Translated by Catherine Proppe September 12, 2016
26. Γῆς,
θυμίαμα πᾶν σπέρμα πλὴν κυάμων καὶ ἀρωμάτων.
To Ge, Goddess of Generative Earth
Divine medium: all seeds except beans, and aromatic spices
Γαῖα θεά, μῆτερ μακάρων θνητῶν τ' ἀνθρώπων,
Gaia divine, blessed Mother of Goddesses, Gods, and mortals,
πάντροφε, πανδώτειρα, τελεσφόρε, παντολέτειρα,
Nurturing all, providing for all, bringing to fulfillment every marvel:
αὐξιθαλής, φερέκαρπε, καλαῖς ὥραισι βρύουσα,
The development of blooms, the bearing of fruit, the stalks in Season, the teeming abundance.
ἕδρανον ἀθανάτου κόσμου, πολυποίκιλε κούρη,
Divine seat of the cosmos’ multitude of offspring,
ἣ λοχίαις ὠδῖσι κύεις καρπὸν πολυειδῆ,
Where in the travail of pregnancies’ parturition fruits take many forms.
ἀιδία, πολύσεπτε, βαθύστερν', ὀλβιόμοιρε,
Eternal, deep-bosomed, revered Lady, grant a whole life fate.
ἡδυπνόοις χαίρουσα χλόαις πολυάνθεσι δαῖμον,
Let sweet breezes grace tender sprouts’ many blooms divine,
ὀμβροχαρής, περὶ ἣν κόσμος πολυδαίδαλος ἄστρων
Bless them with rain; surrounded, indeed, by the many fiery stars of the cosmos:
εἱλεῖται φύσει ἀενάωι καὶ ῥεύμασι δεινοῖς.
Cycling Phusis’ everlasting and everflowing power.
ἀλλά, μάκαιρα θεά, καρποὺς αὔξοις πολυγηθεῖς
Blessed Goddess, bring forth fruit in abundance, Ge divine,
εὐμενὲς ἦτορ ἔχουσα, σὺν ὀλβίοισιν ἐν ὥραις.
Benevolent power of the heart’s foundation,
Together with whole life blessings in Season.
NOTES
Ge (Γῆς), also known as Gaia (Γαῖα), is the immortal Goddess of generative Earth. According to Hesiod’s Theogony (116-117), an account of the origin of the universe written around 700 BCE, Gaia (Γαῖα) is the foundation that first emerged from primordial Chaos (Χάος), giving birth to all the Goddesses and Gods. According to Homeric Hymn 30. “To Earth Mother of All,” written around the same time period, Gaia is the eldest of all divine beings.
Ge’s generative role is echoed in the hymn with the repeated use of the rootstem auxi (αὐξι). Auxin is defined by Webster’s Dictionary as “a class of substances that in minute amounts regulate or modify the growth of plants, esp. root formation, bud growth, and fruit and leaf drop.”[1] Auxi (αὔξι) was a common text honoring the deceased, consistent with the belief that life is renewed with the growth of plants in the Spring.
Kalais (καλαῖς) are grainstalks. The Kalamaia (Καλαμαῖα) was a festival of the Goddesses Demeter and her daughter, Persephone, at Eleusis. Kalamaion (Κᾰλᾰμαιών) was the name of a month at Miletus, Olbia, and Cyzicus.
The Horai (Ὠραι) are the beautiful immortal Goddesses of the hours, the seasons, the times for things to naturally occur.
Phusis (Φύσις) is the immortal Goddess of physics; of nature.
The name Ge (Γῆς) literally means “generative (Γ) + center (ῆ) + ς.” Gaia (Γαῖα) means “generative (Γ) + arising (α) + divine-power (ῖ) + arising (α).”
[1] Webster’s New Universal Unabridged Dictionary, New York: Random House, 1996).
26. Γῆς,
θυμίαμα πᾶν σπέρμα πλὴν κυάμων καὶ ἀρωμάτων.
To Ge, Goddess of Generative Earth
Divine medium: all seeds except beans, and aromatic spices
Γαῖα θεά, μῆτερ μακάρων θνητῶν τ' ἀνθρώπων,
Gaia divine, blessed Mother of Goddesses, Gods, and mortals,
πάντροφε, πανδώτειρα, τελεσφόρε, παντολέτειρα,
Nurturing all, providing for all, bringing to fulfillment every marvel:
αὐξιθαλής, φερέκαρπε, καλαῖς ὥραισι βρύουσα,
The development of blooms, the bearing of fruit, the stalks in Season, the teeming abundance.
ἕδρανον ἀθανάτου κόσμου, πολυποίκιλε κούρη,
Divine seat of the cosmos’ multitude of offspring,
ἣ λοχίαις ὠδῖσι κύεις καρπὸν πολυειδῆ,
Where in the travail of pregnancies’ parturition fruits take many forms.
ἀιδία, πολύσεπτε, βαθύστερν', ὀλβιόμοιρε,
Eternal, deep-bosomed, revered Lady, grant a whole life fate.
ἡδυπνόοις χαίρουσα χλόαις πολυάνθεσι δαῖμον,
Let sweet breezes grace tender sprouts’ many blooms divine,
ὀμβροχαρής, περὶ ἣν κόσμος πολυδαίδαλος ἄστρων
Bless them with rain; surrounded, indeed, by the many fiery stars of the cosmos:
εἱλεῖται φύσει ἀενάωι καὶ ῥεύμασι δεινοῖς.
Cycling Phusis’ everlasting and everflowing power.
ἀλλά, μάκαιρα θεά, καρποὺς αὔξοις πολυγηθεῖς
Blessed Goddess, bring forth fruit in abundance, Ge divine,
εὐμενὲς ἦτορ ἔχουσα, σὺν ὀλβίοισιν ἐν ὥραις.
Benevolent power of the heart’s foundation,
Together with whole life blessings in Season.
NOTES
Ge (Γῆς), also known as Gaia (Γαῖα), is the immortal Goddess of generative Earth. According to Hesiod’s Theogony (116-117), an account of the origin of the universe written around 700 BCE, Gaia (Γαῖα) is the foundation that first emerged from primordial Chaos (Χάος), giving birth to all the Goddesses and Gods. According to Homeric Hymn 30. “To Earth Mother of All,” written around the same time period, Gaia is the eldest of all divine beings.
Ge’s generative role is echoed in the hymn with the repeated use of the rootstem auxi (αὐξι). Auxin is defined by Webster’s Dictionary as “a class of substances that in minute amounts regulate or modify the growth of plants, esp. root formation, bud growth, and fruit and leaf drop.”[1] Auxi (αὔξι) was a common text honoring the deceased, consistent with the belief that life is renewed with the growth of plants in the Spring.
Kalais (καλαῖς) are grainstalks. The Kalamaia (Καλαμαῖα) was a festival of the Goddesses Demeter and her daughter, Persephone, at Eleusis. Kalamaion (Κᾰλᾰμαιών) was the name of a month at Miletus, Olbia, and Cyzicus.
The Horai (Ὠραι) are the beautiful immortal Goddesses of the hours, the seasons, the times for things to naturally occur.
Phusis (Φύσις) is the immortal Goddess of physics; of nature.
The name Ge (Γῆς) literally means “generative (Γ) + center (ῆ) + ς.” Gaia (Γαῖα) means “generative (Γ) + arising (α) + divine-power (ῖ) + arising (α).”
[1] Webster’s New Universal Unabridged Dictionary, New York: Random House, 1996).
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