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The Orphic Hymns

the Orphic tradition · Hymn 87, lines 10–12 · Old age, a noble prize

87.10

The Orphic Hymns 87.10 · Old age, a noble prize

The prayer that closes the collection: may Death come only after a long life, so that old age is an honor among men.

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ἀλλά¹

allá

But

μάκαρ²

mákar

blessed one

αἰτοῦμαι³

aitoûmai

I ask

σε⁴

you

πελάζειν⁵

pelázein

to come near

μακροῖσι⁶

makroîsi

after long

χρόνοις⁷

chrónois

yearstimes

ζωῆς⁸

zōês

of life

λιτανεύων⁹

litaneúōn

pleading

θυσίῃσι¹⁰

thysíēisi

with sacrifices

καὶ¹¹

kaì

and

εὐχωλαῖς¹²

euchōlaîs

prayers

ὡς¹³

hōs

so that

ἂν¹⁴

àn

—

τὸ¹⁵

tò

—

γῆρας¹⁶

gêras

old age

ἔῃ¹⁷

éēi

may be

ἐσθλὸν¹⁸

esthlòn

a noble

γέρας¹⁹

géras

prizegift of honor

ἐν²⁰

among

ἀνθρώποισι²¹

anthrṓpoisi

men

But, blessed one, I ask you to come near after long years of life, pleading with sacrifices and prayers, so that old age may be a noble prize among men.

Interpretation

But, blessed one, I ask you to come near after long years of life, pleading with sacrifices and prayers, so that old age may be a noble prize among men.

The last line of the collection plays on two words that sound almost alike, geras, a prize of honor, and gēras, old age: the prayer is that gēras may be a geras. In the Iliad the "prize of the dead" is a tomb and a gravestone, the honor paid to a fallen warrior. The hymn asks Death for a different prize, a long life that ends in honored old age, and with that request the eighty-seven hymns come to a close.

88.1

The Orphic Hymns 88.1 · Ares, bulwark of Olympus

This is the Homeric Hymn to Ares, the eighth in the collection ascribed to Homer, which Hermann moved into the Orphic hymns and Abel printed here at the end while saying that it does not belong among them.

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To Ares. Ares, overmighty, heavy on the chariot, golden-helmed, strong of spirit, shield-bearer, guardian of cities, armed in bronze, strong of hand, tireless, mighty with the spear, bulwark of Olympus,

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