Hymn to Nereos #HymnsOfOrpheus

 23. Νηρέως, θυμίαμα σμύρναν.
To Nereos

Divine connection: Myrrh 

Ὦ κατέχων πόντου ῥίζας, κυαναυγέτιν ἕδρην,

O possessor of Pontos’[1] roots, navy-dawning seat of

 

πεντήκοντα κόρῃσιν ἀγαλλόμενος κατὰ κῦμα

Fifty daughters’[2] gloriously powered pure swollen waves--

 

καλλιτέκνοισι χοροῖς, Νηρεῦ, μεγαλώνυμε δαῖμον,

Beautiful child-chorus of Nereos[3], mighty-realmed power,

 

πυθμὴν μὲν πόντου, γαίης πέρας, ἀρχὴ ἁπάντων,

Underlying power of Pontos, Gaia[4]-bounded foundation of all,

 

ὃς κλονέεις Δηοῦς ἱερὸν βάθρον, ἡνίκα πνοιὰς

Tumbling Demeter’s holy bath when winds

 

ἐννυχίοις κευθμῶσιν ἐλαυνομένας ἀποκλείηις·

By night concealed strike with power to shear smooth.

 

ἀλλά, μάκαρ, σεισμοὺς μὲν ἀπότρεπε, πέμπε δὲ μύσταις

But, blessed seismic power, desist, conduct the mystae[5]

 

ὄλβον τ', εἰρήνην τε, καὶ ἠπιόχειρον ὑγείην.

To whole life blessings, with Eirene[6] too, and soothing Hygeia[7].


[1] Pontos, the immortal God of the Sea, is one of the first-born deities, the father of Nereos by Gaia.


[2] Nereos’ fifty daughters are the Nereids, immortal Goddesses of various aspects of the sea, such as the sea’s brine, foam, sand, rocky shores, waves, currents, sea rescues, and necessary naval skills.


[3] Nereos is the immortal bottom-dwelling God of the Aegean Sea.


[4] Gaia is the immortal Goddess of generative Earth.


[5] Mystae are initiates in the Mysteries.


[6] Eirene is the immortal Goddess of peace.


[7] Hygeia is the immortal Goddess of health.