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THE ORPHIC HYMNS are a collection of 87 short religious poems composed in either the late Hellenistic (C3rd or C2nd B.C.) or early Roman (C1st to C2nd A.D.) era. They are based on the beliefs of Orphism, a mystery cult or religious philosophy which claimed descent from the teachings of the mythical hero Orpheus.
The Hymns of Orpheus. Translated by Taylor, Thomas (1792).
University of Pennsylvania Press, 1999. (Current edition).
University of Pennsylvania Press, 1999. (Current edition).
ORPHIC HYMNS CONTENTS
0. To Musaeus
1. To Prothyraea
2. To Nyx (Night)
3. To Uranus (the Sky)
4. To Aether
5. To Protogonus
6. To Astron (the Stars)
7. To Helius (the Sun)
8. To Selene (the Moon)
9. To Phusis (Nature)
10. To Pan
11. To Heracles
12. To Cronus
13. To Rhea
14. To Zeus
15. To Hera
16. To Poseidon
17. To Pluto
18. To Zeus of Thunder
19. To Zeus of Lightning
20. To Nephelae (Clouds)
21. To Thalassa (Sea)
22. To Nereus
23. To the Nereids
24. To Proteus
25. To Gaea (Earth)
26. To Mother of the Gods
27. To Hermes
28. To Persephone
29. To Dionysus
30. To the Curetes
31. To Athena
32. To Nike (Victory)
33. To Apollo
34. To Leto
35. To Artemis
36. To the Titans
37. To the Curetes
38. To Corybas
39. To Demeter of Eleusis
40. To Mother Antaea
1. To Prothyraea
2. To Nyx (Night)
3. To Uranus (the Sky)
4. To Aether
5. To Protogonus
6. To Astron (the Stars)
7. To Helius (the Sun)
8. To Selene (the Moon)
9. To Phusis (Nature)
10. To Pan
11. To Heracles
12. To Cronus
13. To Rhea
14. To Zeus
15. To Hera
16. To Poseidon
17. To Pluto
18. To Zeus of Thunder
19. To Zeus of Lightning
20. To Nephelae (Clouds)
21. To Thalassa (Sea)
22. To Nereus
23. To the Nereids
24. To Proteus
25. To Gaea (Earth)
26. To Mother of the Gods
27. To Hermes
28. To Persephone
29. To Dionysus
30. To the Curetes
31. To Athena
32. To Nike (Victory)
33. To Apollo
34. To Leto
35. To Artemis
36. To the Titans
37. To the Curetes
38. To Corybas
39. To Demeter of Eleusis
40. To Mother Antaea
41. To Misa
42. To the Horae (Seasons)
43. To Semele
44. To Dionysus Bassareus
45. To Dionysus Licnitus
46. To Dionysus Pericionius
47. To Zabazius
48. To Ippa
49. To Lysius Lenaeus
50. To the Nymphs
51. To Trietericus
52. To Amphietus Bacchus
53. To Silenus, Satyr, Bacchae
54. To Aphrodite
55. To Adonis
56. To Hermes Chthonius
57. To Eros (Love)
58. To the Moirae (Fates)
59. To the Charites (Graces)
60. To Nemesis
61. To Dice (Justice)
62. To Dicaeosyne (Equity)
63. To Nomus (Law)
64. To Ares|
65. To Hephaestus
66. To Asclepius
67. To Hygea (Health)
68. To the Erinyes (Furies)
69. To the Eumenides
70. To Melinoe
71. To Tyche (Fortune)
72. To the Daemon
73. To Leucothea
74. To Palaemon
75. To the Muses
76. To Mnemosyne (Memory)
77. To Eos (Dawn)
78. To Themis (Custom)
79. To Boreas (North Wind)
80. To Zephyrus (West Wind)
81. To Notus (South Wind)
82. To Oceanus
83. To Hestia (Hearth)
84. To Hypnus (Sleep)
85. To the Oneiri (Dreams)
86. To Thanatus (Death)
42. To the Horae (Seasons)
43. To Semele
44. To Dionysus Bassareus
45. To Dionysus Licnitus
46. To Dionysus Pericionius
47. To Zabazius
48. To Ippa
49. To Lysius Lenaeus
50. To the Nymphs
51. To Trietericus
52. To Amphietus Bacchus
53. To Silenus, Satyr, Bacchae
54. To Aphrodite
55. To Adonis
56. To Hermes Chthonius
57. To Eros (Love)
58. To the Moirae (Fates)
59. To the Charites (Graces)
60. To Nemesis
61. To Dice (Justice)
62. To Dicaeosyne (Equity)
63. To Nomus (Law)
64. To Ares|
65. To Hephaestus
66. To Asclepius
67. To Hygea (Health)
68. To the Erinyes (Furies)
69. To the Eumenides
70. To Melinoe
71. To Tyche (Fortune)
72. To the Daemon
73. To Leucothea
74. To Palaemon
75. To the Muses
76. To Mnemosyne (Memory)
77. To Eos (Dawn)
78. To Themis (Custom)
79. To Boreas (North Wind)
80. To Zephyrus (West Wind)
81. To Notus (South Wind)
82. To Oceanus
83. To Hestia (Hearth)
84. To Hypnus (Sleep)
85. To the Oneiri (Dreams)
86. To Thanatus (Death)
THE ORPHIC HYMNS 1 - 40, TRANSLATED BY THOMAS TAYLOR
17] XVII. TO PLUTO [PLOUTON]
Pluto [Plouton], magnanimous, whose realms profound are fix'd beneath the firm and solid ground,
In the Tartarian plains remote from fight, and wrapt forever in the depths of night;
Terrestrial Jove [Zeus Khthonios], thy sacred ear incline, and, pleas'd, accept thy mystic's hymn divine.
Earth's keys to thee, illustrious king belong, its secret gates unlocking, deep and strong.
'Tis thine, abundant annual fruits to bear, for needy mortals are thy constant care.
To thee, great king, Avernus is assign'd, the seat of Gods, and basis of mankind.
Thy throne is fix'd in Hade's dismal plains, distant, unknown to rest, where darkness reigns;
Where, destitute of breath, pale spectres dwell, in endless, dire, inexorable hell;
And in dread Acheron, whose depths obscure, earth's stable roots eternally secure.
O mighty dæmon, whose decision dread, the future fate determines of the dead,
With captive Proserpine [Kore], thro' grassy plains, drawn in a four-yok'd car with loosen'd reins,
Rapt o'er the deep, impell'd by love, you flew 'till Eleusina's city rose to view;
There, in a wond'rous cave obscure and deep, the sacred maid secure from search you keep,
The cave of Atthis, whose wide gates display an entrance to the kingdoms void of day.
Of unapparent works, thou art alone the dispensator, visible and known.
O pow'r all-ruling, holy, honor'd light, thee sacred poets and their hymns delight:
Propitious to thy mystic's works incline, rejoicing come, for holy rites are thine.
In the Tartarian plains remote from fight, and wrapt forever in the depths of night;
Terrestrial Jove [Zeus Khthonios], thy sacred ear incline, and, pleas'd, accept thy mystic's hymn divine.
Earth's keys to thee, illustrious king belong, its secret gates unlocking, deep and strong.
'Tis thine, abundant annual fruits to bear, for needy mortals are thy constant care.
To thee, great king, Avernus is assign'd, the seat of Gods, and basis of mankind.
Thy throne is fix'd in Hade's dismal plains, distant, unknown to rest, where darkness reigns;
Where, destitute of breath, pale spectres dwell, in endless, dire, inexorable hell;
And in dread Acheron, whose depths obscure, earth's stable roots eternally secure.
O mighty dæmon, whose decision dread, the future fate determines of the dead,
With captive Proserpine [Kore], thro' grassy plains, drawn in a four-yok'd car with loosen'd reins,
Rapt o'er the deep, impell'd by love, you flew 'till Eleusina's city rose to view;
There, in a wond'rous cave obscure and deep, the sacred maid secure from search you keep,
The cave of Atthis, whose wide gates display an entrance to the kingdoms void of day.
Of unapparent works, thou art alone the dispensator, visible and known.
O pow'r all-ruling, holy, honor'd light, thee sacred poets and their hymns delight:
Propitious to thy mystic's works incline, rejoicing come, for holy rites are thine.
[28] XXVIII. TO PROSERPINE [PHERSEPHONE]
A Hymn.
Daughter of Jove [Zeus], almighty and divine, come, blessed queen, and to these rites incline:
Only-begotten, Pluto's [Plouton's] honor'd wife, O venerable Goddess, source of life:
'Tis thine in earth's profundities to dwell, fast by the wide and dismal gates of hell:
Jove's [Zeus'] holy offspring, of a beauteous mien, fatal [Praxidike], with lovely locks, infernal queen:
Source of the furies [Eumenides], whose blest frame proceeds from Jove's [Zeus'] ineffable and secret seeds:
Mother of Bacchus [Eubouleos], Sonorous, divine, and many-form'd, the parent of the vine:
The dancing Hours [Horai] attend thee, essence bright, all-ruling virgin, bearing heav'nly light:
Illustrious, horned, of a bounteous mind, alone desir'd by those of mortal kind.
O, vernal queen, whom grassy plains delight, sweet to the smell, and pleasing to the sight:
Whose holy form in budding fruits we view, Earth's vig'rous offspring of a various hue:
Espous'd in Autumn: life and death alone to wretched mortals from thy power is known:
For thine the task according to thy will, life to produce, and all that lives to kill.
Hear, blessed Goddess, send a rich increase of various fruits from earth, with lovely Peace;
Send Health with gentle hand, and crown my life with blest abundance, free from noisy strife;
Last in extreme old age the prey of Death, dismiss we willing to the realms beneath,
To thy fair palace, and the blissful plains where happy spirits dwell, and Pluto [Plouton] reigns
Daughter of Jove [Zeus], almighty and divine, come, blessed queen, and to these rites incline:
Only-begotten, Pluto's [Plouton's] honor'd wife, O venerable Goddess, source of life:
'Tis thine in earth's profundities to dwell, fast by the wide and dismal gates of hell:
Jove's [Zeus'] holy offspring, of a beauteous mien, fatal [Praxidike], with lovely locks, infernal queen:
Source of the furies [Eumenides], whose blest frame proceeds from Jove's [Zeus'] ineffable and secret seeds:
Mother of Bacchus [Eubouleos], Sonorous, divine, and many-form'd, the parent of the vine:
The dancing Hours [Horai] attend thee, essence bright, all-ruling virgin, bearing heav'nly light:
Illustrious, horned, of a bounteous mind, alone desir'd by those of mortal kind.
O, vernal queen, whom grassy plains delight, sweet to the smell, and pleasing to the sight:
Whose holy form in budding fruits we view, Earth's vig'rous offspring of a various hue:
Espous'd in Autumn: life and death alone to wretched mortals from thy power is known:
For thine the task according to thy will, life to produce, and all that lives to kill.
Hear, blessed Goddess, send a rich increase of various fruits from earth, with lovely Peace;
Send Health with gentle hand, and crown my life with blest abundance, free from noisy strife;
Last in extreme old age the prey of Death, dismiss we willing to the realms beneath,
To thy fair palace, and the blissful plains where happy spirits dwell, and Pluto [Plouton] reigns
[29] XXIX. TO BACCHUS [DIONYSOS]
The Fumigation from Storax.
Bacchus [Dionysos] I call, loud-sounding and divine, fanatic God, a two-fold shape is thine:
Thy various names and attributes I sing, O, first-born, thrice begotten, Bacchic king:
Rural, ineffable, two-form'd, obscure, two-horn'd, with ivy crown'd, euion, pure.
Bull-fac'd, and martial, bearer of the vine, endu'd with counsel prudent [Eubouleos] and divine:
Triennial, whom the leaves of vines adorn, of Jove [Zeus] and Proserpine [Persephoneia], occultly born.
Immortal dæmon, hear my suppliant voice, give me in blameless plenty to rejoice;
And listen gracious to my mystic pray'r, surrounded with thy choir of nurses fair.
Bacchus [Dionysos] I call, loud-sounding and divine, fanatic God, a two-fold shape is thine:
Thy various names and attributes I sing, O, first-born, thrice begotten, Bacchic king:
Rural, ineffable, two-form'd, obscure, two-horn'd, with ivy crown'd, euion, pure.
Bull-fac'd, and martial, bearer of the vine, endu'd with counsel prudent [Eubouleos] and divine:
Triennial, whom the leaves of vines adorn, of Jove [Zeus] and Proserpine [Persephoneia], occultly born.
Immortal dæmon, hear my suppliant voice, give me in blameless plenty to rejoice;
And listen gracious to my mystic pray'r, surrounded with thy choir of nurses fair.
30] XXX. TO THE CURETES [KOURETES]
A Hymn.
Leaping Curetes, who with dancing feet and circling measures, armed footsteps beat:
Whose bosom's mad, fanatic transports fire, who move in rythm to the founding lyre:
Who traces deaf when lightly leaping tread, arm bearers, strong defenders, rulers dread:
Propitious omens, guards of Proserpine [Persephone] preserving rites, mysterious and divine
Come, and benevolent my words attend, (in herds rejoicing), and my life defend.
Leaping Curetes, who with dancing feet and circling measures, armed footsteps beat:
Whose bosom's mad, fanatic transports fire, who move in rythm to the founding lyre:
Who traces deaf when lightly leaping tread, arm bearers, strong defenders, rulers dread:
Propitious omens, guards of Proserpine [Persephone] preserving rites, mysterious and divine
Come, and benevolent my words attend, (in herds rejoicing), and my life defend.
[38] XXXVIII. O CORYBAS [KORYBAS]
The Fumigation from Frankincense.
The mighty ruler of this earthly ball, for ever flowing, to these rites I call;
Martial and blest, unseen by mortal sight, preventing fears, and pleas'd with gloomy night:
Hence, fancy's terrors are by thee allay'd, all-various king, who lov'st the desart shade:
Each of thy brothers killing, blood is thine, two-fold Curete [Kourete], many-form'd, divine.
By thee transmuted Ceres' [Deo's] body pure, became a dragon's savage and obscure:
Avert thy anger, hear me when I pray, and by fix'd fate, drive fancy's fears away.
The mighty ruler of this earthly ball, for ever flowing, to these rites I call;
Martial and blest, unseen by mortal sight, preventing fears, and pleas'd with gloomy night:
Hence, fancy's terrors are by thee allay'd, all-various king, who lov'st the desart shade:
Each of thy brothers killing, blood is thine, two-fold Curete [Kourete], many-form'd, divine.
By thee transmuted Ceres' [Deo's] body pure, became a dragon's savage and obscure:
Avert thy anger, hear me when I pray, and by fix'd fate, drive fancy's fears away.
[39] XXXIX. TO CERES [DEMETER ELEUSINIA]
The Fumigation from Storax.
O Universal mother, Ceres [Deo] fam'd august, the source of wealth, and various nam'd:
Great nurse, all-bounteous, blessed and divine, who joy'st in peace, to nourish corn is thine:
Goddess of seed, of fruits abundant, fair, harvest and threshing, are thy constant care;
Who dwell'st in Eleusina's seats retir'd, lovely, delightful queen, by all desir'd.
Nurse of all mortals, whose benignant mind, first ploughing oxen to the yoke confin'd;
And gave to men, what nature's wants require, with plenteous means of bliss which all desire.
In verdure flourishing in honor bright, assessor of great Bacchus [Bromios], bearing light:
Rejoicing in the reapers sickles, kind, whose nature lucid, earthly, pure, we find.
Prolific, venerable, Nurse divine, thy daughter loving, holy Proserpine [Koure]:
A car with dragons yok'd, 'tis thine to guide, and orgies singing round thy throne to ride:
Only-begotten, much-producing queen, all flowers are thine and fruits of lovely green.
Bright Goddess, come, with Summer's rich increase swelling and pregnant, leading smiling Peace;
Come, with fair Concord and imperial Health, and join with these a needful store of wealth.
O Universal mother, Ceres [Deo] fam'd august, the source of wealth, and various nam'd:
Great nurse, all-bounteous, blessed and divine, who joy'st in peace, to nourish corn is thine:
Goddess of seed, of fruits abundant, fair, harvest and threshing, are thy constant care;
Who dwell'st in Eleusina's seats retir'd, lovely, delightful queen, by all desir'd.
Nurse of all mortals, whose benignant mind, first ploughing oxen to the yoke confin'd;
And gave to men, what nature's wants require, with plenteous means of bliss which all desire.
In verdure flourishing in honor bright, assessor of great Bacchus [Bromios], bearing light:
Rejoicing in the reapers sickles, kind, whose nature lucid, earthly, pure, we find.
Prolific, venerable, Nurse divine, thy daughter loving, holy Proserpine [Koure]:
A car with dragons yok'd, 'tis thine to guide, and orgies singing round thy throne to ride:
Only-begotten, much-producing queen, all flowers are thine and fruits of lovely green.
Bright Goddess, come, with Summer's rich increase swelling and pregnant, leading smiling Peace;
Come, with fair Concord and imperial Health, and join with these a needful store of wealth.
[40] XL. TO THE CERALIAN MOTHER [METER ANTAIA]
The Fumigation from Aromatics.
Ceralian [Antaia] queen, of celebrated name, from whom both men, and Gods immortal came;
Who widely wand'ring once, oppress'd with grief, in Eleusina's valley found'st relief,
Discovering Proserpine [Persephone] thy daughter pure in dread Avernus [Aides], dismal and obscure;
A sacred youth while thro' the world you stray Bacchus [Dysaulos], attending leader of the way;
The holy marriage of terrestrial Jove [Zeus Khthonios] relating, while oppress'd with grief you rove;
Come, much invok'd, and to these rites inclin'd, thy mystic suppliant bless, with fav'ring mind.
Ceralian [Antaia] queen, of celebrated name, from whom both men, and Gods immortal came;
Who widely wand'ring once, oppress'd with grief, in Eleusina's valley found'st relief,
Discovering Proserpine [Persephone] thy daughter pure in dread Avernus [Aides], dismal and obscure;
A sacred youth while thro' the world you stray Bacchus [Dysaulos], attending leader of the way;
The holy marriage of terrestrial Jove [Zeus Khthonios] relating, while oppress'd with grief you rove;
Come, much invok'd, and to these rites inclin'd, thy mystic suppliant bless, with fav'ring mind.
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