Translated by Catherine Proppe
February 28, 2015
9. Εἰς Σελήνην, θυμίαμα ἀρώματα.
To Selene
Divine connection: aromatics
Κλῦθι, θεὰ βασίλεια, φαεσφόρε, δῖα Σελήνη,
Be open, Goddess Basileia[1], light-bearer, Selene[2],
ταυρόκερως Μήνη, νυκτιδρόμε, ἠεροφοῖτι,
Bullhorned Moon[3], night coursing, air roamer
ἐννυχία, δαιδοῦχε, κόρη, εὐάστερε, Μήνη,
Night’s torchbearer, daughter, astral Moon
αὐξομένη καὶ λειπομένη, θῆλύς τε καὶ ἄρσην,
Growing moon and waning moon, female and male,
αὐγάστειρα, φίλιππε, χρόνου μῆτερ, φερέκαρπε,
Starry light, loving horses, Mother of time, bringing fruition[4],
ἠλεκτρίς, βαρύθυμε, καταυγάστειρα, νυχία,
Electric amber[5] weighty spirit, pure rising starry light of night
πανδερκής, φιλάγρυπνε, καλοῖς ἄστροισι βρύουσα,
All-seeing, fond of the sleepless, beautiful, astral, full
ἡσυχίηι χαίρουσα καὶ εὐφρόνηι ὀλβιομοίρωι,
Silently charming and wise, full life fate
λαμπετίη, χαριδῶτι, τελεσφόρε, νυκτὸς ἄγαλμα,
Lamplight, joygiver, completion bearer, night’s glory
ἀστράρχη, τανύπεπλ', ἑλικοδρόμε, πάνσοφε κούρη,
Astral foundation long-robed, twining course, all-wise Daughter,
ἐλθέ, μάκαιρ', εὔφρων, εὐάστερε, φέγγεϊ τρισσῶι
Come, blessed, wise, starry light three-fold[6]
λαμπομένη, σῴζουσα νέους ἱκέτας σέο κούρη.
Mighty lamplight, save these new suppliants, thou, Daughter.
[1] Basileia means ruler, Queen, the “basis.”
[2] Selene may be translated as “synchronized (Σ) + Hellenes (ελήνη)” because the new crescent moon (aka month) synchronized the calendar (aka kalends) of the Hellenic world.
[3] Moon can be literally translated as medium (Μ) + central (ή) + prevailing (ν) center (η).
[4] Cicero, De Natura Deorum 2. 14 (trans. Rackham) (Roman rhetorician C1st BCE.) : "The Moon’s course also has a sort of winter and summer solstice; and she emits many streams of influence, which supply animal creatures with nourishment and stimulate their growth and which cause plants to flourish and attain maturity."
[5] Amber is a magnetically-charged fossil.
[6] Waxing, full, waning.