Translated by Catherine Proppe
December 15, 2014
41. Μητρὸς Ἀνταίας, θυμίαμα ἀρώματα.
Mother Antagonized[1]
Divine medium: aromatics
Ἀνταία βασίλεια, θεά, πολυώνυμε μῆτερ
Antagonized Basileia[2], Goddess of many-realms, Mother of
ἀθανάτων τε θεῶν ἠδὲ θνητῶν ἀνθρώπων,
Immortal deities and mortal humans,
ἥ ποτε μαστεύουσα πολυπλάγκτωι ἐν ἀνίηι
When searching many directions in great distress
νηστείαν κατέπαυσας Ἐλευσῖνος ἐν γυάλοισιν
Fasting, you paused in Eleusis’[3] valley
ἦλθές τ' εἰς Ἀίδην πρὸς ἀγαυὴν Περσεφόνειαν
Then on to Aidon’s realm[4] led to august Persephone[5],
ἁγνὸν παῖδα Δυσαύλου ὁδηγητῆρα λαβοῦσα,
Pure child, your desolate[6] journey released
μηνυτῆρ' ἁγίων λέκτρων χθονίου Διὸς ἁγνοῦ,
Information of the pure marriage-bed of earthly pure Dios[7],
Εὔβουλον τέξασα θεὸν θνητῆς ἀπ' ἀνάγκης.
Good counseling[8] child-bearer of divine mortal necessity[9],
ἀλλά, θεά, λίτομαί σε, πολυλλίστη βασίλεια,
Yet, Goddess, humbly and often entreated, Basileia,
ἐλθεῖν εὐάντητον ἐπ' εὐιέρωι σέο μύστηι.
Come with fair reciprocity upon good holy mystae[10].
[1] The immortal mother Goddess Demeter was antagonized by her daughter’s kidnapping and refused to allow new life on earth until her daughter was returned to her.
[2] Basileia means Queen.
[3] Eleusis is a famous city on the Rarian Plain, home to the Eleusinian Mysteries of the Mother and Daughter.
[4] Aidon is the immortal God of the afterlife.
[5] Persephone is the immortal Goddess of the afterlife and springtime rebirth.
[6] Dysaulos means inhospitable, bad for lodging, unhappy, desolate.
[7] Here “Dios” refers to Pluto/Aidon, the God of the afterlife.
[8] Aidon often is termed “good counselor,” perhaps because reflecting on one’s mortality can clarify decisions?
[9] Ananke is the immortal Goddess of what is necessary, of what is required, inevitable, unavoidable. In this case, presumably the necessities for mortals are birth and death.
[10] Mystae are initiates in the Mysteries.
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