Epithets of Artemis (fromthereflect her role as a hunter, savior, and deliverer.

Note: An "epithet" is a descriptive title for a God or Goddess, for example, "The Sultan of Swat" is an epithet for the legendary baseball player Babe Ruth.

 
ἅγγελος - messenger, envoy, one that announces or tells (of birds of augury); angel; title of Artemis at Syracuse

ἅγιος - sacred, holy, pure; the Holy Spirit; title of Artemis at Ephesus

άγνος - chaste, pure, holy; mostly of Artemis

άγοραῖος - in, of, or belonging to the agora (marketplace); as patron, guardian, an epithet of Artemis and Athena

ἅγρα - hunting, the chase; the precinct of Artemis Agra

άγραῖος - of the chase; epithet of Apollo and Artemis

άγρεσιθηρα - hunt wild beasts; epithet of Artemis

Άγροτέρα - religious-title of Artemis, worshipped at Agra in Attica: "Goddess of the countryside, the wilds"

άγρότης - country-dweller, hunter; i.e. Artemis

Αιθόπία - epithet of Artemis (Ethiopia, dark-complexion)

άκροβάτης - acrobat; as a functionary in the religious worship of Artemis

άλεξιμορος - warding off death; i.e. Apollo, Artemis, Athena

άμβρότερος - immortal, of Artemis

άμφίπῠρος - with twin fires; of Artemis as bearing a torch in either hand

άμφιφῶν - cake offered to Munychian Artemis by double light, i.e. either surrounded by lighted tapers, or offered when sun and moon were both visible

Άναείτεια - festival of Artemis Anaitis (Anita)

άποβᾰτήριος - of Zeus, of Artemis as protector of persons landing, dismounting

άργυρόπεζα - silver-footed (or sandaled); of Thetis, of Aphrodite, of Artemis

Άρίστη - to be best, to be bravest; (source of the word "aristocrat"); epithet of Artemis

άριστόβουλος - best in counsel; epithet of Artemis at Melite

ἅρκος - servant of Artemis

ἅρκτος - bear; at Athens a girl appointed to the service of Artemis Brauronia

άρτεμής - safe and sound

Ἅρτεμις - Artemis

Άρτεμισιασταί - worshippers of Artemis at Athens

Άρτεμίσιον - festival of Artemis

Άρτεμίσιον - small figure of Artemis

άρχηγέτης - first leader, author, founder of a city or family, chief ruler, first cause, originator; of Artemis

άρωγή - aid, succour; of Apollo and Artemis

Άστιάς - star-like; epithet of Artemis at Iasos

ἅσῦλος - a refuge, right of sanctuary; epithet of Artemis

Αύλιδεία - of an enclosed courtyard; of the place of athletic exercise; of the aulos (reed pipe); title of Artemis

αύξήτειρα - she who gives growth or increase; of Artemis

βέλος - missile, arrow, dart; sudden, easy death of men (epith. of Apollo) and women (epith. of Artemis)

Βενδῖς - Bendis, the Thracian Artemis, worshipped under this name at Piraeus

Βλαγανῖτις - epithet of Artemis at Macedonia

Βορθεία - Goddess of the North; title of Artemis

βουλαῖς - of the Council; of Zeus, Athena, Artemis, Themis

βουληφόρος - advising, a constant epithet of leaders; a title of Artemis

βοῶπις - having large, full eyes; of Artemis

Βραυρωνία - title of Artemis

βρέτας - wooden; British; of a statue of Artemis

Βρῐτόμαρτις - name of Artemis in Crete

Δίκτυννα - epithet of Artemis as Goddess of the nets, of the chase

δρυμόνιος - of the woods; epithet of Artemis

Έκάεργος - Pythagorean name for nine; epithet of Artemis

έκᾰτος - one hundred; epithet of Artemis

εκβατήριος - a sacrifice offered for escape; epithet of Artemis at Siphnos

εκηβολος - attaining his/her aim; of Apollo and Artemis

έλάτειρα - driver, charioteer; of Artemis

έλᾰφηβόλος - shooting deer; of Artemis

έλειος - of the marsh or meadow; title of Artemis

Έλευσίνιος - of Eleusis, title of Zeus in Ionia, of Artemis in Sicily and Antioch, but mostly of Demeter

ένδρομίς - a sort of high shoe worn by Artemis in the chase

έπαυλία - encamp on the field; epithet of Artemis

έπήκοος - listening, giving ear to, listening to prayer; epithet of Artemis

έπίδημος - sojourning in a place other than home; of Artemis

έσσήν - priest of Artemis of Ephesus, king

εὕκλειᾰ - good repute, glory; title of Artemis in Boeotia

Εύλοχία - helping in childbirth; epithet of Artemis

εὕσκοπος - keen-sighted, watchful (of Artemis); far-seen (of stars and light); shooting well, of unerring aim

εύστέφᾰνος - well-crowned; epithet of Artemis

εύώνυμος - of good name, honored; epithet of Artemis

Ἕφεσος - Ephesus; epithet of Artemis

Έφοδία - for a journey; title of Artemis

ήγεμόνη - queen; epithet of Artemis

Ήμερασία - of the day; epithet of Artemis in Arcadia

Θαργήλια - a festival of Apollo and Artemis held in the month Thargelion

Θέρμιος - hot; title of Apollo and Artemis

θηροκτόνος - killing wild beasts; epithet of Heracles and Artemis

θηροσκόπος - looking for wild beasts; epithet of Artemis

Θροσία - bold; epithet of Artemis

ίατρος - one who heals, physician or surgeon; of Asclepius, Apollo, Artemis, Aphrodite

ιθυβέλεια - straight-shooter; of Artemis

ίοχέαιρα - shooter of arrows; epithet of Artemis

ίπποσόας - driving horses; epithet of Artemis

ίφίγένεια - strong-born, mighty; epithet of Artemis

καθίδρυσις- settle, establish, foundation-festival; of Artemis (perhaps related to establishing an independent settlement)

καλαβοίδια - hymns in honor of Artemis

Καλαοίδια - festival of Artemis in Laconia

καλός - beautiful; epithet of Artemis

καπροφάγος - eating boar's flesh; epithet of Artemis at Samos (note here that kapro- means pig, not goat, lending skepticism to the goat depicted in the constellation Kapricorn)

Κᾰρύαι - Caryae, a place in Laconia with a famous temple of Artemis

Κᾰρῠάτεια - festival of Artemis

κληρονόμος - designated holder or possessor of an estate;  of Artemis of Ephesus

κλήσιος - either fame-bringing or one who unlocks; epithet of Artemis

κόρδαξ - a dance of old comedy regarded as indecent; in religious worship of Artemis

κόρη - daughter, girl

Κορία - title of Artemis in Arcadia

Κορυθαλια - title of Artemis at Sparta

Κρατεανος - strong, mighty, powerful; of Artemis

κυνηγέτης - hunter; epithet of Artemis

λαθριος - secretive; epithet of Artemis

Λευκιανή - white; epithet of Artemis

λέων - lion; metaphor of Artemis

λιμενίτης - Goddess of the harbor; of Artemis

Λοχεία - Goddess of parturition, safe child-birth; title of Artemis

λυσιέθειρα - loosing the zone of child-birth, assisting women in travail; of Eileithyia and Artemis

μέλισσα - priestesses of Delphi, of Demeter, and of Artemis

Μηδεια - epithet of Artemis

μογοστόκος - Goddess of birth-pangs; epithet of Eileithyia and Artemis

νυκτιπολος - roaming by night; of Artemis

Όρθεία - tall, straight, upright; epithet of Artemis in Laconia and Arcadia

παίαν - paean, choral song addressed to Apollo or Artemis

παιδοτροφος - nourishing young life; title of Artemis in Messenia

Παμφυλαία - of all the tribes or races; religious title of Artemis

Παναχαιοί - of all the Achaeans; epithet of Demeter, of Artemis, of Athena

παράλιος - by the sea; title of Artemis

Παρθενος - Virgin Goddess; of Athena, of Artemis

πασικράτεια - universal queen; identified with Artemis

Περσικός - of Persia; epithet of Artemis

ποτνια - queen; of Artemis

προστατήριος - standing before, protecting; of Artemis

προτοθρόνιος - filling the first seat; epithet of Artemis

Πύθίa - Pythia, epithet of Artemis

Πυρωνία - presiding over the purchase of wheat; epithet of Artemis

Πωλω - of horse-rearing or breeding; epithet of Artemis

Σκιρίδαι - worshippers or priests of Artemis (Spartan)

Σκοπελία - of a lookout place; religious title of Artemis

σοωδίνη - saving in travail; epithet of Artemis

σφραγίς - tablet of Lemnian medicinal earth certified as such by bearing the impression of the seal of the Lemnian priestess of Artemis

σωσικόλωνος - savior of the colony; epithet of Artemis

σώτειρα - savior; epithet of Themis, of Eunomia, of Athena, of Artemis, of Hecate, of Rhea, of Demeter

σωτηριασταί - worshippers of Artemis

Ταυροπόλια - festival of Artemis Tauropolos; temple of Artemis

Ταυρώ - a name of Artemis

τεμενιος - of land dedicated to a God or Goddess, designated as sacred; epithet of Hestia and Artemis

τοξαλκέτης - mighty with the bow; of Apollo and Artemis

τριθάλεια - thrice-blooming; epithet of Artemis

τρικλαρία - epithet of Artemis in Achaea

ύπομηλίς - service-berry, Sorbum tominale; of gold objects in imitation of the fruit used to adorn Artemis

φαεσφορος - light-bringing; of Artemis

φίλατεμις - lover of Artemis

φοίβη - epithet of Artemis

χρυσάορος- with sword of gold; epithet of Apollo, of Demeter, of Artemis; of Orpheus; of Zeus

χρυσεος - golden; of Artemis

χρυσοθρονος - with throne of gold; epithet of Hera, Artemis, and Eos

ώκυλόχεια - giving a quick birth; of Artemis

ώκυτοκος - causing quick and easy birth (i.e. Artemis)

Ώπις - title of Artemis





36. Ἀρτέμιδος, θυμίαμα μάνναν.


Κλῦθί μου, ὦ βασίλεια, Διὸς πολυώνυμε κούρη, 

Τιτανίς, βρομία, μεγαλώνυμε, τοξότι, σεμνή, 

πασιφαής, δαιδοῦχε, θεά Δίκτυννα, λοχείη, 

ὠδίνων ἐπαρωγὲ καὶ ὠδίνων ἀμύητε, 

λυσίζωνε, φίλοιστρε, κυνηγέτι, λυσιμέριμνε, 

εὔδρομε, ἰοχέαιρα, φιλαγρότι, νυκτερόφοιτε, 

κληισία, εὐάντητε, λυτηρία, ἀρσενόμορφε, 

Ὀρθίη, ὠκυλόχεια, βροτῶν κουροτρόφε δαῖμον, 

ἀμβροτέρα, χθονία, θηροκτόνε, ὀλβιόμοιρε, 

ἣ κατέχεις ὀρέων δρυμούς, ἐλαφηβόλε, σεμνή, 

πότνια, παμβασίλεια, καλὸν θάλος αἰὲν ἐοῦσα, 

δρυμονία, σκυλακῖτι, Κυδωνιάς, αἰολόμορφε· 

ἐλθέ, θεὰ σώτειρα, φίλη, μύστηισιν ἅπασιν 

εὐάντητος, ἄγουσα καλοὺς καρποὺς ἀπὸ γαίης 

εἰρήνην τ' ἐρατὴν καλλιπλόκαμόν θ' ὑγίειαν· 

πέμποις δ' εἰς ὀρέων κεφαλὰς νούσους τε καὶ ἄλγη. 

Scene 2 of #Torchbearer

by Catherine Proppe

The women each plucked a single leaf from the eucalyptus tree outside the amphitheater, crushed it between their fingers, and tossed it onto the hearth fire on stage, an offering to Hestia. Helen pantomimed lighting the hearth fire with the torch she carried and then posed center stage, still holding the torch overhead. Agnes sank into a seat near the tenth row while Sophia scanned the scene with a practiced eye.

Everyone looked busy, very busy, so busy that she suspected someone had alerted them to her approach, but that was okay. She had to inspire fear to get them to perform the heights of perfection required.

The chorus rehearsed under the practiced eye of the choreographer, circling and stepping in the ancient steps passed down for generations. The orchestra had broken up into section drills, lyres in one section, flutes in another, percussionists in the stands. Carpenters hammered and sawed away at scenery props, competing with the orchestra for dominance.

She clapped her hands twice. Instantly, the sounds fell away. The dancers ceased. All eyes turned to her, all eyes but Helen’s. She stood poised in front.

“That will do for now, Helen,” Sophia said. Helen relaxed visibly. She rushed over to join her grandmother in the seating area and rested her head on her grandmother’s shoulder. Agnes gently massaged her torchbearing arm.

“This is a disaster,” said Sophia, her clear voice carrying perfectly throughout the 20,000 seat amphitheater. “Nothing is right. Don’t plan on being home for dinner tonight. Let’s get on with it.”

Several stage managers approached Sophia with reports and she disappeared into her creation.

Torchbearer  

by Catherine Proppe  
(November 2013)


"Keep your arm up. Keep it up!"

Helen was walking about ten yards ahead, her right arm extended straight up, holding an unlit torch.

"Tell here she needs to drop her shoulders down and back," Agnes instructed Sophia. But before Sophia could shout the directive, Helen's shoulders melted down and back, as if by magic, and her arm extended higher than it had all afternoon. The two women scanned the crowd at the marketplace to discover the source of her transformation. (Describe crowd here.) 

Sure enough, taller than most boys his age, his face framed in dark curls, a young man stood with his eyes locked on Helen, an unabashed smile on his face. Helen's face turned ever-so-slightly toward him as they passed.

"And that works, too," said Agnes. "She could do worse."

"She could do better," said Sophia.

"You must begin Eirene's grammar lessons tomorrow," murmured Agnes.

"The festival commences in two weeks, Mother," Sophia objected. Dress rehearsals would begin in a week and she'd just found out her Aphrodite was hobbling around after twisting her ankle in a race. There were a million details with the costumes and her special effects crew wanted to try something new this year that could blow up half the audience. It wasn't the best time to be distracted with teaching her youngest daughter the alphabet.

"She is seven now, and the new moon is tonight. It is best to begin on the new moon," said Agnes. She looked into her daughter's face. "What are you so worried about? I will teach her. You have too much to do. I am her grandmother. I will teach her. Look, Helen's arm is sagging again."

"Keep it up!" Sophia shouted.

The Liddell-Scott Lexicon describes daimon (δαίμων) as God, Goddess, "but more frequently the unspecified agency affecting human fortunes," the Divine power; divine power, Divinity, fortune, lot, good or ill fortune, spiritual being, "the Good Genius to whom a toast was drunk after dinner."

The Lexicon defines daimonios (δαιμόνιος) as miraculous, marvelous, heaven-sent, by Divine power.

This particular hymn appears to be specifically about contraception.

This hymn seems to be about the way the urge-to-merge gets off-course, wanders off-course and then advises the use of a drug to induce abortion in order to restore a happy, sweet, good, complete life. The drug should be taken following a moment of passion.

This seems to a hymn about the Original Plan B.


Progestogens are a form of hormonal contraception. Progeustees (προγεύστης) means one who tastes before. Note that geuo (γεύω) means taste: literally "generative essence pure brings-forth," perhaps a euphemistic description of oral sex?


This may be a hymn about inducing/bringing about menstruation: directing (Δ) + blood (αίμονα).

If the Orphic Hymns are the hymns of the Eleusinian Mysteries of Demeter, this is consistent with the scene in the Homeric Hymn to Demeter when she drinks a drink flavored with pennyroyal, Mentha pulegium as well as the association of pomegranates with Demeter and her daughter, Kore.


Citing Lucia Nixon, “The Cults of Demeter and Kore,” Women in Antiquity:

“In the HHD (Homeric Hymn to Demeter), Demeter requests a drink, kykeon, made of barley meal, water, and tender pennyroyal, Mentha pulegium L. The text is clear as to the species, and translators do no service by rendering it simply as mint. Aritosphanes makes it clear that he and his audience know of its use as an anti-fertility drug. In the Hippocratic Corpus, pennyroyal is recommended for opening the uterus for various reasons: preconceptual purgation, hysteria, emmenagogue, expulsion (of foetus/afterbirth), and stimulation of lochia. Dioscorides, Pliny, and Galen also recommend it as emmenagogue and abortifacent . . .

“Pennyroyal and its extract, ketone pulegone, work by stimulating contractions of the uterus, hence its use in preventing or ending pregnancy. It can also be used to strengthen contractions in labour, to help expel the placenta, and to assist the involution of the uterus after birth, though these uses are not specifically mentioned in ancient sources.”  p. 85

“Towards the end of the poem Persephone tells Demeter that Hades tricked her and forced her to eat a pomegranate seed . . . Like pennyroyal, pomegranate is used for expulsion (of foetus/afterbirth) . . . Soranus is very clear on the main use of pomegranate: he lists no fewer than five different prescriptions for contraceptive pessaries . . . It is now known that the pomegranate contains female sex hormones, hence its effectiveness as a contraceptive.

“According to the Hippocratic Corpus, pine resin(from Pinus brutia, laricio, halepensis, pinea) is one of several emollient pharmaka that bring on strong katharsin (usually meaning cleaning of the uterus through menstruation) . . . Dioscorides says that pine products are abortifacient . . . Soranus says that pine bark can prevent pregnancy.” [Note: This may explain the pine-tipped staffs of Bacchantes, the thyrsus.]

“(Pennyroyal, pomegranate, pine, and vitex) could provide an easily accessible way for women to regulate every stage of their reproductive lives (menstruation, conception, abortion, delivery, lactation, and possibly menopause) . . . women knew that fertility was a matter of choice, and that they were only as fertile as they wanted to be.”

Lucia Nixon, “The Cults of Demeter and Kore,” Women in Antiquity: New Assessments, edited by Richard Hawley and Barbara Levick. (London and New York: Routledge, 1995), 85-88.

http://books.google.com/books?id=mYJYeV7gNk8C&q=pennyroyal#v=snippet&q=pennyroyal&f=false



73. Δαίμονος, - Daimonos; Divine-Power; perhaps (directing (Δ) + blood (αίμονος))
θυμίαμα - incense
λίβανον. - of Lebanon, frankincense

Δαίμονα - Daimona, Divine-Power 
κικλήσκω - call, summon, invite, implore, call by name, unlock
μεγάλαν - mega, magnificent, great, majestic, splendid, majesty, exalted
ἡγήτορα - guide, leader, commander, chief; that which guides, that which leads
φρικτόν, - to be shuddered at, awe-inspiring, inspiring religious awe, shivering

μειλίχιον - gentle, soothing, mild, gracious, gentle, mild, kind
Δία, - Dia, Goddess, God; through, by, in a line from/through; directing divine power
παγγενέτην, - all-geniten, all-parent, all-creator, all-generative
βιοδώτορα - life (βιο) + giver, bestower (δώτορα)
θνητῶν, - of mortals  (bestowing life on mortals)

Ζῆνα - Zeus (fem.), divine spark of fire/life, male fertilizing principle. Note that: Ζήνιον means rain.  ζησις means vitalization. ζη is the imperative of ζω (life).  
μέγαν, - great, mega, majestic, magnificent, majesty
πολύπλαγκτον, - many, multi, much, poli (πολύ) + wandering, roving, roaming; moving; off-course, astray, sideways (πλαγκτον) (here is the reference to fertility gone astray)
ἀλάστορα, - "avenging spirit or deity;" salt/sea ruler; (basis for the word "alas!") = arising loosen (ἀλά) + make a bed, spread smooth, level, smooth out, make calm (στορα), so, disturb what is level (note that στορα means synchronized (σ) + piercing (τορα))
παμβασιλῆα, - all (παμ) + Basileea, Queen, ruler, basis (βασιλῆα) = all-powerful Queen, ruler, monarch (epitaph of P(h)ersephone, Goddess of Afterlife and new life in spring)

πλουτοδότην, - wealth (πλουτο) + giving (δότην) = giver of riches/wealth
ὁπόταν - when, in circumstances in which, whensoever
γε - Ge, Goddess of generative earth
βρυάζων - swell, teem, be pregnant, bubble up (literally basis outflow (βρ) +
of life (ζων)) 
οἶκον - house, house of, home, dwelling place (entity core)
ἐσέλθηι, - essence of (ἐ) + the moon/Selene (σέλ) + divine (θηι) 

ἔμπαλι - within (ἔμ) + again, renewal (παλι) 
δὲ - of, from
τρύχοντα - waste away, consume, exhaust, wane
βίον - of life 
θνητῶν - of mortals
πολυμόχθων· - many, multi, much, poli (πολυ) + suffering, toil, hardship, distress (μόχθων)

ἐν - in
σοὶ - thou, together with
γὰρ - generate
λύπης - pain, distress, grief, sad plight or condition (loosen (λ) + underlying, what lies beneath (ύπης))
τε - too then
χαρᾶς - cheer, joy, delight
κληῖδες - unlock, key-to, opening (core loosen) (κλη) + ideas (ῖδες)
ὀχοῦνται. - foundation (ὀχ) + on account of which, wherefore, because; certainly, in fact, really (οῦν) + therefore, too then (ται) = "to be carried or brought to; rest on"

τοιγάρ - therefore, accordingly, well then = too then (τοι) + generate (γάρ) 
τοι, - too then
μάκαρ, - happy, blessed 
ἁγνέ, - pure 
πολύστονα - many, multi, much, poli (πολύ) + sighing, mournful (στονα = synchronized (σ) + tones (τονα))
κήδε’ - funeral rites, mourning, anxiety, grief = (core (κ) + knowledge (ήδε’))
ἐλάσσας, - set in motion, release

ὅσσα - voice, sound, prophecy; see with two eyes
βιοφθορίην - Bio cessation = life (βιο) + abortion, miscarriage, death, ceasing to be, deterioration, "esp. of means to produce abortion" (φθορίην) (Note that phthoreion (φθορειον) is a drug for producing abortion = nature's (φ) + semen (θορειον).)
πέμπει - send on a journey, send word, send
κατὰ - pure
γαῖαν - of earth, of Gaia, Goddess of earth
ἅπασαν, - arising above all

ἔνδοξον - held in esteem or honor, of high repute, distinction, glory; plausible, generally approved, popular = en (ἔν) + expectation, judgment, opinion, reputation (δοξον) 
βιοτῆς - life supporting
γλυκερὸν - sweet
τέλος - complete
ἐσθλὸν - good, goodness
ὀπάζοις. - bid another to follow, give, grant, give besides, add to, send with, take as a companion; follow, chase = entity (ὀ) + under-the-same-roof-with (πά) + spark of fire/life (ζοις) (Note that pazois (πάζοις) is probably the foundation for the word "passion." Pazzo means "crazy" in Italian, consistent with "passion." Pazo means "grand home," consistent with the "under the same roof" meaning.) 

This is a first-pass attempt to translate the Orphic Hymn to Death with the aid of the Liddell-Scott Greek-English Lexicon.

Death is the difference between mortality and immortality, the defining difference between the mortal and the divine.

The God of death, Thanatos (Θανατος), literally means "divine (Θ)
 prevailing (ν)."  The letter N ν is symbolic of the tipping-point: death is the point that distinguishes mortals from the divine. The mortal's slice of time gives way to the eternal.

Aeschylus, Fragment 82 Niobe (from Stobaeus, Anthology 4. 51. 1) (trans. Weir Smyth) (Greek tragedy C5th B.C.E.) :
"For, alone of [G]ods [and Goddesses], Thanatos (God of Death) loves not gifts; no, not by sacrifice, nor by libation, canst thou aught avail with him; he hath no altar nor hath he hymn of praise; from him, alone of [G]ods [and Goddesses], Peitho (Goddess of Persuasion) stands aloof."

Death here is described as part of Nature's (Phusis') course, the natural progression.

Nonnus, Dionysiaca 2. 650 ff (trans. Rouse) (Greek epic C5th CE.) :
"Then Phusis (Goddess of Nature), who governs the universe and recreates its substance..."


87. Θανάτου, - Thanatos, God of Death, brother of the God Hypnos (Sleep) 
θυμίαμα - incense
μάνναν. - manna, granules of frankincense

Κλῦθί - call, unlock
μευ, - crescent moon, month, moon, ornament in shape of crescent moon
ὃς - entity
πάντων - all
θνητῶν - mortal, liable to death, mortality
οἴηκα - steer, govern, guide, manage (probably saying that the moon governs mortals)
κρατύνεις - rule, control, govern; strengthen, wax strong, harden; become master, get possession of; strong, mighty, strength, firmness

πᾶσι - all
διδοὺς - give, offer, grant, assign; twin, double, two; instruct, teach
χρόνον - time, chronology, of the God of time, Chronos
ἁγνόν, - pure
ὅσων - of such and such a size or number, as loud as, as great as; the two eyes, eye; presage, see
πόρρωθεν - "from afar, from a distant point" = means of passage; porous, opening (πόρ) + nose, nostrils (ρωθεν) 
ὑπάρχεις· - beginning, afresh, anew, underlying = beneath (ὑπ) + foundation (άρχεις) 

σὸς - thy, thine, thee; together with
γὰρ - generate
ὕπνος - sleep, Hypnos, God of sleep
ψυχὴν - of the soul, Psyche, Goddess of the soul
θραύει - break down, enfeeble, break up, dissolve
καὶ - and
σώματος - body
ὁλκόν, - drawing to oneself, attractive, absorbent; to be attracted, having a propensity; machine for hauling ships on land, furrow, track, trace, drawn along, aqueduct, trail

ἡνίκ’ - at the time when, while, whenever, when, at which point in time
ἂν - arising
ἐκλύηις - out of, bring out (ἐκ) + dissolution, separation (λύηις) 
φύσεως - nature, Phusis, Goddess of nature, in the course of nature
κεκρατημένα - "in a masterly manner, vigorously, positively" = hide, cover (κεκρα) + toga? (τημένα) 
δεσμὰ - bind, fetter, put in chains, tie together

τὸν - tone, stretch, capable of extension, extending
μακρὸν - happily
ζώιοισι - life, zoe (ζώ) + one, violet, rust, poison, arrow (ιοισι)
φέρων - brings, bears
αἰώνιον - eternal
ὕπνον, - sleep

κοινὸς - common, share in common
μὲν - strength, passion
πάντων, - all
ἄδικος - arising above justice
δ’ - of, from
ἐνίοισιν - at times, sometimes + together with
ὑπάρχων, - underlying (ὑπ) + foundation (άρχων) = begin, take the initiative, be the beginning, to be already in existence

ἐν - in
ταχυτῆτι - quickly, swiftly
βίου - life
παύων -pauses, make to end, bring to an end, stop, cease, leave off
νεοήλικας - new, neo- (νεο) + as big as, as old as, how big, how great, how small (ήλικας) 
ἀκμάς· - seasonable; acme, point, edge, highest or culminating point of anything (flower, prime, zenith), in full bloom

ἐν - in
σοὶ - thy, thine, thee, thou; togetherγὰρ - generate
μούνωι - alone, solitary, one
πάντων - all
τὸ - too then
κριθὲν - barley, like barley, barley-corn, grain 
τελεοῦται· - full, complete, fulfill, perfect; mysteries, theological doctrine, initiation into the mysteries (probably an allusion to the role of corn in the Eleusinian Mysteries of the Goddess Demeter and the promise of an afterlife)

οὔτε - neither . . . nor then; both not
γὰρ - generate
εὐχαῖσιν - essence pure (εὐ) + genuine, true, good (χαῖσιν) 
πείθηι - Peitho, Goddess of persuasion
μόνος - alone
οὔτε - neither . . . nor then; both not
λιταῖσιν. - prayer, entreaty

ἀλλά, - but
μάκαρ, - happily, blessedly
μακροῖσι - long, macro
χρόνοις - time
ζωῆς - life
σε - thou, together with
πελάζειν - approach, draw near, come nigh

αἰτοῦμαι, - borrow, beg, ask, demand, request, beg; allege, cause, explain, be responsible for
θυσίαισι - burnt-offering, sacrifice, offering
καὶ - and
εὐχωλαῖς - prayers, vows, votive offerings
λιτανεύων, - pray, entreat; religious procession or other ceremony

ὡς - bring forth
ἂν - arising
ἔοι - is, his, her, entity
γέρας - gift of honor, gift, present, reward, privilege, prerogative
ἐσθλὸν - good, goodness
ἐν - in
ἀνθρώποισι - mortal
τὸ - too then
γῆρας. - old age, geriatric  (poetic play on γέρας, above) 

This is a first-pass attempt to translate the Orphic Hymn to the Nereids, Goddesses of the seas and waters.


Nereids are prevailing Goddesses of the sea and water, similar to Nymphs. Nymphs prevail (N) over specific natural (phusis) phenomena, while Nereids prevail (N) over the direction (d) of water/anything flowing (reos).


24. Νηρηίδων, - Nereids, prevailing Goddesses of the sea
θυμίαμα - incense
ἀρώματα. - aromatic

Νηρέος - Nereos, the God, "old man," of the sea, prevails (Νη) + over anything flowing/water: reos (ρέος)
εἰναλίου - in, on or of (εἰν) + the sea (αλίου) 
νύμφαι - Nymphai, equating Nereids roles with the roles of Nymphs
καλυκώπιδες - cottage, bud, seed-vessel, covering (καλυ) + handle, hilt, oar (κώπιδες) 
ἁγναί, - pure

σφράγιαι - signet, seal, signet-seal; mark; stamp = synchronized (σ) + fence, edge, boundary (φράγιαι) 
βύθιαι, - in the deep, sunken, "base pure"
χοροπαίγμονες, - choral, dance (χορο) + play, sport, game (παίγ) + alone (μονες) = "dancing merrily alone"
ὑγροκέλευθοι, - water, watery, moist (ὑγρο) + road, path, journey, voyage (κέλευθοι)

πεντήκοντα - fifty, penteconta
κόραι - daughters
περὶ - around, all around, peri-
κύμασι - pregnant woman; swollen, undulating, like waves
βακχεύουσαι, - Bacchic, having to do with Bacchos, God of wine, (βακχεύ) + substance, reality (ουσαι) = having to do with the mysteries of Bacchos, Bacchantes

Τριτώνων - Triton, a sea God depicted in art as a mer-man
ἐπ' - upon
ὄχοισιν - chariot, carriage; anything which holds, firm, secure, fixed
ἀγαλλόμεναι - glorify, exalt + power, passion
περὶ - all around, peri- 
νῶτα - the back, ridge, any wide surface

θηροτύποις - "in the form of a beast" = beast, wild animal (θηρο) + blow, beat, effect of a blow or of pressure, impression of a seal, engraved mark, cast, carved figure (τύποις) μορφαῖς, - morph, form, shape, appearance, nature of shape
ὧν - brings-forth prevailing; buy, bargain, bid
βόσκει - feed, nourish, graze; maintain, keep; fodder, pasture
σώματα - bodily, corporeal, of the body
πόντος, - Pontos, God of the sea, personification of the sea, open sea

ἄλλοις - but, alternately, different, elsewhere, in a different place
θ' - divine
οἳ - entity
ναίουσι - dwell, abide, inhabit
βυθόν, - the depths
Τριτώνιον - Tritonion, of the God Triton
οἶδμα, - swelling, swell

ὑδρόδομοι, - hydro, water (ὑδρό) + domicile, house, abode, temple (δομοι) 
σκιρτηταί, - leaper, skittish, unruly, spring-footed, made to leap, bounding, leaping = synchronized (σ) + swelling, knotted, distended (κιρ) + this year/day (τηταί)
ἑλισσόμενοι - whirl, turn, revolve, roll, wind round, turn round, wheel round (ἑλισσό) + strength, passion (μενοι) 
περὶ - all around, peri- 
κῦμα, - swollen, pregnant

ποντοπλάνοι - ponto, sea (ποντο) + wandering, roaming, irregular path (like the  "planets" (πλάνοι) 
δελφῖνες, - dolphins
ἁλιρρόθιοι, - sea (ἁλι) + waves dashing on the beach, breakers, roaring, dashing (ρόθιοι) 
κυαναυγεῖς. - cyan, dark-blue (κυαν) + morning light, dawn, daybreak; gleam, shine (αυγεῖς) 

ὑμᾶς - pure meta: hymn; skin/caul/membrane
κικλήσκω - call, summon, invoke, implore, invite, unlock, call by name
πέμπειν - send, send forward, nominate, send for a purpose, send forth
μύσταις - mystais, initiates in the mysteries
πολὺν - many, multi, poli- 
ὄλβον· - whole life, well-being

ὑμεῖς - pure meta: hymn; skin/caul/membrane (subtle play on ὑμᾶς, above)
γὰρ - generate
πρῶται - firsts, first authors, Proteus, first part, chief actor
τελετὴν - complete, fulfill; rite, initiation in the mysteries, theological doctrines, festival accompanied by mystic rites
ἀνεδείξατε - notify, proclaim, consecrate, public proclamation, declaration, ceremony of coronation, lift up and show
σεμνὴν - solemn, grand, majestic  

εὐιέρου - holy, "fit for sacrifice" = essence pure (εὐ) + holy, sacred (ιέρου) 
Βάκχοιο - of Bacchus, God of wine
καὶ - and
ἁγνῆς - pure
Φερσεφονείης, - Phersephone, Goddess of Afterlife and Spring re-birth, Goddess of Nature (Φ)

Καλλιόπηι - Kalliope, Goddess/Muse of music, song, dance; mother of Orpheus
σὺν - together, in sync with
μητρὶ - the Mother 
καὶ - and 
Ἀπόλλωνι - Apollon, God of inspiration
ἄνακτι. - lord, master, ruler

This is a first-pass attempt to translate the Orphic Hymn to Ocean with the aid of the Liddell-Scott Greek-English Lexicon.


83. Ὠκεανοῦ, - Ocean, God of the Ocean
θυμίαμα - incense
ἀρώματα. - aromatic, spices

Ὠκεανὸν - Ocean
καλέω, - call, release
πατέρ’ - pater, father
ἄφθιτον,- arising above (ἄ) + consumption, decay (φθιτον) 
αἰὲν - eternal
ἐόντα, - essence (of) (ἐ) + the things which actually exist, the present (opposite of the past and future); reality (όντα) 
ἀθανάτων - arising above (ἀ) + death, mortality (θανάτων)
τε - too then
θεῶν - divine, deity
γένεσιν - genitive, creator, parent, father; giving life to, producing
θνητῶν - mortality, death
τ’ - too then
ἀνθρώπων, - of humans, of anthropos

ὃς - entity
περικυμαίνει - having to do with, surrounding (περι) + swells, waves; pregnancy (κυμαίνει) (double-meaning)
γαίης - of earth, of Gaia, Goddess of generative earth 
περιτέρμονα - having to do with, surrounding (περι) + ends, bounds, term (τέρμονα) 
κύκλον· - cycling, encircling

ἐξ - essence detached-from, bring out, release; the number six (presumably because requires a second hand to display six fingers)
οὗπερ - entity pure (οὗ) + all around (περ)
πάντες - all
ποταμοὶ - rivers, potomai
καὶ - and
πᾶσα - all
θάλασσα - seas, Thalassa, Goddess of the sea

καὶ - and
χθόνιοι - foundation divine
γαίης - of generative Earth, Gaia
πηγόρρυτοι - "flow from a spring"? = fix; determine a nativity, irrevocably fixed; frozen (πηγό) + flowing, fluid, liquid (ρρυτοι) = "always flowing"
ἰκμάδες - moisture, moist secretions, wet
ἁγναί. - pure

κλῦθι, - call, unlock, release
μάκαρ, - happy, blessed
πολύολβε, - many, multi (πολύ) + blessings, whole-life (ολβε) θεῶν - of the divine, deities
ἅγνισμα - pure
μέγιστον,- majestic 

τέρμα - terms, bounds, ends
φίλον - of loving 
γαίης, -Gaia, generative Earth 
ἀρχὴ - arising from the foundation
πόλου, - many, multi 
ὑγροκέλευθε, - watery, wet (ὑγρο) + roads, paths (κέλευθε)

ἔλθοις - come, go
εὐμενέων - kindly, graciously
μύσταις - mystai, initiates into the mysteries, mysteries
κεχαρισμένος - core essence + charitable, welcome, gracious, agreeable, favorable + power, might
αἰεί. - eternal 

This is a first-pass attempt to translate the Orphic Hymn to Thalassa/Tethys, Goddess of the Sea. 

Callistratus, Descriptions 7 (trans. Fairbanks) (Greek rhetorician C4th CE.) :
"[From a description of a statue of the bard Orpheus :] You could see the bronze taking on the shape of rivers (potamoi) flowing from their sources toward the singing, and a wave of the sea (thalassa) raising itself aloft for love of the song, and rocks being smitten with the sensation of music, and every plant in its season hastening from its usual abode towards the music of Orpheus."


Thalassa/Tethys is the mother of the sources of fresh water, rivers, springs.



Diodorus Siculus, Library of History 4. 72. 1 : 
"... there were born to Okeanos and Tethys a number of children who gave their names to Rivers (Potamoi)"



22. Θαλάσσης, - Thalassa, Protogonos or primeval Goddess of the Sea, the body of the sea itself; note that al- (
αλ-) is a prefix meaning "sea," so: "divine sea"
θυμίαμα - incense
λιβανομάνναν. - of Lebanon, frankincense in small pieces

Ὠκεανοῦ - Ocean, primeval Titan God of the Sea
καλέω - call, unlock
νύμφην, - nymph, prevailing Goddess
γλαυκώπιδα - light blue, grey (γλαυκώ) + full of springs, gushing (πιδα) 
Τηθύν, - Tethys, Titan Goddess of the sources of fresh water, equated with Thalassa

κυανόπεπλον - cyan, deep blue (κυανό) + robed, cloaked, peplos (πεπλον) 
ἄνασσαν, - queen, lady
εὔτροχα - essence pure (εὔ) + circular, wheeled, wheel-shaped; running, spinning, coursing (τροχα) κυμαίνουσαν, - rise in waves, swell, seethe, undulate; be pregnant (κυμαίν) + substance, essence, true nature (ουσαν) 

αὔραις - exhalation, breeze, movement, aura
ἡδυπνόοισι - sweet (ἡδυ) + breath, wind, blow; smell, fragrant (πνόοισι) 
πατασσομένην - beat, knock; strike, smite; afflict, visit (πατασσο) + powerful, mighty (μένην) 
περὶ - around about
γαῖαν, - earth, Gaia, Goddess of generative earth

θραύουσ' - break, fracture, dissolve, break down, enfeeble
αἰγιαλοῖσι - sea-shore, beach, shore
πέτρηισί - rocky
τε - too then
κύματα - wave, billow; fetus, embryo
μακρά, - long, lengthy

εὐδίνοις - essence pure (εὐ) + whirling, rotation, eddy, whirlpool (δίνοις) 
ἁπαλοῖσι - soft to the touch, tender, gentle, soft
γαληνιόωσα - calm, peace, still, calm, serene
δρόμοισι, - course

ναυσὶν - ship, of ships, nautical
ἀγαλλομένη, - glory, exalt, raise up (ἀγαλλο) + powerful, mighty (μένη) 
θηροτρόφε, - wild beasts (θηρο) + feed, rear, nourish (τρόφε) 
ὑγροκέλευθε, - wet, water, watery (ὑγρο) + road, path (κέλευθε) 

μήτηρ - Mother
μὲν - mighty, powerful
Κύπριδος, - of the Kyprian, of Aphrodite, Goddess of passionate love
μήτηρ - Mother
νεφέων - of clouds, nephele
ἐρεβεννῶν - dark, gloomy; woolly

καὶ - and
πάσης - all, of all
πηγῆς - running water, streams, font, spring
νυμφῶν - of Nymphs, prevailing Goddesses
νασμοῖσι - flowing, flowing stream, flowing spring
βρυούσης· - full to bursting, swell or teem with, to be full of, abounding, burst forth with, gush with

κλῦθί - call, unlock
μου, - meta entity pure
ὦ - bring forth
πολύσεμνε, - exceedingly venerable = multiple, many, poli (πολύ) + solemn, revered, venerated (σεμνε) 
καὶ - and
εὐμενέουσ' - goodwill, favor, gracious, well-disposed, kindly = essence pure (εὐ) + might, force, strength; spirit, passion (μενέουσ) 
ἐπαρήγοις, - come to aid, help = upon (ἐπ) + help, aid, succour (αρήγοις)

εὐθυδρόμοις - running a straight course = essence pure (εὐ) + divine pure (θυ) + course (δρόμοις) 
οὖρον - urine; fair wind; trench, channel; with a fair wind = entity pure flow
ναυσὶν - of ships, nautical
πέμπουσα, - send, conduct (πέμπ) + essence, substance, true nature (ουσα) 
μάκαιρα. - happily: meta(connection) arising kore arising divine-power flow