This is a first-pass attempt to translate the Orphic Hymn to Hygeia with the help of the Liddell-Scott Greek-English Lexicon.
Literally, Ὑγίεια (Hygieia) means "pure generative divine-power essence."
Hygeia seems to be described in this hymn as having power over both disease and health. She is asked to keep ill-health at bay.
Hygeia is only hated by Hades, the God of the Afterlife (because she keeps death at bay).
Visually, this hymn may have been accompanied by illustrations of people suffering illness and enjoying health.
68. Ὑγείας, - of Hygeia, Goddess of Health
θυμίαμα - incense
μάνναν. - manna, loose in texture, porous - frankincense or granules
Ἱμερόεσσ’, - longed for, yearned after, desired, loved, lovely
ἐρατή, - lovely, beloved
πολυθάλμιε, - many, multi, very, much, poli (πολυ) + sprout, grow, thrive, flourish, bloom (θάλ) + means, medium (μιε)
παμβασίλεια, - all (παμ) + Queen (βασίλεια)
κλῦθι, - call
μάκαιρ’ - happy, blessed
Ὑγίεια, - Hygeia, Goddess of Health
φερόλβιε, - "bringing happiness" = bearing, bringing (φερ) + whole (όλ) + life (βιε)
μῆτερ - mother
ἁπάντων· - of all
ἐκ - out of, forth from
σέο - together; thou
γὰρ - generate, for, because
νοῦσοι - sickness, disease; nurse an illness
μὲν - might, force, certainly
ἀποφθινύθουσι - inspiring (ἀπο) + pine away, waste away, decline, perish, consumptive (φθινύθουσι) = "perish, waste away, destroy utterly"
βροτοῖσι, - humans
πᾶς - all
δὲ - of the, from the
δόμος - house, domicile
θάλλει - grow, sprout, bloom, thrive
πολυγηθὴς - many, multi, poli, much (πολυ) + rejoice, joy, delight (γηθὴς) = "much-cheering, delightful, gladsome"
εἵνεκα - on account of, because of, being
σεῖο, - thou
καὶ - and
τέχναι - art, skill, technology
βρίθουσι· - heavy, weighty, powerful
ποθεῖ - long for, yearn after, desire
δέ - of, from
σε - together, thou
κόσμος, - order, cosmos, world-order, universe
ἄνασσα, - Goddess, Queen, Lady
μοῦνος - one, sole, mono, alone
δὲ - of, from
στυγέει - hated, abhorred, detested (by)
σ’ -
Ἀίδης - Hades, Pluto, God of Afterlife
ψυχοφθόρος - soul, psycho- (ψυχο) + loss by death, destructive, pestilent (φθόρος)
αἰεί, - eternal
ἀιθαλής, - eternally, ever (ἀι) + blooming, thriving, grow, flourish (θαλής)
εὐκταιοτάτη, - essence pure (εὐ) + possess, gain, win, found -or- kill, slay, put to death (κταιο) + stretch/extend (τάτη) = "for prayer, votive offerings, prayers, invoked in prayer, prayed for, desired"
θνητῶν - mortal
ἀνάπαυμα· - repose, rest, resting-place, pause
σοῦ - together, thou
γὰρ - for, because
ἄτερ - apart from, aloof
πάντ’ - all
ἐστὶν - essence, Hestia
ἀνωφελῆ - upward (ἀνω) + float like a cork (φελῆ)
ἀνθρώποισιν· - human, anthropos
οὔτε - and not, neither ... nor, entity pure of
γὰρ - because, for
ὀλβοδότης - whole (ὀλ) + foundation (βο) + giver (δότης) = "giver of bliss or wealth"
πλοῦτος - wealth, riches, Plouto, God of Wealth (and Afterlife)
γλυκερὸς - sweet, sugary, glucose
θαλίηισιν, - thrive, bloom, grow
οὔτε - and not, neither ... nor, entity pure of
γέρων - old age
πολύμοχθος - many, multi, poli (πολύ) + suffering, toil, hardship, distress (μοχθος)
ἄτερ - apart from, aloof
σέο - thou, together
γίγνεται - come into being, come into a new state of being
ἀνήρ· - human
πάντων - all
γὰρ - for, because
κρατέεις - rule over, conquer, prevail, have power
μούνη - alone, mono
καὶ - and
πᾶσιν - all
ἀνάσσεις. - ruler
ἀλλά, - but
θεά, - Goddess
μόλε - lead, leaden, the metal(?); make the connection?
μυστιπόλοις - mystery, initiates (μυστι) + pivot on which anything turns, axis, pole -or- many, multi (πόλοις)
ἐπιτάρροθος - upon, epi (ἐπι) + preserve (τάρροθος) = "helper, defender"
αἰεὶ - eternal
ῥυομένη - protect, guard
νούσων - sickness, disease; nurse an illness
χαλεπῶν - difficult, hard to bear, painful, grievous
κακόποτμον - bad, ill (κακό) + that which befalls one, lot, destiny (ποτμον) = "ill-fated, ill-starred"
ἀνίην. - send up, let go, loosen, unfasten
Literally, Ὑγίεια (Hygieia) means "pure generative divine-power essence."
Hygeia seems to be described in this hymn as having power over both disease and health. She is asked to keep ill-health at bay.
Hygeia is only hated by Hades, the God of the Afterlife (because she keeps death at bay).
Visually, this hymn may have been accompanied by illustrations of people suffering illness and enjoying health.
68. Ὑγείας, - of Hygeia, Goddess of Health
θυμίαμα - incense
μάνναν. - manna, loose in texture, porous - frankincense or granules
Ἱμερόεσσ’, - longed for, yearned after, desired, loved, lovely
ἐρατή, - lovely, beloved
πολυθάλμιε, - many, multi, very, much, poli (πολυ) + sprout, grow, thrive, flourish, bloom (θάλ) + means, medium (μιε)
παμβασίλεια, - all (παμ) + Queen (βασίλεια)
κλῦθι, - call
μάκαιρ’ - happy, blessed
Ὑγίεια, - Hygeia, Goddess of Health
φερόλβιε, - "bringing happiness" = bearing, bringing (φερ) + whole (όλ) + life (βιε)
μῆτερ - mother
ἁπάντων· - of all
ἐκ - out of, forth from
σέο - together; thou
γὰρ - generate, for, because
νοῦσοι - sickness, disease; nurse an illness
μὲν - might, force, certainly
ἀποφθινύθουσι - inspiring (ἀπο) + pine away, waste away, decline, perish, consumptive (φθινύθουσι) = "perish, waste away, destroy utterly"
βροτοῖσι, - humans
πᾶς - all
δὲ - of the, from the
δόμος - house, domicile
θάλλει - grow, sprout, bloom, thrive
πολυγηθὴς - many, multi, poli, much (πολυ) + rejoice, joy, delight (γηθὴς) = "much-cheering, delightful, gladsome"
εἵνεκα - on account of, because of, being
σεῖο, - thou
καὶ - and
τέχναι - art, skill, technology
βρίθουσι· - heavy, weighty, powerful
ποθεῖ - long for, yearn after, desire
δέ - of, from
σε - together, thou
κόσμος, - order, cosmos, world-order, universe
ἄνασσα, - Goddess, Queen, Lady
μοῦνος - one, sole, mono, alone
δὲ - of, from
στυγέει - hated, abhorred, detested (by)
σ’ -
Ἀίδης - Hades, Pluto, God of Afterlife
ψυχοφθόρος - soul, psycho- (ψυχο) + loss by death, destructive, pestilent (φθόρος)
αἰεί, - eternal
ἀιθαλής, - eternally, ever (ἀι) + blooming, thriving, grow, flourish (θαλής)
εὐκταιοτάτη, - essence pure (εὐ) + possess, gain, win, found -or- kill, slay, put to death (κταιο) + stretch/extend (τάτη) = "for prayer, votive offerings, prayers, invoked in prayer, prayed for, desired"
θνητῶν - mortal
ἀνάπαυμα· - repose, rest, resting-place, pause
σοῦ - together, thou
γὰρ - for, because
ἄτερ - apart from, aloof
πάντ’ - all
ἐστὶν - essence, Hestia
ἀνωφελῆ - upward (ἀνω) + float like a cork (φελῆ)
ἀνθρώποισιν· - human, anthropos
οὔτε - and not, neither ... nor, entity pure of
γὰρ - because, for
ὀλβοδότης - whole (ὀλ) + foundation (βο) + giver (δότης) = "giver of bliss or wealth"
πλοῦτος - wealth, riches, Plouto, God of Wealth (and Afterlife)
γλυκερὸς - sweet, sugary, glucose
θαλίηισιν, - thrive, bloom, grow
οὔτε - and not, neither ... nor, entity pure of
γέρων - old age
πολύμοχθος - many, multi, poli (πολύ) + suffering, toil, hardship, distress (μοχθος)
ἄτερ - apart from, aloof
σέο - thou, together
γίγνεται - come into being, come into a new state of being
ἀνήρ· - human
πάντων - all
γὰρ - for, because
κρατέεις - rule over, conquer, prevail, have power
μούνη - alone, mono
καὶ - and
πᾶσιν - all
ἀνάσσεις. - ruler
ἀλλά, - but
θεά, - Goddess
μόλε - lead, leaden, the metal(?); make the connection?
μυστιπόλοις - mystery, initiates (μυστι) + pivot on which anything turns, axis, pole -or- many, multi (πόλοις)
ἐπιτάρροθος - upon, epi (ἐπι) + preserve (τάρροθος) = "helper, defender"
αἰεὶ - eternal
ῥυομένη - protect, guard
νούσων - sickness, disease; nurse an illness
χαλεπῶν - difficult, hard to bear, painful, grievous
κακόποτμον - bad, ill (κακό) + that which befalls one, lot, destiny (ποτμον) = "ill-fated, ill-starred"
ἀνίην. - send up, let go, loosen, unfasten
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