, the plant whose juice brings sleep.
85.3
The Orphic Hymns 85.3 · Fetters no smith has forged
Sleep comes to everyone and binds their bodies, though his chains are not made of metal.
· · ·
for you alone rule all and come to all, binding bodies in fetters not forged of bronze.