32. Ἀθηνᾶς, θυμίαμα ἀρώματα.
To Athena, Divine Connection (Incense) Aromatic
Παλλὰς μουνογενής, μεγάλου Διὸς ἔκγονε σεμνή,
Uniter-of-All[1], only child, majestic Deity’s[2] seminal offspring,
δῖα μάκαιρα θεά, πολεμόκλονε, ὀμβριμόθυμε,
Goddess of felicity in polemic turmoil, mighty, impassioned,
ἄρρητε, ῥητή, μεγαλώνυμε, ἀντροδίαιτε,
Above rationale, rational, of megalithic realm: trench-dwelling,
ἣ διέπεις ὄχθους ὑψαύχενας ἀκρωρείους
And, too, ravaging embankments, passes, mountaintop fortifications,
ἠδ' ὄρεα σκιόεντα, νάπαισί τε σὴν φρένα τέρπεις,
Then at ease in shady mountain valleys,
ὁπλοχαρής, οἰστροῦσα βροτῶν ψυχὰς μανίαισι,
Weapons-graced, arrow-pouring, inspiring mortal souls,
γυμνάζουσα κόρη, φρικώδη θυμὸν ἔχουσα,
Trained, girded daughter, shivering passion held fast,
Γοργοφόνη, φυγόλεκτρε, τεχνῶν μῆτερ πολύολβε,
Gorgon-slaying[3], shunning marriage, technology’s Mother of many blessings,
ὁρμάστειρα, φίλοιστρε κακοῖς, ἀγαθοῖς δὲ φρόνησις·
Spurring on, loving arrows dread, valiant and prudent.
ἄρσην μὲν καὶ θῆλυς ἔφυς, πολεμήτοκε μῆτι,
Male in power and female in nature, warrior born of Counsel[4],
αἰολόμορφε, δράκαινα, φιλένθεε, ἀγλαότιμε,
Variable in form: draconian[5], loving to inspire, gloriously-honored,
Φλεγραίων ὀλέτειρα Γιγάντων, ἱππελάτειρα,
Destroyer of Phlegrian[6] Giants, charioteer,
Τριτογένεια, λύτειρα κακῶν, νικηφόρε δαῖμον,
Born of Triton[7], deliverer from evil, Nike-bearing[8] power,
ἤματα καὶ νύκτας αἰεὶ νεάταισιν ἐν ὥραις,
Day and night eternally in the remotest hour,
κλῦθί μευ εὐχομένου, δὸς δ' εἰρήνην πολύολβον
Hear my prayer, bestow Eirene’s[9] many blessings
καὶ κόρην ἠδ' ὑγίειαν ἐπ' εὐόλβοισιν ἐν ὥραις,
and children, too, and, Hygiea’s[10] blessings in season[11],
γλαυκῶφ', εὑρεσίτεχνε, πολυλλίστη βασίλεια.
O Fierce-eyed, skilled technician, much-enlisted Queen.
[1] Pallas Athena is the unifying immortal Goddess of the State and all its provinces.
[2] Dios is a reference to Zeus.
[3] The Gorgons were a tribe in the Atlas Mountain region of Africa slain by the Amazon warriors (Diodorus of Sicily 3.54.7-3.55.2); a Gorgon is a mythical winged (representing powers of the sky), snake-haired (representing powers of the earth) beast whose face was emblazoned on Athena’s armaments.
[4] Metis is the immortal Goddess of Good Counsel.
[5] Snakes/serpents/dragons are symbols/ambassadors of the divine power of Earth. Pausanias (1.24.5) says the serpent/dragon at the feet of Athena is Erikthonios, the first king of Athens, son of Gaia (Goddess of Earth) and Hephaistos (God of Volcanoes) http://www.theoi.com/Gallery/T1.3.html ; The serpent/dragon of the Acropolis is cited by Philostratus the Elder, Imagines 2.17); Athena, as a defensive maneuver in her war with the Giants, threw the Dragon constellation into heaven and affixed it to the pole (Pseudo-Hyginus, Astronomica 2. 3); Athena instructed Kadmos (founder of Greecian Thebes) to sow dragon teeth as seeds from which the race of the Spartan warriors sprang (Pseudo-Hyginus, Fabulae 178).
[6] Phlegrea is a volcanic region near Naples, Italy.
[7] Apollod. i. 4. § 6; Schol. ad Pind. Ol. vii. 66., Pausanias (2.21.6) says that Athena is sacred to the people of Lake Triton in Libya because she helped Perseus slay the Gorgon Medusa.
[8] Nike is the immortal Goddess of Victory.
[9] Eirene is the immortal Goddess of Peace.
[10] Hygiea is the immortal Goddess of Health.
[11] The Horai are the immortal Goddesses of the Hours/Seasons.