This is a first-pass attempt to translate the Orphic Hymn to the Korybantes with the help of the Liddell-Scott Greek-English Lexicon.
This hymn likely utilized many special effects in the theater's bag of tricks, with terrifying images appearing and disappearing, things transforming from one thing into another, extraordinarily loud sounds.
First, the militaristic Korybantes appear, perhaps as part of an enacted funeral procession. Then, a terrifying phantom image appears and the Korybantes scatter in terror? The image changes into different shapes, morphs into two, then into many blood-red images that morph back and forth into wild beasts and snake-like creatures. Finally, a loud sound dispatches the images and terrifying/astounding images of Psyche (Goddess of the Soul) and Ananke (Goddess of Inevitability) appear.
The Overture's reference to the Korybantes is sandwiched in between reference to the Kouretes (warrior dancers often assigned the role of drowning out the sounds of childbirth and crying infants) and reference to the Kabeiri (Deities of Creation).
Kabeiria (καβείρια) are immortal deities of creation, as described by William Smith (William Smith, William Wayte, and G. E. Marindin, eds., A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities (London: John Murray, 1890), 321):
“. . . the Cabeiri themselves do appear to be symbols of the creation of the world. From the primeval mother emanate or differentiate themselves two elements, matter (earth) and force (especially fire, celestial and terrestrial) . . . and by the action of the former on the latter the ordered world is generated.”
William Smith’s A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities provides a description of the Kabeiria (καβείρια) deities: the Mother (Demeter), her Daughter (Persephone) her Son (Hades/Pluto), and Hermes (God of Communication/Transition):
“CABEIRIA (καβείρια), the mysteries of the Pelasgic Cabeiri, were celebrated in the islands stretching from Euboea to the Hellespont, in the volcanic Lemnos, Imbros, and most of all in Samothrace. We also find them on the adjacent coasts of Europe and Asia Minor, at Thebes and Andania in Greece; and we even hear of their worship as being solemnized in an island near Britain.
“Like the Eleusinia, an almost complete secrecy had been maintained as to the ceremonies and teaching of these mysteries. Yet we know the names of the [G]ods [and Goddesses] . . . they are four in number . . . The names of the Samothracian Cabeiri . . . are Axieros ( = Demeter), Axiokersa ( = Persephone), Axiokersos ( = Hades/Pluto), Casmilos ( = Hermes) . . . Axiokersos (Hades) appears further as Zeus, Uranus, Jupiter, Apollo, Dionysus-Liber; and Casmilos (Hermes) as Mercurius or Eros . . .
“The group is a primal mother [G]oddess, issue of whom are two divinities, a male and a female (Hades and Persephone), from whom again springs a fourth, Casmilos (Hermes), the orderer of the universe.
“ . . . Throughout the Roman period the Cabeiric mysteries were held in high estimation, second only to the Eleusinian . . .
“. . . As in all mysteries, the votary must be purified in body and mind before initiation . . . Women and children appear to have been admitted as well as men. Of the religious ceremonies themselves we may say we know nothing . . . We hear of dances . . . But the whole matter is quite obscure and unsettled.
“The Scholiast on Apollonius Rhodius tells us that the initiated wore a purple band round their waist . . . Diodorus further says . . . that those who were initiated became more pious, more righteous, and in every respect better than they were before . . .
“The initiation at Samothrace took place at any time from May to September, in this differing from the Eleusinian and more resembling the Orphic mysteries.
“. . . the Cabeiri themselves do appear to be symbols of the creation of the world. From the primeval mother emanate or differentiate themselves two elements, matter (earth) and force (especially fire, celestial and terrestrial) . . . and by the action of the former on the latter the ordered world is generated.”
(William Smith, William Wayte, and G. E. Marindin, editors. A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities (London: John Murray, 1890) 319-321.) http://books.google.com/books?id=7h1XAAAAMAAJ&q=mother#v=snippet&q=mother&f=false )
From Theoi.com:
THE SAMOTHRAKIAN KORYBANTES (or Corybantes) were seven daimones who presided over the Korybantic dance of the Mysteries of Samothrake. The korybas was an orgiastic dance performed by armoured men with clashing spear and shield, accompanied by the beat of tambourines and drums and the cries of the mystic devotees. The Samothrakian Korybantes were barely distinguished from the Kabeiroi, another set of orgiastic daimones who presided over the Mysteries. Often the two Kabeiroi sons of Hephaistos (Volcano God) were combined with the seven Korybant sons of Apollon (God of Inspiration) to form a Mystery-chorus of nine.
Diodorus Siculus, Library of History 5. 64. 3 :
"But some historians, and Ephoros is one of them, record that the Daktyloi Idaioi (Idaean Dactys) [i.e. the Kabeiroi or Korybantes] were in fact born on the Mt Ide which is in Phrygia and passed over to Europe together with Mygdon; and since they were wizards (gonta), they practised charms and initiatory rites and mysteries, and in the course of a sojourn in Samothrake they [as Kabeiroi or Korybantes] amazed the natives of that island not a little by their skill in such matters. And it was at this time, we are further told, that Orpheus, who was endowed with an exceptional gift of poesy and song, also became a pupil of theirs, and he was subsequently the first to introduce initiatory rites and Mysteries to the Greeks."
Strabo, Geography 10. 3. 20 - 22 (trans. Jones) (Greek geographer C1st B.C.E. to C1st CE.) :
"The Skepsian [Demetrius of Scepsis C2nd B.C.E.] says that it is probable that the Kouretes (Curetes) and the Korybantes (Corybantes) were the same, being those who had been accepted as young men, or ‘youths,’ for the war-dance in connection with the holy rites of the Mother of the Gods [Rhea], and also as korybantes from the fact that they ‘walked with a butting of their heads’ in a dancing way... And because the Korybantes are inclined to dancing and to religious frenzy, we say of those who are stirred with frenzy that they are ‘korybantising.’"
Nonnus, Dionysiaca 15. 65 ff (trans. Rouse) (Greek epic C5th CE.) :
"The orgies of the carryshield Korybantes (Corybantes), twirling their steps for the dance-in-armour, and all in a whirl the shields were beaten by alternate thump of hand or the plunging of iron."
Nonnus, Dionysiaca 3. 61 ff :
"Already the bird of morning was cutting the air with loud cries [on the island of Samothrake]; already the helmeted bands of desert-haunting Korybantes were beating on their shields in the Knossian dance, and leaping with rhythmic steps, and the oxhides thudded under the blows of the iron as they whirled them about in rivalry, while the double pipe made music, and quickened the dancers with its rollicking tune in time to the bounding steps. Aye, and the trees whispered, the rocks boomed, the forests held jubilee with their intelligent movings and shakings, and the Dryades did sing. Packs of bears joined the dance, skipping and wheeling face to face; lions with a roar from emulous throats mimicked the triumphant cry of the priests of the Kabeiroi (Cabeiri),
Suidas s.v. All' ei tis humôn en Samothraikei memuemenos esti :
"In Samothrake there were certain initiation-rites, which they supposed efficacious as a charm against certain dangers. In that place were also the mysteries of the Korybantes (Corybantes) and those of Hekate ... The initiates supposed that these things save [them] from terrors and from storms.
****
39. Κορύβαντος, - Korybantos
θυμίαμα - incense
λίβανον. - of Lebanon/frankincense
Κικλήσκω - call, summon, invite, invoke, implore, call by name
χθονὸς - chthonic, of the earth, of the foundation
ἀενάου - ever-flowing, everlasting
βασιλῆα - Basilea, basis, rulers, royal, kingly, queenly
μέγιστον, - majestic, mega, great, mighty
Κύρβαντ' - Kurbant, shortened form of Korybantes; having power or authority over, supreme (Κύρ) + walk, step, stand; military standard, company of infantry, military area; standard-bearer (βαντ'); triangular tablets forming a three-sided pyramid turning on a pivot upon which the early laws were inscribed; Persian bonnet or hat with peaked crown, probably much like the tiara
ὀλβιόμοιρον, - happy fate, whole life fate/destiny; blessed lot
Ἀρήιον, - of Ares, God of war/destruction, devoted to Ares, warlike
ἀπροσόρατον, - arising (ἀ) + before (προ) + coffin, vessel for holding human remains, cinerary urn, mummy (σόρατον)
νυκτερινὸν - nightly, by night; a kind of musical composition for the flute, used in Dionysiac worship
Κουρῆτα, - Kouretes, warrior dancing youths
φόβων - phobia, terrifying, alarming, be seized with fear, in terror, cause of fear
ἀποπαύστορα - stop or hinder, make to cease from, stop, check = inspire (ἀπο) + pause (παύσ) + pierce, drill; of sound: piercing, trilling (τορα)
δεινῶν, - fearful, terrible, awful, suffering, horror, dangerous, complain, be indignant, marvelously strong, powerful, mighty, wonderful, clever, skillful
φαντασιῶν - phantasion, fantastic, phantasm, form images, bring images before the mind, apparition, phantom
ἐπαρωγόν, - helper, aider, efficacious = upon (ἐπ) + aiding, succouring, serviceable, useful, helper in battle, advocate, defender (αρωγόν)
ἐρημοπλάνον - "wandering alone" = desolate, lonely, solitary; empty; bereft, void or destitute of; abandon, desert, isolate (ἐρημο) + irregular, leading astray, deceiving; wandering, roaming; wander, go astray (basis for the word planets because of their erratic paths) (πλάνον)
Κορύβαντα, - Korybantes
αἰολόμορφον - variegated, changeful, glittering, shifty, quick-fluttering, glittering, shift rapidly to and fro, varied (αἰολό) + form, shape, morph (μορφον)
ἄνακτα, - regain, restore, recover, rebuild
θεὸν - divine
διφυῆ, - of double nature or form, twofold, two formed
πολύμορφον, - poly, multi, many (πολύ) form (μορφον) = multiform, manifold, versatile
φοίνιον, - like blood, blood-red, bloody
αἱμαχθέντα - make bloody, stain with blood, (αἱμα) + yesterday (χθέντα)
κασιγνήτων - siblings born from the same mother, brothers, sisters; born of the same bed (κασ)
ὑπὸ - beneath, under
δισσῶν, - twofold, double
Δηοῦς - Demeter
ὃς - entity
γνώμαισιν - means of knowing, organ by which one perceives or knows, though, judgment, gnowledge, opinion, intention, purpose, resolve
ἐνήλλαξας - alternately, exchange
δέμας - bodily frame, the living body, corpse, form, bundle
ἁγνόν, - pure
θηρότυπον - in the form of a beast = beast, wild animal, hunted animal (θηρό) + type (τυπον)
θέμενος - lawful, justice, right,
μορφὴν - form
δνοφεροῖο - dark, murky, dusk, gloom
δράκοντος· - dragon, snake, serpent
κλῦθι, - call
μάκαρ, - happy, blessed
φωνῶν, - produce a sound or tone, phonic, speak loud or clearly, utter, sound
χαλεπὴν - be violent, angry, embittered, provoked, provoked, embittered
δ' - of, from
ἀποπέμπεο - send off or away, dispatch, dismiss, send away
μῆνιν, - wrath, revenge, anger, revengeful temper
παύων - make to end, pause, check, stop, abate, hinder, keep back
φαντασίας, - phantasm, apparition, images, vision dream
ψυχῆς - Psyche, Goddess of the soul
ἐκπλήκτου - terrifying, astounding
ἀνάγκας. - Ananke, Goddess of necessity/what must be/the inevitable/the compulsory; bodily pain/anguish/distress/torture
This hymn likely utilized many special effects in the theater's bag of tricks, with terrifying images appearing and disappearing, things transforming from one thing into another, extraordinarily loud sounds.
First, the militaristic Korybantes appear, perhaps as part of an enacted funeral procession. Then, a terrifying phantom image appears and the Korybantes scatter in terror? The image changes into different shapes, morphs into two, then into many blood-red images that morph back and forth into wild beasts and snake-like creatures. Finally, a loud sound dispatches the images and terrifying/astounding images of Psyche (Goddess of the Soul) and Ananke (Goddess of Inevitability) appear.
The Overture's reference to the Korybantes is sandwiched in between reference to the Kouretes (warrior dancers often assigned the role of drowning out the sounds of childbirth and crying infants) and reference to the Kabeiri (Deities of Creation).
Kabeiria (καβείρια) are immortal deities of creation, as described by William Smith (William Smith, William Wayte, and G. E. Marindin, eds., A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities (London: John Murray, 1890), 321):
“. . . the Cabeiri themselves do appear to be symbols of the creation of the world. From the primeval mother emanate or differentiate themselves two elements, matter (earth) and force (especially fire, celestial and terrestrial) . . . and by the action of the former on the latter the ordered world is generated.”
William Smith’s A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities provides a description of the Kabeiria (καβείρια) deities: the Mother (Demeter), her Daughter (Persephone) her Son (Hades/Pluto), and Hermes (God of Communication/Transition):
“CABEIRIA (καβείρια), the mysteries of the Pelasgic Cabeiri, were celebrated in the islands stretching from Euboea to the Hellespont, in the volcanic Lemnos, Imbros, and most of all in Samothrace. We also find them on the adjacent coasts of Europe and Asia Minor, at Thebes and Andania in Greece; and we even hear of their worship as being solemnized in an island near Britain.
“Like the Eleusinia, an almost complete secrecy had been maintained as to the ceremonies and teaching of these mysteries. Yet we know the names of the [G]ods [and Goddesses] . . . they are four in number . . . The names of the Samothracian Cabeiri . . . are Axieros ( = Demeter), Axiokersa ( = Persephone), Axiokersos ( = Hades/Pluto), Casmilos ( = Hermes) . . . Axiokersos (Hades) appears further as Zeus, Uranus, Jupiter, Apollo, Dionysus-Liber; and Casmilos (Hermes) as Mercurius or Eros . . .
“The group is a primal mother [G]oddess, issue of whom are two divinities, a male and a female (Hades and Persephone), from whom again springs a fourth, Casmilos (Hermes), the orderer of the universe.
“ . . . Throughout the Roman period the Cabeiric mysteries were held in high estimation, second only to the Eleusinian . . .
“. . . As in all mysteries, the votary must be purified in body and mind before initiation . . . Women and children appear to have been admitted as well as men. Of the religious ceremonies themselves we may say we know nothing . . . We hear of dances . . . But the whole matter is quite obscure and unsettled.
“The Scholiast on Apollonius Rhodius tells us that the initiated wore a purple band round their waist . . . Diodorus further says . . . that those who were initiated became more pious, more righteous, and in every respect better than they were before . . .
“The initiation at Samothrace took place at any time from May to September, in this differing from the Eleusinian and more resembling the Orphic mysteries.
“. . . the Cabeiri themselves do appear to be symbols of the creation of the world. From the primeval mother emanate or differentiate themselves two elements, matter (earth) and force (especially fire, celestial and terrestrial) . . . and by the action of the former on the latter the ordered world is generated.”
(William Smith, William Wayte, and G. E. Marindin, editors. A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities (London: John Murray, 1890) 319-321.) http://books.google.com/books?id=7h1XAAAAMAAJ&q=mother#v=snippet&q=mother&f=false )
From Theoi.com:
THE SAMOTHRAKIAN KORYBANTES (or Corybantes) were seven daimones who presided over the Korybantic dance of the Mysteries of Samothrake. The korybas was an orgiastic dance performed by armoured men with clashing spear and shield, accompanied by the beat of tambourines and drums and the cries of the mystic devotees. The Samothrakian Korybantes were barely distinguished from the Kabeiroi, another set of orgiastic daimones who presided over the Mysteries. Often the two Kabeiroi sons of Hephaistos (Volcano God) were combined with the seven Korybant sons of Apollon (God of Inspiration) to form a Mystery-chorus of nine.
Diodorus Siculus, Library of History 5. 64. 3 :
"But some historians, and Ephoros is one of them, record that the Daktyloi Idaioi (Idaean Dactys) [i.e. the Kabeiroi or Korybantes] were in fact born on the Mt Ide which is in Phrygia and passed over to Europe together with Mygdon; and since they were wizards (gonta), they practised charms and initiatory rites and mysteries, and in the course of a sojourn in Samothrake they [as Kabeiroi or Korybantes] amazed the natives of that island not a little by their skill in such matters. And it was at this time, we are further told, that Orpheus, who was endowed with an exceptional gift of poesy and song, also became a pupil of theirs, and he was subsequently the first to introduce initiatory rites and Mysteries to the Greeks."
Strabo, Geography 10. 3. 20 - 22 (trans. Jones) (Greek geographer C1st B.C.E. to C1st CE.) :
"The Skepsian [Demetrius of Scepsis C2nd B.C.E.] says that it is probable that the Kouretes (Curetes) and the Korybantes (Corybantes) were the same, being those who had been accepted as young men, or ‘youths,’ for the war-dance in connection with the holy rites of the Mother of the Gods [Rhea], and also as korybantes from the fact that they ‘walked with a butting of their heads’ in a dancing way... And because the Korybantes are inclined to dancing and to religious frenzy, we say of those who are stirred with frenzy that they are ‘korybantising.’"
Nonnus, Dionysiaca 15. 65 ff (trans. Rouse) (Greek epic C5th CE.) :
"The orgies of the carryshield Korybantes (Corybantes), twirling their steps for the dance-in-armour, and all in a whirl the shields were beaten by alternate thump of hand or the plunging of iron."
Nonnus, Dionysiaca 3. 61 ff :
"Already the bird of morning was cutting the air with loud cries [on the island of Samothrake]; already the helmeted bands of desert-haunting Korybantes were beating on their shields in the Knossian dance, and leaping with rhythmic steps, and the oxhides thudded under the blows of the iron as they whirled them about in rivalry, while the double pipe made music, and quickened the dancers with its rollicking tune in time to the bounding steps. Aye, and the trees whispered, the rocks boomed, the forests held jubilee with their intelligent movings and shakings, and the Dryades did sing. Packs of bears joined the dance, skipping and wheeling face to face; lions with a roar from emulous throats mimicked the triumphant cry of the priests of the Kabeiroi (Cabeiri),
Suidas s.v. All' ei tis humôn en Samothraikei memuemenos esti :
"In Samothrake there were certain initiation-rites, which they supposed efficacious as a charm against certain dangers. In that place were also the mysteries of the Korybantes (Corybantes) and those of Hekate ... The initiates supposed that these things save [them] from terrors and from storms.
****
39. Κορύβαντος, - Korybantos
θυμίαμα - incense
λίβανον. - of Lebanon/frankincense
Κικλήσκω - call, summon, invite, invoke, implore, call by name
χθονὸς - chthonic, of the earth, of the foundation
ἀενάου - ever-flowing, everlasting
βασιλῆα - Basilea, basis, rulers, royal, kingly, queenly
μέγιστον, - majestic, mega, great, mighty
Κύρβαντ' - Kurbant, shortened form of Korybantes; having power or authority over, supreme (Κύρ) + walk, step, stand; military standard, company of infantry, military area; standard-bearer (βαντ'); triangular tablets forming a three-sided pyramid turning on a pivot upon which the early laws were inscribed; Persian bonnet or hat with peaked crown, probably much like the tiara
ὀλβιόμοιρον, - happy fate, whole life fate/destiny; blessed lot
Ἀρήιον, - of Ares, God of war/destruction, devoted to Ares, warlike
ἀπροσόρατον, - arising (ἀ) + before (προ) + coffin, vessel for holding human remains, cinerary urn, mummy (σόρατον)
νυκτερινὸν - nightly, by night; a kind of musical composition for the flute, used in Dionysiac worship
Κουρῆτα, - Kouretes, warrior dancing youths
φόβων - phobia, terrifying, alarming, be seized with fear, in terror, cause of fear
ἀποπαύστορα - stop or hinder, make to cease from, stop, check = inspire (ἀπο) + pause (παύσ) + pierce, drill; of sound: piercing, trilling (τορα)
δεινῶν, - fearful, terrible, awful, suffering, horror, dangerous, complain, be indignant, marvelously strong, powerful, mighty, wonderful, clever, skillful
φαντασιῶν - phantasion, fantastic, phantasm, form images, bring images before the mind, apparition, phantom
ἐπαρωγόν, - helper, aider, efficacious = upon (ἐπ) + aiding, succouring, serviceable, useful, helper in battle, advocate, defender (αρωγόν)
ἐρημοπλάνον - "wandering alone" = desolate, lonely, solitary; empty; bereft, void or destitute of; abandon, desert, isolate (ἐρημο) + irregular, leading astray, deceiving; wandering, roaming; wander, go astray (basis for the word planets because of their erratic paths) (πλάνον)
Κορύβαντα, - Korybantes
αἰολόμορφον - variegated, changeful, glittering, shifty, quick-fluttering, glittering, shift rapidly to and fro, varied (αἰολό) + form, shape, morph (μορφον)
ἄνακτα, - regain, restore, recover, rebuild
θεὸν - divine
διφυῆ, - of double nature or form, twofold, two formed
πολύμορφον, - poly, multi, many (πολύ) form (μορφον) = multiform, manifold, versatile
φοίνιον, - like blood, blood-red, bloody
αἱμαχθέντα - make bloody, stain with blood, (αἱμα) + yesterday (χθέντα)
κασιγνήτων - siblings born from the same mother, brothers, sisters; born of the same bed (κασ)
ὑπὸ - beneath, under
δισσῶν, - twofold, double
Δηοῦς - Demeter
ὃς - entity
γνώμαισιν - means of knowing, organ by which one perceives or knows, though, judgment, gnowledge, opinion, intention, purpose, resolve
ἐνήλλαξας - alternately, exchange
δέμας - bodily frame, the living body, corpse, form, bundle
ἁγνόν, - pure
θηρότυπον - in the form of a beast = beast, wild animal, hunted animal (θηρό) + type (τυπον)
θέμενος - lawful, justice, right,
μορφὴν - form
δνοφεροῖο - dark, murky, dusk, gloom
δράκοντος· - dragon, snake, serpent
κλῦθι, - call
μάκαρ, - happy, blessed
φωνῶν, - produce a sound or tone, phonic, speak loud or clearly, utter, sound
χαλεπὴν - be violent, angry, embittered, provoked, provoked, embittered
δ' - of, from
ἀποπέμπεο - send off or away, dispatch, dismiss, send away
μῆνιν, - wrath, revenge, anger, revengeful temper
παύων - make to end, pause, check, stop, abate, hinder, keep back
φαντασίας, - phantasm, apparition, images, vision dream
ψυχῆς - Psyche, Goddess of the soul
ἐκπλήκτου - terrifying, astounding
ἀνάγκας. - Ananke, Goddess of necessity/what must be/the inevitable/the compulsory; bodily pain/anguish/distress/torture
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