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The Orphic Hymns
the Orphic tradition · Hymn 88, lines 9–12 · Shine a gentle light on our life
88.9
The Orphic Hymns 88.9 · Shine a gentle light on our life
The prayer begins: may Ares send down a gentle light and martial strength, so that the singer can drive cowardice from his head.
· · ·
κλῦθι1
klŷthi
Hear
, ἐπίκουρε2
epíkoure
helper
βροτῶν3
brotôn
of mortals
, δοτὴρ4
dotḕr
giver
εὐθαρσέος5
eutharséos
of bold
ἥβης6
hḗbēs
youth
, καταστίλβων7
katastílbōn
shining down
πρηῢ8
prēỳ̈
a gentle
σέλας9
sélas
light
ὑψόθεν10
hypsóthen
from on high
ἐς11
es
upon
ἡμετέρην12
hēmetérēn
our
βιότητα13
biótēta
life
, καὶ14
kaì
and
ἀρήιον15
arḗion
martialof Ares
κάρτος16
kártos
strength
, ὥς17
hṓs
so that
κε18
ke
—
δυναίμην19
dynaímēn
I may be able
σεύεσθαι20
seúesthai
to drive
πικρὴν21
pikrḕn
bitter
κακότητα22
kakótēta
cowardicebadness
ἀπʼ23
ap’
away from
ἐμοῖο24
emoîo
my
καρήνου25
karḗnou
head
, Hear, helper of mortals, giver of bold youth, shining down a gentle light from on high upon our life, and martial strength, so that I may be able to drive bitter cowardice away from my head,
Hear, helper of mortals, giver of bold youth, shining down a gentle light from on high upon our life, and martial strength, so that I may be able to drive bitter cowardice away from my head,
Interpretation
hear, helper of mortals, giver of bold youth, shining a gentle light down from on high upon our life, and martial strength, so that I may be able to drive bitter cowardice away from my head,
The prayer begins, and it is a surprising one. The god of war is asked for a "gentle" light, prēu selas, shining down from his planet on our life, and for martial strength. The first use the singer names for that strength is inward: to drive kakotēs away from his own head. In Homer kakotēs can mean cowardice in battle as well as wickedness in general.
88.13
The Orphic Hymns 88.13 · Courage to stay at peace
The singer asks for mastery of his own anger and, in the end, for the courage to remain at peace, safe from war and violent death.
· · ·
and to bend with my mind the deceitful impulse of my soul, and again to hold back the sharp fury of my heart, which provokes me to step into chilling battle. But you, blessed one, grant me courage, and to remain within the harmless laws of peace, escaping the battle-din of enemies and violent deaths.