The Orphic Hymns, Hymn 87: Hear me, you who steer the lives of mortals
The last hymn of the collection, to Death, sung over frankincense powder. Death holds the helm of every mortal life and grants each its time.
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How it opens, word by word
ΘΑΝΑΤΟΥThanátouOf Death,θυμίαμαthymíamaIncenseμάννανmánnanfrankincense powder.ΚλῦθίKlŷthíHearμευmeume,ὃςhòsyou whoπάντωνpántōnof allθνητῶνthnētônmortalsοἴηκαoíēkathe helmκρατύνειςkratýneisholdπᾶσιpâsito allδιδοὺςdidoùsgivingχρόνονchrónontimeἁγνόνhagnónholy
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Hymn 87, passage by passage
- 87.1 Hear me, you who steer the lives of mortals. Of Death. Incense: frankincense powder. Hear me, you who hold the helm of all…
- 87.3 The long, eternal sleep. for your sleep breaks the soul and the body's hold, whenever you loosen the…
- 87.6 Common to all, unjust to some. common to all, but unjust to some, cutting short the prime of the young…
- 87.8 Unmoved by prayers. for in you alone what has been decided for all is brought to its…
- 87.10 Old age, a noble prize. But, blessed one, I ask you to come near after long years of life,…
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