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Hymn to the Kouretes (www.GreekAlphabeta.com)  #HymnsofOrpheus

10/7/2013

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This is a first-pass attempt to translate the Orphic Hymn to the Kouretes with the help of the Liddell-Scott Greek-English Lexicon.


The Kouretes are armed dancers who make a loud clashing noise of swords and armor.


Kouretes (Κουρῆτες) is defined in the Lexicon as young men, especially young warriors. The base term, Kour- (Κουρ-) means youth, child, son, daughter. The Lexicon adds to its definition "armed dancers who celebrated orgiastic rites; at Ephesus, religious college of six members; a Pythagorean name for 9."
  
Legends tell of Kouretes dancing and making noise to conceal the birth of babies (Zeus, Apollo, Artemis) whom others wished to harm.


This Hymn would have been very loud and lively, with warriors in full armor leaping and dancing and clashing their armor noisily.


From Theoi.com:


Strabo, Geography 14. 1. 20 : "On the same coast [i.e. near Ephesos in Asia Minor], slightly above the sea, is also Ortygia, which is a magnificent grove of all kinds of trees, of the cypress most of all...Above the grove lies Mount Solmissos, where, it is said, the Kouretes stationed themselves, and with the din of their arms frightened Hera out of her wits when she was jealously spying on Leto, and when they helped Leto to conceal from Hera the birth of her children."

Thaletas, Fragment 10 (from Scholiast on Pindar) (trans. Campbell, Vol. Greek Lyric II) (Greek lyric C7th B.C.E.) :
"The dance in armour was first invented and danced by the Kouretes."


Pliny the Elder, Natural History 7. 204 (trans. Rackham) (Roman encyclopedia C1st CE.) :
"The Curetes taught dancing in armour,




Diodorus Siculus, Library of History 5. 65. 1 : 
"The Kouretes also invented swords and helmets and the war-dance, by means of which they raised a great alarum and deceived Kronos."


Strabo, Geography 10. 3. 11 (trans. Jones) (Greek geographer C1st B.C.E. to C1st CE.) :
"Kouretes, young men who executed movements in armour, accompanied by dancing...
the Kouretes, who, by surrounding the [G]oddess with tambourines and similar noisy instruments and with war-dance and uproar, were supposed to strike terror into Kronos and without his knowledge to steal his child away



Pseudo-Apollodorus, Bibliotheca 1. 4- 5 (trans. Aldrich) (Greek mythographer C2nd CE.) :
"the armed Kouretes stood guard over (Zeus) in the cave, banging their spears against their shields to prevent Kronos from hearing the infant’s voice."


Statius, Thebaid 4. 782 ff (trans. Mozley) (Roman epic C1st A.D.) :
"The Berecyntian mother [Rhea], while she bids the Curetes leap in excited dance around the infant Thunderer [Zeus]; their cymbals clash in emulous frenzy,


Diodorus Siculus, Library of History 5. 65. 1 (trans. Oldfather) (Greek historian C1st B.C.E.) :
"Nine Kouretes (Curetes). Some writers of myths relate that these [G]ods were born of the Gaia (the Earth)."




Strabo, Geography 10. 3. 19 (trans. Jones) (Greek geographer C1st B.C.E. to C1st CE.) :
"And the author of Phoronis speaks of the Kouretes . . . as earth-born (gigantes)."




Toward the end of the hymn, there is some indication that the Kouretes may have been charged with securing the sacrificial bull.




31. Ὕπνος - Hymn
Κουρήτων - of Kouretes
Ι. 

Σκιρτηταὶ - Leaping
Κουρῆτες, - Kouretes
ἐνόπλια - in arms, armed, 
βήματα - step, pace, measure by paces, march
θέντες, - strike (with the palm of the hand, flat of the foot); motion from a place

ποσσίκροτοι, - strike with the foot (in dancing)
ῥομβηταί, - spun round like a rhombus (bull-roarer), whirled about
ὀρέστεροι, - of the mountains; mountainous, hilly; living on mountains, mountain-bred; epithet of a snake, wolves, lions
εὐαστῆρες, - rich in stars, starry = essence pure (εὐ) + stars (αστῆρες)

κρουσιλύραι, - striking the lyre = strike, playing a stringed instrument (κρουσι) + lyres (λύραι)
παράρυθμοι, - "irregular" = having to do with (παρά) + rhythm (ρυθμοι) = somewhat? rhythmically
ἐπεμβάται - "one mounted, horsebackrider; one who walks on or in" = upon, in (ἐπεμ) + step (βάται) = marching in step
ἴχνεσι - track, route, footprints
κούφοι, - light, nimble (These are likely stage directions for the actors to march rhythmically instep in a light, nimble way while playing lyres.)

ὁπλοφόροι, - bearing arms, armed soldiers = arms, armor (ὁπλο) + bearing (φόροι)
φύλακες, - watch, guard, keep, preserve, protect, watch-party
κοσμήτορες, - one who marshals an army, commander, leader, guide, one who creates order/an ordered universe
ἀγλαόφημοι, - "of splendid fame" = glorious, beautiful, splendid (ἀγλαό) + fame, spoken of, reputation (φημοι) 

μητρὸς - mother
ὀρειομανοῦς - mountain-dwelling (ὀρειο) + mantic, divine medium, porous, divination (μανοῦς)
συνοπάονες, - companion = together συν) + follower, attendant; comrade in war (οπάονες) 
ὀργιοφάνται· - one who displays religious objects and initiates into mysteries = secret rites (ὀργιο) + bring to light, illuminate (φάνται)

ἔλθοιτ' - come
εὐμενέοντες - graciously, well-disposed, kindly = essence pure (εὐ) + might, force, strength, fierceness (μενέ) + reality, truth (οντες)
ἐπ' - upon
εὐφήμοισι - "fair-sounding, auspicious; sounds of good omen" = essence pure (εὐ) + words, oracular utterance, fame, spoken of, repute (φήμοισι) 
λόγοισι, - logic, reason

βουκόλωι - bull-tending, herdsman, bucolic, cowherd; bull-worshipping = bull (βου) + attach firmly, fasten; sheath, scabbard; core-entity-loosen? (κόλωι) 
εὐάντητοι - "accessible, gracious, open to entreaty, acceptable" = essence pure (εὐ) + against, over against, anti, opposite (άντητοι) 
ἀεὶ - eternal
κεχαρηότι - rejoice?be glad? take pleasure? do something agreeable?
θυμῶι. - spirit, passion, life-force, passion
(Perhaps the Kouretes were charged with securing the sacrificial bull.)

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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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