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.)
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.)
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