The Orphic Hymns, Hymn 85: Sleep, lord of gods and men
The hymn to Sleep, sung over incense mixed with poppy. Sleep is lord of every living thing, gods and mortals alike.
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How it opens, word by word
ΥΠΝΟΥHýpnouOf Sleep,θυμίαμαthymíamaIncenseμετὰmetàwithμήκωνοςmḗkōnospoppy.ὝπνεHýpneSleep,ἄναξánaxlordμακάρωνmakárōnthe blessedπάντωνpántōnof allθνητῶνthnētônof mortalτʼt’andἀνθρώπωνanthrṓpōnmenκαὶkaìandπάντωνpántōnof allζῴωνzṓiōnliving creatures
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Hymn 85, passage by passage
- 85.1 Sleep, lord of gods and men. Of Sleep. Incense, with poppy. Sleep, lord of all the blessed gods and of…
- 85.3 Fetters no smith has forged. for you alone rule all and come to all, binding bodies in fetters that…
- 85.5 Freeing from care, holy comfort. you who free us from care, holding sweet rest from labor and offering holy…
- 85.7 Brother of Lethe and Death. and you take away the care of death, keeping souls safe; for you are…
- 85.9 Come gently, keep the initiates safe. But, blessed one, I pray you to come tempered and sweet, kindly keeping the…
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