Greek Alphabet: Unlock the Secrets
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by Catherine R. Proppe

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Hymn to the Erinys #HymnsOfOrpheus www.GreekAlphabta.com

1/16/2014

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Just to give a sense of the predominant role of Goddesses in Greek religion, in this one hymn alone, 9 Goddesses (besides the Erinys) are mentioned:


Goddess of Night
Goddess of Divine Oaths, Stygos
Goddess of Necessity, Ananke
Goddess of the Moon, Selene
Goddess of Wisdom, Sophia
Goddess of Goodness, Arete
Goddess of Youth, Hebe
Goddess of Justice, Dike
Goddesses of Fate, Morai




From Theoi.com:  "The crimes which the Erinys punish are disobedience towards parents, violation of the respect due to old age, perjury, murder, violation of the law of hospitality, and improper conduct towards suppliants."
 

 
On the stage and in works of art, the Erinys fearful appearrance was greatly softened down, for they were represented as maidens of a grave and solemn mien, in the richly adorned attire of huntresses, with a band of serpents around their heads, and serpents or torches in their hands.



Pausanias, Description of Greece 1. 28. 6 (trans. Jones) (Greek travelogue C2nd C. E.) :
"Erinyes (Furies). It was Aeschylus who first represented them with snakes in their hair. But on the images neither of these nor or any of the underworld deities is there anything terrible."


Apuleius, Metamorphoses (re-titled The Golden Ass after the author's death) 6. 13 ff (trans. Walsh) (Roman novel C2nd C.E.) : 
"These Stygian waters are an object of fear to the gods and to Jupiter [Zeus] himself, that just as you mortals swear by the Goddesses' and Gods’ divine power, so those Goddesses and Gods frequently swear by the majesty of the Styx."


69. Ἐρινύων, - Erinys
θυμίαμα - incense
στύρακα - styrax/storax, Styrax officinalis (astringent)
καὶ - and 
μάνναν. - manna, manna ash, Fraxinus Ornus  (sweet)  

Κλῦτε, - hear, give ear to, call, perceive
θεαὶ - Goddesses
πάντιμοι, - "all-honorable" = all (πάν) + honor, having honor, hold in honor (τιμοι) 
ἐρίβρομοι, - "loud-shouting" = very, much (ἐρί) + any loud noise, crackling, roaring of thunder (βρομοι) 
εὐάστειραι, - fair stars = essence pure (εὐ) + starry, astral (άστειραι)

Τισιφόνη - Tisiphone, Goddess/Erinys usually described with snakes for hair = payment by way of recompense, retribution, vengeance; retribution for wrongdoing; power to repay or requite, both in good and bad sense (Τισι) + carnage, blood shed by slaying, murder, homicide (φόνη) 
τε - too then
καὶ - and 
Ἀλληκτὼ - AllektoAlecto, Goddess/Erinys, unceasing, ceaseless, implacable = again and again (Ἀλλη) + core extend (κτὼ)
καὶ - and
δῖα - power, divine power
Μέγαιρα· - Megaira, Goddess/Erinys, regard as too great; hold a grudge, be envied, hold a grudge towards = mega (Μέγα) + holy (ιρα)

νυκτέριαι, - of Night, by night, Goddess of Night
μύχιαι, - inward, inmost
ὑπὸ - under, receive, somewhat, a little, beneath, underly, put under, accompanying, before, from under, towards, near to
κεύθεσιν - cover, hide, contain, conceal, in the depths, innermost, disappear
οἰκί’ - house, home
ἔχουσαι - inhabit, fixed, have, hold, possess, keep, have charge of

ἄντρωι - cave, caves
ἐν - in
ἠερόεντι - the air; "cloudy, murky" = air (ἠερό) + in (εντι) παρὰ - para, having to do with
Στυγὸς - hatred, abhorrence, sullenness, gloom, object of hatred, deed of horror; Stygos, the Stygian River of the afterlife on which unbreakable divine oaths are made (the biggest and most unbreakable oaths, the one dreadful and binding oath); keeps the deceased from coming into world of living
ἱερὸν - holy
ὕδωρ, - water, hydro

οὐχ - not, and not; entity purified fixation/foundation
ὁσίαις - sanctioned by divine law, hallowed, holy, whole, sinless, pure, pious, devout, religious 
βουλαῖσι - Senate, Council, Boule
βροτῶν - of people, of mortals, of the deceased
κεκοτημέναι - satiate, fill with, bear (κεκο) + toga (τημέναι) αἰεί, - eternally

λυσσήρεις, - "raging mad," wits loosened ? = loose (λυσ) + silk, silken, silk-worm; hollow, cave, hollow out, cavern, hollow rock, pores, porous; red pigment (σήρεις)
ἀγέρωχοι, - high-minded, proud, arrogance = gather, gathering (ἀγέρω) + soil, covered with earth, formed into a heap of earth/ashes (χοι) 
ἐπευάζουσαι - "shout over" = essence of (ἐ) + ask, inquire (πευ) + dry (άζουσαι) ἀνάγκαις, - Ananke, Goddess of Necessity, Inevitability, Compulsion (labor pains)

θηρόπεπλοι, - "clad in the skin of beasts, wearing animal skins" = wild animal (θηρό) + peplos, robe (πεπλοι) τιμωροί, - avenging, helping one to vengeance for a thing; sucourer of one who has been attacked or wronged; pay honor to; retribution, vengeance, that ought to be punished
ἐρισθενέες, - "very mighty" = very (ἐρι) + strength, strong, mighty (σθενέες) 
βαρυαλγεῖς, - "grievously suffering" = very, heavy, loud (βαρυ) + feel bodily pain, suffer, feel pain of mind, grieve, pain, suffering (αλγεῖς)

Ἀίδεω - Aideo, Hades, eternity, afterlife
χθόνιαι, - chthonic, of the earth
φοβεραὶ - fearful, caused by fear, troubled, panic, anxious, regarded with fear, causing fear
κόραι, - youth, son, daughter
αἰολόμορφοι, - "of changeful form" = eternally (αἰο) + loosing (λό) + (variegated) + form/shape/morph (μορφοι)

ἠέριαι, - aerial, of the air, in the air
ἀφανεῖς, - arising above light, not seen, secret, invisible
ὠκυδρόμοι - "swift-running" = quick (ὠκυ) + course (δρόμοι) 
ὥστε - so as/for to do a thing, on condition that, and so, therefore, one who thrusts or pushes, one must thrust out, inclined to thrust (sounds like childbirth)
νόημα· - that which is perceived, perception, thought, purpose, idea, design, concept, understanding, mind, form concepts

οὔτε - neither, nor, and not (?)
γὰρ - generating
ἠελίου - sunlight, daylight, sun, Helios, God of the sun
ταχιναὶ - swift, speedy, quick, quickly
φλόγες - bright as fire, burning, flaming
οὔτε - neither, nor, and not (?)σελήνης - the moon, Selene, Goddess of the moon

καὶ - and
σοφίης - wisdom, Sophia, Goddess of wisdom, sound judgment, intelligence, practical wisdom, learning, skill
ἀρετῆς - merit, reward of excellence, distinction, fame, excellence, goodness, glorious deeds, wonders, miracles, good nature, kindness, excellence, Arete, Goddess of good virtue, valor
τε - too then
καὶ - and
ἐργασίμου - to work, work, manufacture, basis of ergonomics, work for a living
θρασύτητος - boldness, full of confidence, over-boldness, insolence, bold of mind

εὔχαρι - charm, grace, bestow a favor, oblige, be thankful, show gratitude = essence pure (εὔ) + grace, charity (χαρι) 
οὔτε - neither, nor, and not (?)
βίου - life, bio
λιπαρᾶς - oily, shiny with oil, fat, rich, fruitful, fat, rich, comfortable, easy 
περικαλλέος - "very beautiful" = all around, peri (περι) + beautiful (καλλέος)
ἥβης - puberty, youthful prime, youth, center base center, Hebe, Goddess of youth

ὑμῶν - hymn; "pure meta brings-forth tipping-point"
χωρὶς - chorus, separately, apart, separate from, apart from, independently of, a definite space
ἐγείρει - rouse, stir up, raise, erect, wake, awaken
ἐυφροσύνας - cheery, merry, in good cheer, make cheerful, make glad or merry; kindly, gracious = essence pure (ἐυ) + practical wisdom, prudence, sagacity, thought, care (φροσύνας (close)) 
βιότοιο· - means of living, sustenance = life-extending, life-sustaining

ἀλλ’ - but
αἰεὶ - eternal
θνητῶν - mortal
πάντων - over all, of all
ἐπ’ - upon
ἀπείρονα - boundless, endless, having no end, infinite = arising above (ἀ) + pierce, run through; make a trial, make an attempt; limit; piracy; attempt; complete, achieve, final decision, verdict; instrument, tool; tackle, rope; trial, attempt (take a stab at?); sharp point (πείρονα) 
φῦλα - race, tribe, clan, nation

ὄμμα - eye, in full sight, sight, all-seeing
Δίκης - Dike, Goddess of justice
ἐφορᾶτε, - "one must observe", attend, look upon, behold, oversee, observe, basis of the word "ephor"
δικασπόλοι - one who gives law, judge = justice (δικ) + best (ασπόλοι) 
αἰὲν - eternally
ἐοῦσαι. be, being, is

ἀλλά, - but
θεαὶ - Goddess
Μοῖραι, - of Fate, Morai
ὀφιοπλόκαμοι, - "with snaky curls" = snake (ὀφιο) + locks of hair (πλόκαμοι) 
πολύμορφοι, - many, poli, multi (πολύ) + shapes, morph (μορφοι)

πραΰνοον - of gentle mind, soft, appeasing, calm, gentle, soothing
μετάθεσθε - meta (μετά) + thesis (θεσ) + divine (θε) 
βίου - life, bio
μαλακόφρονα - soften, relax, melt (μαλακό) + purpose, intention, thoughts (φρονα) 
δόξαν. - notion, opinion, judgment, expectation, opinion

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    This blog is a first-pass attempt to translate the Hymns of Orpheus with the help of the Liddell-Scott Greek-English Lexicon.

    I am a research analyst and a native of Detroit, Michigan.  

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