The Great Library › The Orphic Hymns › the whole text › Hymn 38The Orphic Hymns, Hymn 38: Bronze-clashing Kouretes, breaths of life
The second hymn to the Kouretes, sung over frankincense, makes them powers of the whole world and life-giving winds.
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How it opens, word by word ΚΟΥΡΗΤΩΝ Kourḗtōn Of the Kouretes , θυμίαμα thymíama Incense λίβανον líbanon frankincense . Χαλκόκροτοι Chalkókrotoi Bronze-clashing Κουρῆτες Kourêtes Kouretes , Ἀρήια Arḗia of Ares τεύχεʼ teúche’ the arms ἔχοντες échontes bearing , οὐράνιοι ouránioi of the sky χθόνιοί chthónioí of the earth τε te — καὶ kaì and εἰνάλιοι einálioi of the sea ,
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Hymn 38, passage by passage
38.1 Bronze-clashing Kouretes, breaths of life. Of the Kouretes. Incense: frankincense. Bronze-clashing Kouretes, bearing the arms of Ares, gods of…38.4 You first gave mortals the rite. you who dwell on Samothrace, the holy land, and ward off dangers from mortals…38.8 The earth rings under your feet. you sway Ocean, you sway the sea, and the trees as well; as you…38.12 Then all the flowers bloom. and from the whirling of your feet the dust reaches the clouds as you…38.14 Nurturers and destroyers. Immortal gods, both nurturers and destroyers, whenever you rush out in anger against men,…38.18 High-topped trees fall. and the high-topped trees fall from their roots to the ground, and the echo…38.20 The very sons of Zeus. Kouretes, Korybantes, lords, mighty lords in Samothrace, and at the same time the very…38.23 Breathe on us, lords. you who are also called the heavenly twins on Olympus, fair-breathing, bringing fair weather,…Open Hymn 38 in the full reader
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