This is a first-pass attempt to translate the Orphic Hymn to the Goddess of childbirth.
This hymn speaks to the travail, duress, anguish of childbirth and asks the Goddess to ease the pain and minimize the suffering.
What is striking to me about this hymn is that it is a religious hymn about the pain of childbirth! It seems quite unique.
I am not aware of any monotheistic religious texts that call on divine assistance in childbirth/labor: the process by which every person comes into the world.
Genesis 3:16 witnesses the monotheistic God condemning women to greater suffering in childbirth: "I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing," says the Father God (who remains a single bachelor throughout eternity as far as I can tell).
Other monotheistic scripture (mostly tangentially) pertaining to childbirth can be found here.
Other deities mentioned in this hymn are Phanes (first principle of life), Eileithyia (Pregnancy/Childbirth), Ananke (Necessity), Artemis (Independence), and Psyche (Soul).
Is it possible that this hymn actually accompanied a live birth on the stage? I suppose anything is possible. Eleusia (Έλευσία) is another name for Eileithyia, the Goddess of Childbirth.
2. Προθυραίας, - Prothyraia
θυμίαμα - incense
στύρακα. - storax, styrax
Κλῦθί - hear, listen, give ear to
μοι, - this
ὦ - bring forth
πολύσεμνε - many, multi, poli (πολύ) + solemn, revered, august, holy (σεμνε) = "exceedingly venerable"
θεά, - Goddess
πολυώνυμε - many (πολυ) + name (ώνυμε) = having many names, of great name
δαῖμον, - power, force
ὠδίνων - to be in travail of childbirth, be in travail or anguish, throes of childbirth
ἐπαρωγέ, - help, aid
λεχῶν - woman in childbed, one who has just given birth
ἡδεῖα - pleasant, with pleasure, welcome, well-pleased, glad
πρόσοψι, - "appearance, aspect, presence" = before (πρό) + sight; -or- after a long time, at length (οψι)
θηλειῶν - female, women
σώτειρα - soteira, savior, deliverer
μόνη, - alone
φιλόπαις, - loving (φιλό) + children (παις)
ἀγανόφρον, - gentle, mild, kind, easy (ἀγανό) + mind, have understanding, think, counsel, be wise, feel by experience, know full well (φρον)
ὠκυλόχεια, - "giving a quick birth"= quick, swift (ὠκυ) + child-birth (λόχεια) (Note: lochia is the medical term for the vaginal discharge of blood and mucus after a birth, which can last up to 6 weeks)
παροῦσα - presence, arrival = having to do with (παρ) + substance, essence, immutable reality, existence, stable being (opp.genesis), Pythagorean name for 1 (οῦσα)
νέαις - young, new, fresh
θνητῶν, - mortal
Προθυραία, - Prothyraia, front door/opening, front doorway, space in front of a door/opening = before (Προ) + doorway, opening, entrance (θυραία) = gate-keeper?
κλειδοῦχ', - "holding the keys" = key (κλειδ) + entity pure foundation (οῦχ)
εὐάντητε, - "accessible, gracious, taking trouble easily" = essence pure, good (εὐ) + against, antagonist (άντητε)
φιλοτρόφε, - loving (φιλο) + feed, rear, nourish, nurse (τρόφε) = "fond of feeding, keeping"
πᾶσι - all
προσηνής, - "soft, gentle, soothing, gentle, kind" = before (προσ) + bridle, reins, guide by reins, drive, guide (ηνής)
ἣ - center
κατέχεις - pour; cause to flow; pour out
οἴκους - house, home, room, chamber
πάντων - all
θαλίαις - abundance, good cheer, bloom, young shoot
τε - too then
γέγηθας, - generative essence (γέ) + rejoice, joy, delight; out or from the earth (γηθας)
λυσίζων', - loosen, release, liberate (λυσί) + life (ζων) = release life
ἀφανής, - arising (ἀ) + appearance, Phanes (a divinity in the Orphic system representing the first principle of life), become visible, torch (φανής)
ἔργοισι - work
δὲ - of, from
φαίνῃ - come to light, appear, show by bearing, uncover, bring to light, cause to appear
ἅπασι, - all, the whole, altogether, every one
συμπάσχεις - "have the same thing happen to one, to be affected in common with, fellow-feeling, sympathy" = together (συμ) + have something done to one, suffer, to be acted upon by outward forces (πάσχεις)
ὠδῖσι - throes of childbirth, birth, that which is borne amid throes, fruit of travail, child
καὶ - and
εὐτοκίηισι - "aiding in childbirth, bringing forth easily" = essence pure (εὐ) + childbirth, delivery, for breeding (τοκίηισι)
γέγηθας, - generative essence (γέ) + rejoice, joy, delight; out or from the earth (γηθας)
Εἰλείθυια, - Eileithyia , Goddess of childbirth and labor pains, parturition = intestinal obstruction; enfold, enwrap; "shut in, press, roll up tight" (Εἰλεί) + inspired woman, to be inspired by a deity (θυια)
λύουσα - loosen, release, liberate, unbind
πόνους - hard work, suffering, pain, toil, labor, trouble, distress
δειναῖς - danger, suffering, horror, fearful, terrible, powerful, marvelously strong
ἐν - in
ἀνάγκαις· - necessity, laws of nature, compulsion, duress, bodily pain, anguish, Ananke
μούνην - one, individual
γὰρ - generate
σὲ - together
καλοῦσι - call, summon
λεχοὶ - woman in childbed, woman giving birth
ψυχῆς - soul, Psyche
ἀνάπαυμα· - repose, rest, give rest
ἐν - in
γὰρ - generate
σοὶ - together
τοκετῶν - childbirth, delivery, parturition
λυσιπήμονές - "ending sorrow or pain" = loose, release, deliver from (λυσι) + suffer hurt or harm, injured, misery, calamity (πήμονές)
εἰσιν - into, to
ἀνῖαι, - grief, sorrow, distress, trouble, pain
Ἄρτεμις - Artemis, Goddess of Independence from Society
Εἰλείθυια, - Eileithyia
καὶ, - and
ἡ - center
σεμνή, - solemn
Προθυραία. - Prothyraia
κλῦθι, - call
μάκαιρα, - happy, blessed
δίδου - give freely, give, offer = two (δί) + give (δου) ( a prayer for twins?)
δὲ - of, from
γονὰς - offspring, children, fruit; act of generation
ἐπαρωγὸς - helper, aider, advocate
ἐοῦσα - is, being
καὶ - and
σῴζ', - save from death, keep alive, preserve life, keep safe
ὥσπερ - so long as, even as
ἔφυς - keep
αἰεὶ - eternal
σώτειρα - soteira, savior, deliverer
προπάντων. - of all, before all, for all
This hymn speaks to the travail, duress, anguish of childbirth and asks the Goddess to ease the pain and minimize the suffering.
What is striking to me about this hymn is that it is a religious hymn about the pain of childbirth! It seems quite unique.
I am not aware of any monotheistic religious texts that call on divine assistance in childbirth/labor: the process by which every person comes into the world.
Genesis 3:16 witnesses the monotheistic God condemning women to greater suffering in childbirth: "I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing," says the Father God (who remains a single bachelor throughout eternity as far as I can tell).
Other monotheistic scripture (mostly tangentially) pertaining to childbirth can be found here.
Other deities mentioned in this hymn are Phanes (first principle of life), Eileithyia (Pregnancy/Childbirth), Ananke (Necessity), Artemis (Independence), and Psyche (Soul).
Is it possible that this hymn actually accompanied a live birth on the stage? I suppose anything is possible. Eleusia (Έλευσία) is another name for Eileithyia, the Goddess of Childbirth.
2. Προθυραίας, - Prothyraia
θυμίαμα - incense
στύρακα. - storax, styrax
Κλῦθί - hear, listen, give ear to
μοι, - this
ὦ - bring forth
πολύσεμνε - many, multi, poli (πολύ) + solemn, revered, august, holy (σεμνε) = "exceedingly venerable"
θεά, - Goddess
πολυώνυμε - many (πολυ) + name (ώνυμε) = having many names, of great name
δαῖμον, - power, force
ὠδίνων - to be in travail of childbirth, be in travail or anguish, throes of childbirth
ἐπαρωγέ, - help, aid
λεχῶν - woman in childbed, one who has just given birth
ἡδεῖα - pleasant, with pleasure, welcome, well-pleased, glad
πρόσοψι, - "appearance, aspect, presence" = before (πρό) + sight; -or- after a long time, at length (οψι)
θηλειῶν - female, women
σώτειρα - soteira, savior, deliverer
μόνη, - alone
φιλόπαις, - loving (φιλό) + children (παις)
ἀγανόφρον, - gentle, mild, kind, easy (ἀγανό) + mind, have understanding, think, counsel, be wise, feel by experience, know full well (φρον)
ὠκυλόχεια, - "giving a quick birth"= quick, swift (ὠκυ) + child-birth (λόχεια) (Note: lochia is the medical term for the vaginal discharge of blood and mucus after a birth, which can last up to 6 weeks)
παροῦσα - presence, arrival = having to do with (παρ) + substance, essence, immutable reality, existence, stable being (opp.genesis), Pythagorean name for 1 (οῦσα)
νέαις - young, new, fresh
θνητῶν, - mortal
Προθυραία, - Prothyraia, front door/opening, front doorway, space in front of a door/opening = before (Προ) + doorway, opening, entrance (θυραία) = gate-keeper?
κλειδοῦχ', - "holding the keys" = key (κλειδ) + entity pure foundation (οῦχ)
εὐάντητε, - "accessible, gracious, taking trouble easily" = essence pure, good (εὐ) + against, antagonist (άντητε)
φιλοτρόφε, - loving (φιλο) + feed, rear, nourish, nurse (τρόφε) = "fond of feeding, keeping"
πᾶσι - all
προσηνής, - "soft, gentle, soothing, gentle, kind" = before (προσ) + bridle, reins, guide by reins, drive, guide (ηνής)
ἣ - center
κατέχεις - pour; cause to flow; pour out
οἴκους - house, home, room, chamber
πάντων - all
θαλίαις - abundance, good cheer, bloom, young shoot
τε - too then
γέγηθας, - generative essence (γέ) + rejoice, joy, delight; out or from the earth (γηθας)
λυσίζων', - loosen, release, liberate (λυσί) + life (ζων) = release life
ἀφανής, - arising (ἀ) + appearance, Phanes (a divinity in the Orphic system representing the first principle of life), become visible, torch (φανής)
ἔργοισι - work
δὲ - of, from
φαίνῃ - come to light, appear, show by bearing, uncover, bring to light, cause to appear
ἅπασι, - all, the whole, altogether, every one
συμπάσχεις - "have the same thing happen to one, to be affected in common with, fellow-feeling, sympathy" = together (συμ) + have something done to one, suffer, to be acted upon by outward forces (πάσχεις)
ὠδῖσι - throes of childbirth, birth, that which is borne amid throes, fruit of travail, child
καὶ - and
εὐτοκίηισι - "aiding in childbirth, bringing forth easily" = essence pure (εὐ) + childbirth, delivery, for breeding (τοκίηισι)
γέγηθας, - generative essence (γέ) + rejoice, joy, delight; out or from the earth (γηθας)
Εἰλείθυια, - Eileithyia , Goddess of childbirth and labor pains, parturition = intestinal obstruction; enfold, enwrap; "shut in, press, roll up tight" (Εἰλεί) + inspired woman, to be inspired by a deity (θυια)
λύουσα - loosen, release, liberate, unbind
πόνους - hard work, suffering, pain, toil, labor, trouble, distress
δειναῖς - danger, suffering, horror, fearful, terrible, powerful, marvelously strong
ἐν - in
ἀνάγκαις· - necessity, laws of nature, compulsion, duress, bodily pain, anguish, Ananke
μούνην - one, individual
γὰρ - generate
σὲ - together
καλοῦσι - call, summon
λεχοὶ - woman in childbed, woman giving birth
ψυχῆς - soul, Psyche
ἀνάπαυμα· - repose, rest, give rest
ἐν - in
γὰρ - generate
σοὶ - together
τοκετῶν - childbirth, delivery, parturition
λυσιπήμονές - "ending sorrow or pain" = loose, release, deliver from (λυσι) + suffer hurt or harm, injured, misery, calamity (πήμονές)
εἰσιν - into, to
ἀνῖαι, - grief, sorrow, distress, trouble, pain
Ἄρτεμις - Artemis, Goddess of Independence from Society
Εἰλείθυια, - Eileithyia
καὶ, - and
ἡ - center
σεμνή, - solemn
Προθυραία. - Prothyraia
κλῦθι, - call
μάκαιρα, - happy, blessed
δίδου - give freely, give, offer = two (δί) + give (δου) ( a prayer for twins?)
δὲ - of, from
γονὰς - offspring, children, fruit; act of generation
ἐπαρωγὸς - helper, aider, advocate
ἐοῦσα - is, being
καὶ - and
σῴζ', - save from death, keep alive, preserve life, keep safe
ὥσπερ - so long as, even as
ἔφυς - keep
αἰεὶ - eternal
σώτειρα - soteira, savior, deliverer
προπάντων. - of all, before all, for all
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