Translated by Catherine Proppe, April 4, 2016
14. Ῥέας, θυμίαμα ἀρώματα.
To Rea, Mother of the Goddesses and Gods
Divine medium: aromatics
Πότνα Ῥέα, θύγατερ πολυμόρφου Πρωτογόνοιο,
Queen[1] Rea[2], first-born[3] Daughter of many embodiments,
ἥτ’ ἐπὶ ταυροφόνων ἱερότροχον ἅρμα τιταίνεις,
Who drives the bull-slaying, holy, wheeling Titan[4] chariot,
τυμπανόδουπε, φιλοιστρομανές, χαλκόκροτε κούρη,
Tympanum[5]-drumming lover of inspired wisdom, brass-clanging daughter,
μῆτερ Ζηνὸς ἄνακτος Ὀλυμπίου, αἰγιόχοιο,
Mother of Zenos[6], ruler of Olympos[7], the Aegean[8] ox[9],
πάντιμ', ἀγλαόμορφε, Κρόνου σύλλεκτρε μάκαιρα,
All-honored, gloriously-embodied, Kronos’[10] blessed bed companion,
οὔρεσιν ἣ χαίρεις θνητῶν τ' ὀλολύγμασι φρικτοῖς,
Mountain-dwelling, rejoicing with mortals in loud, hair-raising cries,
παμβασίλεια Ῥέα, πολεμόκλονε, ὀμβριμόθυμε,
All-Basileia[11], Rea, war-raging, powerfully-impassioned,
ψευδομένη σώτειρα, λυτηριάς, ἀρχιγένεθλε·
Deceptively steadfast savior, releasing the foundation of birth[12],
μήτηρ μέν τε θεῶν ἠδὲ θνητῶν ἀνθρώπων·
Steadfast Mother to immortals and mortal humans.
ἐκ σοῦ γὰρ καὶ γαῖα καὶ οὐρανὸς εὐρὺς ὕπερθεν
Out of thou came Gaia[13] and o’er-arching Ouranos[14],
καὶ πόντος πνοαί τε φιλόδρομε, ἀερόμορφε·
And Pontos’[15], and each breath’s loving course forms air[16].
ἐλθέ, μάκαιρα θεά, σωτήριος, εὔφρονι βουλῆι,
Come, blessed Goddess, savior, wise counselor,
εἰρήνην κατάγουσα σὺν εὐόλβοις κτεάτεσσιν,
Bestow the peace of Eirene[17] together with a good whole life attainment,
λύματα καὶ κῆρας πέμπουσ' ἐπὶ τέρματα γαίης.
Send defilement and destruction to the ends of the earth.
[1] Potna is a title of honor addressed to women and Goddesses, i.e. Queen, revered.
[2] Rea means “flow.” Rea (usually spelled “Rhea”), the “Great Goddess,” the “Great Mother (Magna Mater),” is the immortal Titan Mother (by Kronos, God of Time) of the Olympian Goddesses and Gods. Rea is also identified with Kybele (Κύβέλη), the Phrygian (modern Turkey) Mother of the Goddesses and Gods; literally: pregnancy (Κύ) + base (βέ) + loosen (λη). Rea is depicted as riding on a lion or in a chariot drawn by lions or accompanied by lions as pets. This is consistent with the constellation Virgo (the Independent Lady) following the constellation Leo (the Lion) in its progression across the night sky. Virgo appears in September at the time when fruit comes to fruition.
[3] Protogonoio means first born, or first to give birth to.
[4] Titain (τιταίν) means stretch.
[5] A tympanum is a frame drum, tambourine, used especially in the worship of the Rhea/Cybele, the Great Mother (Magna Mater).
[6] Zenos is another name for Zeus, the immortal God of lightning storms and the spark of fire/spark of life.
[7] Olympos is considered the home of the Olympian deities.
[8] The Aegean Sea connects Greece and Anatolia/Turkey. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aegean_Sea#mediaviewer/File:Aegean_Sea_map.png
[9] The ox is the male stud animal of the herd kept for breeding.
[10] Kronos is the immortal God of time.
[11] Basileia means ruler.
[12] “Loosening the foundation of birth” is likely a reference to menstruation and parturition.
[13] Gaia is the immortal Goddess of generative earth.
[14] Ouranos is the immortal God of the sky.
[15] Pontos is the immortal God of the sea.
[16] This hymn reverses the conventionally-accepted parentage of Rhea, with Rhea being the mother of Gaia and Ouranos (and Pontos and air) rather than the daughter of Gaia and Ouranos (Hesiod Theogony 116, Apollodorus 1.1, Diodorus Siculus 5.65.1)
[17] Eirene is the immortal Goddess of peace.
14. Ῥέας, θυμίαμα ἀρώματα.
To Rea, Mother of the Goddesses and Gods
Divine medium: aromatics
Πότνα Ῥέα, θύγατερ πολυμόρφου Πρωτογόνοιο,
Queen[1] Rea[2], first-born[3] Daughter of many embodiments,
ἥτ’ ἐπὶ ταυροφόνων ἱερότροχον ἅρμα τιταίνεις,
Who drives the bull-slaying, holy, wheeling Titan[4] chariot,
τυμπανόδουπε, φιλοιστρομανές, χαλκόκροτε κούρη,
Tympanum[5]-drumming lover of inspired wisdom, brass-clanging daughter,
μῆτερ Ζηνὸς ἄνακτος Ὀλυμπίου, αἰγιόχοιο,
Mother of Zenos[6], ruler of Olympos[7], the Aegean[8] ox[9],
πάντιμ', ἀγλαόμορφε, Κρόνου σύλλεκτρε μάκαιρα,
All-honored, gloriously-embodied, Kronos’[10] blessed bed companion,
οὔρεσιν ἣ χαίρεις θνητῶν τ' ὀλολύγμασι φρικτοῖς,
Mountain-dwelling, rejoicing with mortals in loud, hair-raising cries,
παμβασίλεια Ῥέα, πολεμόκλονε, ὀμβριμόθυμε,
All-Basileia[11], Rea, war-raging, powerfully-impassioned,
ψευδομένη σώτειρα, λυτηριάς, ἀρχιγένεθλε·
Deceptively steadfast savior, releasing the foundation of birth[12],
μήτηρ μέν τε θεῶν ἠδὲ θνητῶν ἀνθρώπων·
Steadfast Mother to immortals and mortal humans.
ἐκ σοῦ γὰρ καὶ γαῖα καὶ οὐρανὸς εὐρὺς ὕπερθεν
Out of thou came Gaia[13] and o’er-arching Ouranos[14],
καὶ πόντος πνοαί τε φιλόδρομε, ἀερόμορφε·
And Pontos’[15], and each breath’s loving course forms air[16].
ἐλθέ, μάκαιρα θεά, σωτήριος, εὔφρονι βουλῆι,
Come, blessed Goddess, savior, wise counselor,
εἰρήνην κατάγουσα σὺν εὐόλβοις κτεάτεσσιν,
Bestow the peace of Eirene[17] together with a good whole life attainment,
λύματα καὶ κῆρας πέμπουσ' ἐπὶ τέρματα γαίης.
Send defilement and destruction to the ends of the earth.
[1] Potna is a title of honor addressed to women and Goddesses, i.e. Queen, revered.
[2] Rea means “flow.” Rea (usually spelled “Rhea”), the “Great Goddess,” the “Great Mother (Magna Mater),” is the immortal Titan Mother (by Kronos, God of Time) of the Olympian Goddesses and Gods. Rea is also identified with Kybele (Κύβέλη), the Phrygian (modern Turkey) Mother of the Goddesses and Gods; literally: pregnancy (Κύ) + base (βέ) + loosen (λη). Rea is depicted as riding on a lion or in a chariot drawn by lions or accompanied by lions as pets. This is consistent with the constellation Virgo (the Independent Lady) following the constellation Leo (the Lion) in its progression across the night sky. Virgo appears in September at the time when fruit comes to fruition.
[3] Protogonoio means first born, or first to give birth to.
[4] Titain (τιταίν) means stretch.
[5] A tympanum is a frame drum, tambourine, used especially in the worship of the Rhea/Cybele, the Great Mother (Magna Mater).
[6] Zenos is another name for Zeus, the immortal God of lightning storms and the spark of fire/spark of life.
[7] Olympos is considered the home of the Olympian deities.
[8] The Aegean Sea connects Greece and Anatolia/Turkey. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aegean_Sea#mediaviewer/File:Aegean_Sea_map.png
[9] The ox is the male stud animal of the herd kept for breeding.
[10] Kronos is the immortal God of time.
[11] Basileia means ruler.
[12] “Loosening the foundation of birth” is likely a reference to menstruation and parturition.
[13] Gaia is the immortal Goddess of generative earth.
[14] Ouranos is the immortal God of the sky.
[15] Pontos is the immortal God of the sea.
[16] This hymn reverses the conventionally-accepted parentage of Rhea, with Rhea being the mother of Gaia and Ouranos (and Pontos and air) rather than the daughter of Gaia and Ouranos (Hesiod Theogony 116, Apollodorus 1.1, Diodorus Siculus 5.65.1)
[17] Eirene is the immortal Goddess of peace.
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