Translated by Catherine Proppe, September 15, 2015
8. Εἰς Ἥλιον, θυμίαμα λιβανομάνναν.
Welcome Helios
Divine connection: libanon mannan (frankincense and manna)
Κλῦθι μάκαρ, πανδερκὲς ἔχων αἰώνιον ὄμμα,
I call the blessed, all-seeing foundation, eternal eye,
Τιτὰν χρυσαυγής, Ὑπερίων, οὐράνιον φῶς,
Titan[1] of golden dawn, Hyperion’s[2] heavenly light,
αὐτοφυής, ἀκάμας, ζώιων ἡδεῖα πρόσοψι,
Singular in nature, arising arc, life-giving, cheerful countenance.
δεξιὲ μὲν γενέτωρ ἠοῦς, εὐώνυμε νυκτός,
On the right[3], giving birth to Dawn, on the left, Night,
κρᾶσιν ἔχων ὡρῶν, τετραβάμοσι ποσσὶ χορεύων,
Mixing the foundation’s four horizons, counting each circling
εὔδρομε, ῥοιζήτωρ, πυρόεις, φαιδρωπέ, διφρευτά,
Course, fire-hurtling, light-bestowing chariot,
ῥόμβου ἀπειρεσίου δινεύμασιν οἶμον ἐλαύνων,
Whirling without intermission on a wheeling path, driving
εὐσεβέσιν καθοδηγὲ καλῶν, ζαμενὴς ἀσεβοῦσιν,
A well-honored guided cycle, beautiful, powerful, impudent.
χρησολύρη, κόσμου τὸν ἐναρμόνιον δρόμον ἕλκων,
Golden lyre: the cosmos’ harmonic course follows.
ἔργων σημάντωρ ἀγαθῶν, ὡροτρόφε κοῦρε,
Signal the time for work, good hour-turning son,
κοσμοκράτωρ, συρικτά, πυρίδρομε, κυκλοέλικτε,
Cosmic ruler, trailing a fiery course, in a cycling spiral.
φωσφόρε, αἰολόδικτε, φερέσβιε, κάρπιμε Παιάν,
Light-bearer, eternally variable dictator, bringing life to Gaia’s[4] fruits,
ἀιθαλής, ἀμίαντε, χρόνου πάτερ, ἀθάνατε Ζεῦ,
Ethereal, exemplary father of time, eternal spark-of-life[5]
εὔδιε, πασιφαής, κόσμου τὸ περίδρομον ὄμμα,
Fair-coursing, all-light of the the cosmos, circumnavigating eye:
σβεννύμενε λάμπων τε καλαῖς ἀκτῖσι φαειναῖς,
From extinguished lamp to beautiful noonday brilliance.
δεῖκτα δικαιοσύνης, φιλονάματε, δέσποτα κόσμου,
Clear illuminator in league with Dike’s[6] justice, beloved streaming font, all-powerful despot of the cosmos,
πιστοφύλαξ, αἰεὶ πανυπέρτατε, πᾶσιν ἀρωγέ,
Trusted sentinel, eternally uppermost, giving aid to all,
ὄμμα δικαιοσύνης, ζωῆς φῶς· ὦ ἐλάσιππε,
Eye of justice, life’s illuminator, O steed-driver
μάστιγι λιγυρῆι τετράορον ἅρμα διώκων,
Whip sharply that four-horsed chariot, drive on!
κλῦθι λόγων, ἡδὺν δὲ βίον μύστηισι πρόφαινε.
I call with sweet words of life the mystae: come before the light[7].
[1] The Titans are the immortal deities who reside in Tartaros, the deepest realm beneath the earth, in contrast to the next generation Olympians, who reside on Mount Olympos, the highest known place on earth.
[2] Hyperion is the immortal God of the “upper air.” He is the father, by the Goddess Theia, of the God Helios (sun), Goddess Eos (dawn), and Goddess Selene (moon). (Theogony 371, Homeric Hymn To Helios, Apollodorus 1.9, Hyginus Pref)
[3] When facing north, east is to the right.
[4] Gaia is the immortal Goddess of generative earth.
[5] Zeus is the immortal lightning-storm God of the spark of fire, spark of life, a title also used to refer to other deities (Pluto, Ammon, Poseidon, Aphrodite, Helios) and to some mortals (Pericles, kings, emperors).
[6] Dike is the immortal, all-seeing Goddess of justice.
[7] This hymn may have been performed at dawn when the initiates in the mysteries, the “mystae,” emerge into the light of day from their night-long initiation rituals.
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