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The Orphic Hymns
the Orphic tradition · Hymn 86, lines 3–4 · You wake the mind in sleep
86.3
The Orphic Hymns 86.3 · You wake the mind in sleep
Dream comes silently in the quiet of sleep and speaks to the soul, waking the mind while the body sleeps.
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γὰρ1
gàr
For
, ἐπελθών2
epelthṓn
coming
σιγηλὸς3
sigēlòs
silently
ἡσυχίῃ4
hēsychíēi
in the quiet
γλυκεροῦ5
glykeroû
of sweet
ὕπνου6
hýpnou
sleep
, προσφωνῶν7
prosphōnôn
speaking
ψυχαῖς8
psychaîs
to the souls
θνητῶν9
thnētôn
of mortals
, αὐτὸς10
autòs
you yourself
ἐγείρεις11
egeíreis
wake
νόον12
nóon
the mind
, For, coming silently in the quiet of sweet sleep, speaking to the souls of mortals, you yourself wake the mind,
For, coming silently in the quiet of sweet sleep, speaking to the souls of mortals, you yourself wake the mind,
Interpretation
for you come silently in the quiet of sweet sleep, and speaking to the souls of mortals you yourself wake their mind,
The paradox is that Dream wakes the mind while the body sleeps. Many Greek writers believed that the soul sees more clearly in sleep. A famous fragment of Pindar says that the image of life in us, which alone comes from the gods, sleeps while the limbs are busy, but to sleepers it shows in many dreams what is coming, delight or hardship.
86.5
The Orphic Hymns 86.5 · Silent to the silent souls
In sleep Dream carries the counsels of the gods and shows the future, silently, to the souls of the pious.
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and you yourself quietly send the counsels of the blessed in sleep, in silence revealing what is to come to silent souls, to those whose good mind walks in piety toward the gods,