Semele was a mortal woman (Princess of Thebes/Kadmeia) in love with Zeus, the God of lightning. Zeus usually came to her in one of his many disguises, but she asked him to appear before her as a God, which he did, causing her incineration (from his lightning bolts). Pregnant with Zeus' child at the time, Semele's fetus, Dionysos, survived the conflagration. Zeus sewed him into his thigh until he was born.
Dionysos subsequently rescued his mother from Hades and conferred immortality upon her under her new name, Thyone (the starry crown of the constellation Ariadne).
This is a first-pass attempt to translate the hymn.
44. Σεμέλης, - Semele
θυμίαμα - incense
στύρακα. - styraka, storax
Κικλήσκω - call, summon, invite, invoke, implore = core divine-power (Κι) + core loosen (κλ) + artfully, in a practiced manner (ήσκω)
κούρην - daughter = core entity pure outflow-of (κούρ) + ninth (ην)
Καδμηίδα - of Kadmeia, Cadmean, ancient inhabits of Greecian Thebes, descendants of Cadmus/Kadmos (credited with introducing the Phoenician-based alphabet to Greece circa 2000 BCE - 800 BCE) (so, Semele is very ancient) = jar, vessel, urn (Καδ) + (divine-medium shared-center divine-power directing arising (μηίδα) -also- (cadmia, calamine, zinc ore (used in the production of brass))
παμβασίλειαν, - all Queen, all- Basiliean
εὐειδῆ - beautiful, well-shaped, comely = essence pure (εὐ) + form, shape, pattern, figure (ειδῆ)
Σεμέλην, - Semele, mortal mother of Dionysos, the God of wine = synchronized beginning (Σε) + object of care or thought, concern; musical phrase, music; limb; honey; meta essence loosened (μέλ) + ninth (ην)
ἐρατοπλόκαμον, - lovely tressed = lovely, beloved (ἐρατο) + braids (πλόκαμον)
βαθύκολπον, - "with dress falling in deep folds" = deep (βαθύ) + fold of a garment, fold, crease, bosom, lap, vagina, womb, any bosom-like hollow (κολπον) (possible double-meaning since she was the lover of Zeus!)
μητέρα - mother of
θυρσοφόροιο - thyrsus- bearing (the thysus is the pinecone-tipped staff of Dionysos)
Διωνύσου - Dionysos, the God of wine
πολυγηθοῦς, - much-cheering, delightful, gladsome = many, multi, poli (πολυ) + rejoice, cheerful (γηθοῦς)
ἣ - shared center
μεγάλας - great, megalas, magnificent, splendid
ὠδῖνας - travail, anguish of childbirth/parturition = bring-forth directed-trajectory divine-power tipping-point
ἐλάσσατο - release, drive, set in motion, drive away, expel = essence loosened
πυρφόρωι - to be a torch-bearer, to be a bearer of sacred fire, carry fire = fire (πυρ) + bear, carry (φόρωι)
αὐγῆι - light, daylight, dawn, morning light (the conflagration brought forth Dionysos to the light of day)
ἀθανάτου - immortal= arising above divine tipping-point/mortality
φλεχθεῖσα - kindle, inflame, burn, burn up, light up, blaze (φλεχ) + holy (θεῖσα)
Διὸς - Dios, Zeus, God of the rain storms, male fertilizing principle
βουλαῖς - of the council, epithet of certain Gods and Goddesses as having status in the Council Chamber, i.e., Hestia
Κρονίοιο - Kronion, (son) of Kronos
τιμὰς - held in honor, esteemed, valued, prized, honor, revere, reverence
τευξαμένη - make, produce by work or art, technology (τευξα) + spirit, passion, strength, force, might (μένη)
παρ' - having to do with, alongside
ἀγαυῆς - illustrious, brilliant, glorious, noble, stately, proud
Περσεφονείης - Persephone, Goddess of afterlife and new life in spring
ἐν - in, within
θνητοῖσι - mortals (tipping point of mortal death distinguishes mortals from divinity) (divine tipping-point (θν) + heart/the seat of life=ητοῖσι; so, when the heart stops a mortal life ends and is by definition not divine)
βροτοῖσιν - mortal = basis (β) + rotates (ροτ) + entity (οῖσιν) (possibly describing reincarnation, a series of mortal lives)
ἀνὰ - arising
τριετηρίδας - triennial festival, celebrated every third year = three (τρι) + term of years (ετηρ) + (ίδας) (in practice, every other year)
ὥρας,- period, season, horai
ἡνίκα - at the time when, whenever, when, at which point of time
σοῦ - thou
Βάκχου - Bakchos
γονίμην - productive, fertile, fruitful, born in lawful wedlock, generative power
ὠδῖνα - travail, anguish of childbirth
τελῶσιν - toll
εὐίερόν - holy, fit for sacrifice = essence pure (εὐ) + holy (ίερόν)
τε - too then
τράπεζαν - table, dining-table, eating-table, money-changer's counter, any table or flat surface on which a thing rests, platform, slab
ἰδὲ - in that case, then; behold; form, shape, semblance
μυστήριά - mystery
θ' - divine
ἁγνά. - pure (may refer to bringing an offering to the altar or possibly some symbol)
νῦν - now, at present
σέ, - thou
θεά, - Goddess
λίτομαι, - simple, plain, frugal, unadorned
κούρη - daughter
Καδμηίς, - of Kadmos
ἄνασσα, - queen, lady, anassa
πρηύνοον - of gentle mind, soft, mild, gentle, tame
καλέων - beautiful
αἰεὶ - eternal
μύσταισιν - mysterious
ὑπάρχειν. - foundation, beginning, being, underpinning
Dionysos subsequently rescued his mother from Hades and conferred immortality upon her under her new name, Thyone (the starry crown of the constellation Ariadne).
This is a first-pass attempt to translate the hymn.
44. Σεμέλης, - Semele
θυμίαμα - incense
στύρακα. - styraka, storax
Κικλήσκω - call, summon, invite, invoke, implore = core divine-power (Κι) + core loosen (κλ) + artfully, in a practiced manner (ήσκω)
κούρην - daughter = core entity pure outflow-of (κούρ) + ninth (ην)
Καδμηίδα - of Kadmeia, Cadmean, ancient inhabits of Greecian Thebes, descendants of Cadmus/Kadmos (credited with introducing the Phoenician-based alphabet to Greece circa 2000 BCE - 800 BCE) (so, Semele is very ancient) = jar, vessel, urn (Καδ) + (divine-medium shared-center divine-power directing arising (μηίδα) -also- (cadmia, calamine, zinc ore (used in the production of brass))
παμβασίλειαν, - all Queen, all- Basiliean
εὐειδῆ - beautiful, well-shaped, comely = essence pure (εὐ) + form, shape, pattern, figure (ειδῆ)
Σεμέλην, - Semele, mortal mother of Dionysos, the God of wine = synchronized beginning (Σε) + object of care or thought, concern; musical phrase, music; limb; honey; meta essence loosened (μέλ) + ninth (ην)
ἐρατοπλόκαμον, - lovely tressed = lovely, beloved (ἐρατο) + braids (πλόκαμον)
βαθύκολπον, - "with dress falling in deep folds" = deep (βαθύ) + fold of a garment, fold, crease, bosom, lap, vagina, womb, any bosom-like hollow (κολπον) (possible double-meaning since she was the lover of Zeus!)
μητέρα - mother of
θυρσοφόροιο - thyrsus- bearing (the thysus is the pinecone-tipped staff of Dionysos)
Διωνύσου - Dionysos, the God of wine
πολυγηθοῦς, - much-cheering, delightful, gladsome = many, multi, poli (πολυ) + rejoice, cheerful (γηθοῦς)
ἣ - shared center
μεγάλας - great, megalas, magnificent, splendid
ὠδῖνας - travail, anguish of childbirth/parturition = bring-forth directed-trajectory divine-power tipping-point
ἐλάσσατο - release, drive, set in motion, drive away, expel = essence loosened
πυρφόρωι - to be a torch-bearer, to be a bearer of sacred fire, carry fire = fire (πυρ) + bear, carry (φόρωι)
αὐγῆι - light, daylight, dawn, morning light (the conflagration brought forth Dionysos to the light of day)
ἀθανάτου - immortal= arising above divine tipping-point/mortality
φλεχθεῖσα - kindle, inflame, burn, burn up, light up, blaze (φλεχ) + holy (θεῖσα)
Διὸς - Dios, Zeus, God of the rain storms, male fertilizing principle
βουλαῖς - of the council, epithet of certain Gods and Goddesses as having status in the Council Chamber, i.e., Hestia
Κρονίοιο - Kronion, (son) of Kronos
τιμὰς - held in honor, esteemed, valued, prized, honor, revere, reverence
τευξαμένη - make, produce by work or art, technology (τευξα) + spirit, passion, strength, force, might (μένη)
παρ' - having to do with, alongside
ἀγαυῆς - illustrious, brilliant, glorious, noble, stately, proud
Περσεφονείης - Persephone, Goddess of afterlife and new life in spring
ἐν - in, within
θνητοῖσι - mortals (tipping point of mortal death distinguishes mortals from divinity) (divine tipping-point (θν) + heart/the seat of life=ητοῖσι; so, when the heart stops a mortal life ends and is by definition not divine)
βροτοῖσιν - mortal = basis (β) + rotates (ροτ) + entity (οῖσιν) (possibly describing reincarnation, a series of mortal lives)
ἀνὰ - arising
τριετηρίδας - triennial festival, celebrated every third year = three (τρι) + term of years (ετηρ) + (ίδας) (in practice, every other year)
ὥρας,- period, season, horai
ἡνίκα - at the time when, whenever, when, at which point of time
σοῦ - thou
Βάκχου - Bakchos
γονίμην - productive, fertile, fruitful, born in lawful wedlock, generative power
ὠδῖνα - travail, anguish of childbirth
τελῶσιν - toll
εὐίερόν - holy, fit for sacrifice = essence pure (εὐ) + holy (ίερόν)
τε - too then
τράπεζαν - table, dining-table, eating-table, money-changer's counter, any table or flat surface on which a thing rests, platform, slab
ἰδὲ - in that case, then; behold; form, shape, semblance
μυστήριά - mystery
θ' - divine
ἁγνά. - pure (may refer to bringing an offering to the altar or possibly some symbol)
νῦν - now, at present
σέ, - thou
θεά, - Goddess
λίτομαι, - simple, plain, frugal, unadorned
κούρη - daughter
Καδμηίς, - of Kadmos
ἄνασσα, - queen, lady, anassa
πρηύνοον - of gentle mind, soft, mild, gentle, tame
καλέων - beautiful
αἰεὶ - eternal
μύσταισιν - mysterious
ὑπάρχειν. - foundation, beginning, being, underpinning
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