Translated by Catherine Proppe May 14, 2014
78. Ἠοῦς, θυμίαμα μάνναν.
To Eeous
Divine connection/incense: manna (Fraxinus Ornus)
Κλῦθι, θεά, θνητοῖς φαεσίμβροτον ἦμαρ ἄγουσα,
Welcome, Goddess, mortals’ light in a human day, arising above earth,
Ἠὼς λαμπροφαής, ἐρυθαινομένη κατὰ κόσμον,
Eos’[1], lamplight, reddening-divine power, catalyst of the cosmos,
ἀγγέλτειρα θεοῦ μεγάλου Τιτᾶνος ἀγαυοῦ,
Heraldic deity, majestic Titan glorious,
ἣ νυκτὸς ζοφόεντα κελαινόχρωτα πορείην
Slayer of black-skinned Night[2], conveying
ἀντολίαις ταῖς σαῖς πέμπεις ὑπὸ νέρτερα γαίης·
The East’s appointed dispatching to below Gaia’s[3] netherworld.
ἔργων ἡγήτειρα, βίου πρόπολε θνητοῖσιν·
Task-guider of life before death.
ἧι χαίρει θνητῶν μερόπων γένος· οὐδέ τίς ἐστιν,
Or, charming mortal’s fated genus. But, from this, Hestia
ὃς φεύγει τὴν σὴν ὄψιν καθυπέρτερον οὖσαν,
Escapes, then, in sync, seeing the highest vantage of immutable-reality,
ἡνίκα τὸν γλυκὺν ὕπνον ἀπὸ βλεφάρων ἀποσείσηις,
When then sweet sleep springs from eyelids opened,
πᾶς δὲ βροτὸς γήθει, πᾶν ἑρπετὸν ἄλλα τε φῦλα
All humanity rejoices, all crawling-creatures, yet, too, the tribes of
τετραπόδων πτηνῶν τε καὶ εἰναλίων πολυεθνῶν·
Four-footed, winged, too, and the seas many mortal creatures.
πάντα γὰρ ἐργάσιμον βίοτον θνητοῖσι πορίζεις.
Over all generating work’s livelihood on the mortal path.
ἀλλά, μάκαιρ’, ἁγνή, μύσταις ἱερὸν φάος αὔξοις.
Then, happily, purely, mystae[4]: holy light arises.
[1] Eos is the immortal Goddess of Dawn.
[2] Night is the immortal Goddess of Night.
[3] Gaia is the immortal Goddess of Earth.
[4] Mystae are candidates for initiation in the holy Mysteries.