Orphic Hymn to Aither, translated by Catherine Proppe, 2014.
5. Αἰθέρος, θυμίαμα κρόκον.
To Aither[1], divine-connection crocus[2]
Ὦ Διὸς ὑψιμέλαθρον ἔχων κράτος αἰὲν ἀτειρές,
O Heavenly highest-ridgepole[3], foundation mighty eternal indestructible,
ἄστρων ἠελίου τε σεληναίης τε μέρισμα,
Astron[4], Helios[5], and Selene’s[6] division,
πανδαμάτωρ, πυρίπνου, πᾶσι ζωοῖσιν ἔναυσμα,
All-dominator, fire-breathing, all life-bearing spark,
ὑψιφανὴς Αἰθήρ, κόσμου στοιχεῖον ἄριστον,
Highest light, Aither, cosmos’ element supreme,
ἀγλαὸν ὦ βλάστημα, σελασφόρον, ἀστεροφεγγές,
Gloriously bringing-forth life’s beginning[7], Selene-bearing, astral-light,
κικλήσκων λίτομαί σε κεκραμένον εὔδιον εἶναι.
Called on prayed-to thou suspended, well-ordered nine[8].
[1] Aither is the protogenos (primeval) God of the firmament of the heavens.
[2] Crocus sativus, saffron (from the stigma of the purple, autumn-blooming crocus flower), an herb and yellow dye.
[3] A ridgepole is the highest horizontal timber in a roof against which the upper ends of the rafters are fixed.
[4] Astro- (ἄστρω-) means the stars, as in “astronomy, astrology.”
[5] Helios is the immortal God of the Sun.
[6] Selene is the immortal Goddess of the Moon.
[7] Blasteema means offspring, offshoot, sprout, young shoot, bud, blossom.
[8] Nine may refer to the “nine” realms of the sky, with the seven planets (Moon (Selene) (1), Mercury (Hermes) (2), Venus (Aphrodite) (3), Sun (Helios) (4), Mars (Ares) (5), Jupiter (Zeus) (6), Saturn (Kronos) (7), the region of the Zodiac (8), and Aither as the top/outermost “ridgepole” (9). “Nine” may also pertain to the nine months of pregnancy.
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