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The Orphic Hymns
the Orphic tradition · Hymn 85, lines 5–6 · Freeing from care, holy comfort
85.5
The Orphic Hymns 85.5 · Freeing from care, holy comfort
Sleep gives rest from labor and comfort in every grief.
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λυσιμέριμνε1
lysimérimne
freeing from carecare-loosing
, ἔχων2
échōn
holding
ἡδεῖαν3
hēdeîan
sweet
ἀνάπαυσιν4
anápausin
rest
κόπων5
kópōn
from labors
, καὶ6
kaì
and
ἔρδων7
érdōn
offering
ἱερὸν8
hieròn
the holy
παραμύθιον9
paramýthion
comfortsoothing
πάσης10
pásēs
for every
λύπης11
lýpēs
grief
; freeing from care, holding sweet rest from labors, and offering the holy comfort for every grief;
freeing from care, holding sweet rest from labors, and offering the holy comfort for every grief;
Interpretation
you who free us from care, holding sweet rest from labor and offering holy comfort for every grief;
Lysimerimnos, "freeing from care," is the title this edition also gives Night in Hymn 3, and Night, in Hesiod, is the mother of Sleep. The word paramythion, "comfort," belongs to speech: it is what a friend says to console someone. Sleep does the same work without words, and the hymn calls his comfort holy.
85.7
The Orphic Hymns 85.7 · Brother of Lethe and Death
Sleep keeps souls safe, and he is the brother of Forgetting and of Death.
· · ·
and you take away the care of death, keeping safe the souls; for you are the own brother of Lethe and of Death.