Translated by Catherine Proppe March 24, 2016
2. Προθυραίας, θυμίαμα στύρακα.
To Prothyraia, Goddess of Parturition, “Approaching the Doorway”
Divine connection: storax
Κλῦθί μοι, ὦ πολύσεμνε θεά, πολυώνυμε δαῖμον,
I call, O much-revered Goddess, many-named deity,
ὠδίνων ἐπαρωγέ, λεχῶν ἡδεῖα πρόσοψι,
In travail of childbirth, with your aid, women give birth sweetly, before long.
θηλειῶν σώτειρα μόνη, φιλόπαις, ἀγανόφρον,
Women’s sole savior, lover of children, gentle counselor,
ὠκυλόχεια, παροῦσα νέαις θνητῶν, Προθυραία,
Bring swift childbirth for new mortals approaching the doorway,
κλειδοῦχ', εὐάντητε, φιλοτρόφε, πᾶσι προσηνής,
Key holder, welcoming host, loving nurturer, guide of all,
ἣ κατέχεις[1] οἴκους πάντων θαλίαις τε γέγηθας,
Little by little crafting all homes, with Ge[2] rejoicing,
λυσίζων', ἀφανής, ἔργοισι δὲ φαίνῃ ἅπασι,
Loosen the zone, invisibly work to bring all to light,
συμπάσχεις ὠδῖσι καὶ εὐτοκίηισι γέγηθας,
In sympathy with throes of parturition and ease childbirth, with Ge rejoicing,
Εἰλείθυια, λύουσα πόνους δειναῖς ἐν ἀνάγκαις·
Eileithyia[3], unbind the toil and terrible dangers of Ananke[4],
μούνην γὰρ σὲ καλοῦσι λεχοὶ ψυχῆς ἀνάπαυμα·
You alone come to women in labor and give respite to their Soul[5].
ἐν γὰρ σοὶ τοκετῶν λυσιπήμονές εἰσιν ἀνῖαι,
Come to childbirth, release suffering and painful distress,
Ἄρτεμις Εἰλείθυια, καὶ ἡ σεμνή, Προθυραία.
Artemis[6] Eileithyia and revered Prothyraia,
κλῦθι, μάκαιρα, δίδου δὲ γονὰς ἐπαρωγὸς ἐοῦσα
Come, give blessings of offspring, aide their coming to be,
καὶ σῴζ', ὥσπερ ἔφυς αἰεὶ σώτειρα προπάντων.
And save from death, as Nature’s[7] eternal savior for all.
[1] ἣ κατέχεις = little by little (ἣκα) + craft (τέχεις)
[2] Ge is the immortal Goddess of generative earth.
[3] Eileithyia is the immortal Goddess of childbirth and parturitiom.
[4] Ananke is the immortal Goddess of what is necessary, in this case, the travail of parturition.
[5] Psyche is the immortal Goddess of the soul.
“When we draw in the air, we harvest the divine soul.” Vettius Valens in Tracing Orpheus: Studies of Orphic Fragments in Honour of Alberto Bernabe p. 142)
“…the soul comes in from the universe when breathing takes place, borne in upon the winds…” Artistotle de An. 410b 27-11a 2), Tracing Orpheus p. 139
“Respiration marks the limit of life.” Aristotle de An. 404a 10, Tracing Orpheus p. 140 footnote #5
“…the soul diffuses throughout the cosmos, and we are animate beings for having a part of it.” Cleanthes, Tracing Orpheus p. 143.
“They (sc. the Stoics) declare that there is one soul in the universe—which they called ‘ether’ and ‘air’…The other souls are born from it…” Diogenes Laertius, Tracing Orpheus p. 143.
“Indeed, for the Stoics the soul is, as we have said, pneuma. However, that pneuma is not soul while the foetus is inside the mother’s womb.” Carlos Megino, Tracing Orpheus p.144.
[6] Artemis is the immortal Goddess of independence.
[7] Phusis is the immortal Goddess of nature, of Physics.
2. Προθυραίας, θυμίαμα στύρακα.
To Prothyraia, Goddess of Parturition, “Approaching the Doorway”
Divine connection: storax
Κλῦθί μοι, ὦ πολύσεμνε θεά, πολυώνυμε δαῖμον,
I call, O much-revered Goddess, many-named deity,
ὠδίνων ἐπαρωγέ, λεχῶν ἡδεῖα πρόσοψι,
In travail of childbirth, with your aid, women give birth sweetly, before long.
θηλειῶν σώτειρα μόνη, φιλόπαις, ἀγανόφρον,
Women’s sole savior, lover of children, gentle counselor,
ὠκυλόχεια, παροῦσα νέαις θνητῶν, Προθυραία,
Bring swift childbirth for new mortals approaching the doorway,
κλειδοῦχ', εὐάντητε, φιλοτρόφε, πᾶσι προσηνής,
Key holder, welcoming host, loving nurturer, guide of all,
ἣ κατέχεις[1] οἴκους πάντων θαλίαις τε γέγηθας,
Little by little crafting all homes, with Ge[2] rejoicing,
λυσίζων', ἀφανής, ἔργοισι δὲ φαίνῃ ἅπασι,
Loosen the zone, invisibly work to bring all to light,
συμπάσχεις ὠδῖσι καὶ εὐτοκίηισι γέγηθας,
In sympathy with throes of parturition and ease childbirth, with Ge rejoicing,
Εἰλείθυια, λύουσα πόνους δειναῖς ἐν ἀνάγκαις·
Eileithyia[3], unbind the toil and terrible dangers of Ananke[4],
μούνην γὰρ σὲ καλοῦσι λεχοὶ ψυχῆς ἀνάπαυμα·
You alone come to women in labor and give respite to their Soul[5].
ἐν γὰρ σοὶ τοκετῶν λυσιπήμονές εἰσιν ἀνῖαι,
Come to childbirth, release suffering and painful distress,
Ἄρτεμις Εἰλείθυια, καὶ ἡ σεμνή, Προθυραία.
Artemis[6] Eileithyia and revered Prothyraia,
κλῦθι, μάκαιρα, δίδου δὲ γονὰς ἐπαρωγὸς ἐοῦσα
Come, give blessings of offspring, aide their coming to be,
καὶ σῴζ', ὥσπερ ἔφυς αἰεὶ σώτειρα προπάντων.
And save from death, as Nature’s[7] eternal savior for all.
[1] ἣ κατέχεις = little by little (ἣκα) + craft (τέχεις)
[2] Ge is the immortal Goddess of generative earth.
[3] Eileithyia is the immortal Goddess of childbirth and parturitiom.
[4] Ananke is the immortal Goddess of what is necessary, in this case, the travail of parturition.
[5] Psyche is the immortal Goddess of the soul.
“When we draw in the air, we harvest the divine soul.” Vettius Valens in Tracing Orpheus: Studies of Orphic Fragments in Honour of Alberto Bernabe p. 142)
“…the soul comes in from the universe when breathing takes place, borne in upon the winds…” Artistotle de An. 410b 27-11a 2), Tracing Orpheus p. 139
“Respiration marks the limit of life.” Aristotle de An. 404a 10, Tracing Orpheus p. 140 footnote #5
“…the soul diffuses throughout the cosmos, and we are animate beings for having a part of it.” Cleanthes, Tracing Orpheus p. 143.
“They (sc. the Stoics) declare that there is one soul in the universe—which they called ‘ether’ and ‘air’…The other souls are born from it…” Diogenes Laertius, Tracing Orpheus p. 143.
“Indeed, for the Stoics the soul is, as we have said, pneuma. However, that pneuma is not soul while the foetus is inside the mother’s womb.” Carlos Megino, Tracing Orpheus p.144.
[6] Artemis is the immortal Goddess of independence.
[7] Phusis is the immortal Goddess of nature, of Physics.
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