Translated by Catherine Proppe
76. Μουσῶν, θυμίαμα λίβανον.
To the Muses, Goddesses of Inspiration
Divine connection: libanon (frankincense)
Μνημοσύνης καὶ Ζηνὸς ἐριγδούποιο θύγατρες,
Mnemosyne’s[1] and Zenos’[2] renowned daughters,
Μοῦσαι Πιερίδες, μεγαλώνυμοι, ἀγλαόφημοι,
The Muses[3] of Pieria[4], many-named, gloriously famed.
θνητοῖς, οἷς κε αρῆτε, ποθεινόταται, πολύμορφοι,
Mortals implore with longing in many forms,
πάσης παιδείης ἀρετὴν γεννῶσαι ἄμεμπτον,
All noble[5] scholars’ creations flawlessly
θρέπτειραι ψυχῆς, διανοίας ὀρθοδότειραι,
Nourished by Psyche[6]-directed mind uprightly bestowed,
καὶ νόου εὐδυνάτοιο καθηγήτειραι ἄνασσαι,
The mind’s rightly powerful pure guiding Queens[7],
αἳ τελετὰς θνητοῖς ἀνεδείξατε μυστιπολεύτους,
Give rise to completion of mortal expressions mysterious and plentiful,
Κλειώ τ’ Εὐτέρπη τε Θάλειά τε Μελπομένη τε
Kleio[8], the key, and delightful Euterpe[9], blooming Thaleia[10] and dancing Melpomene[11],
Τερψιχόρη τ’ Ἐρατώ τε Πολύμνιά τ’ Οὐρανίη τε
Choral Terpsichore[12] and passion’s Erato[13], prolific Polyhymnia[14] and dazzling Ourania[15],
Καλλιόπηι σὺν μητρὶ καὶ εὐδυνάτηι θεᾶι Ἁγνηι.
Beautiful Kalliope[16] together with the Mother and powerful Goddesses pure,
ἀλλὰ μόλοιτε, θεαί, μύσταις, πολυποίκιλοι, ἁγναί,
Make whole, Goddesses, these many mystae[17], varied, pure,
εὔκλειαν ζῆλόν τ’ ἐρατὸν πολύυμνον ἄγουσαι.
Unlock with zeal passion’s prolifically hymned dawnings.
[1] Mnemosyne is the immortal Goddess of memory: the memory’s (Μνη) + container/house (μοσύν). Note: Thomas Taylor’s translation of this hymn deletes any mention of Mnemosyne. His first line is, “Daughters of Jove, dire-sounding and divine . . .”
[2] Zenos is another name for Zeus, the immortal God of lightning storms and the spark of fire/spark of life.
[3] A Muse is an immortal Goddess who divinely inspires mortals. The “M” in “Muse” means “medium,” a special kind of medium that connects the macro/divine with the micro/mortal, literally “medium (Μ) + entity (ο) + pure (ῦ) + synchronized (σ) + αι.”
[4] Pieria is the coastal region around Mount Olympos, “home” of the Muses.
[5] Arete is the immortal Goddess of virtue, excellence, goodness.
[6] Psyche is the immortal Goddess of the soul.
[7] Anassa means Queen, Lady; addressed to Goddesses.
[8] Kleio (Κλειώ) means key/lock, the Muse who unlocks the divine channel, literally: core (Κ) + loosen/release (λ) + essence (ε) of + divine power (ι) + bring forth (ώ). Kleio also means “call” and “celebrate.”
[9] Euterpe (Εὐτέρπη) means essence of pure (Εὐ) + delight, gladdening, cheer (τέρπη). Euterpe is associated with inspiring music, song, and dance.
[10] Thaleia (Θάλειά) means bloom, literally: divine (Θ) + arising (ά) + loosen/release (λ) + essence of (ε) + divine power (ι). Thaleia also means rich, plentiful, abundance, good cheer.
[11] Melpomene (Μελπομένη) means means dance and sing (Μελπω) + power (μένη). Melo (μέλω) means to be an object of care or thought, to care for, to take an interest in. Melpomene eventually came to be associated with inspiring tragic drama.
[12] Terpsichore (Τερψιχόρη) means enjoy, delight in (Τερψι) + the choral dancers/singers (χόρη).
[13] Erato (Ἐρατώ) means the expression of love, “eros.” Erato (Ἐρατώ) is the Pythagorean name for two.
[14] Polyhymnia (Πολύμνιά) means many (Πολ) + hymns (ύμνιά).
[15] Ourania (Οὐρανίη) means the sky, particularly the night sky and its constellations, planets, and moon phases.
[16] Kalliope (Καλλιόπηι) means beautiful (Καλλι) + looking (όπηι).
[17] Mystae are initiates in the Mysteries.
76. Μουσῶν, θυμίαμα λίβανον.
To the Muses, Goddesses of Inspiration
Divine connection: libanon (frankincense)
Μνημοσύνης καὶ Ζηνὸς ἐριγδούποιο θύγατρες,
Mnemosyne’s[1] and Zenos’[2] renowned daughters,
Μοῦσαι Πιερίδες, μεγαλώνυμοι, ἀγλαόφημοι,
The Muses[3] of Pieria[4], many-named, gloriously famed.
θνητοῖς, οἷς κε αρῆτε, ποθεινόταται, πολύμορφοι,
Mortals implore with longing in many forms,
πάσης παιδείης ἀρετὴν γεννῶσαι ἄμεμπτον,
All noble[5] scholars’ creations flawlessly
θρέπτειραι ψυχῆς, διανοίας ὀρθοδότειραι,
Nourished by Psyche[6]-directed mind uprightly bestowed,
καὶ νόου εὐδυνάτοιο καθηγήτειραι ἄνασσαι,
The mind’s rightly powerful pure guiding Queens[7],
αἳ τελετὰς θνητοῖς ἀνεδείξατε μυστιπολεύτους,
Give rise to completion of mortal expressions mysterious and plentiful,
Κλειώ τ’ Εὐτέρπη τε Θάλειά τε Μελπομένη τε
Kleio[8], the key, and delightful Euterpe[9], blooming Thaleia[10] and dancing Melpomene[11],
Τερψιχόρη τ’ Ἐρατώ τε Πολύμνιά τ’ Οὐρανίη τε
Choral Terpsichore[12] and passion’s Erato[13], prolific Polyhymnia[14] and dazzling Ourania[15],
Καλλιόπηι σὺν μητρὶ καὶ εὐδυνάτηι θεᾶι Ἁγνηι.
Beautiful Kalliope[16] together with the Mother and powerful Goddesses pure,
ἀλλὰ μόλοιτε, θεαί, μύσταις, πολυποίκιλοι, ἁγναί,
Make whole, Goddesses, these many mystae[17], varied, pure,
εὔκλειαν ζῆλόν τ’ ἐρατὸν πολύυμνον ἄγουσαι.
Unlock with zeal passion’s prolifically hymned dawnings.
[1] Mnemosyne is the immortal Goddess of memory: the memory’s (Μνη) + container/house (μοσύν). Note: Thomas Taylor’s translation of this hymn deletes any mention of Mnemosyne. His first line is, “Daughters of Jove, dire-sounding and divine . . .”
[2] Zenos is another name for Zeus, the immortal God of lightning storms and the spark of fire/spark of life.
[3] A Muse is an immortal Goddess who divinely inspires mortals. The “M” in “Muse” means “medium,” a special kind of medium that connects the macro/divine with the micro/mortal, literally “medium (Μ) + entity (ο) + pure (ῦ) + synchronized (σ) + αι.”
[4] Pieria is the coastal region around Mount Olympos, “home” of the Muses.
[5] Arete is the immortal Goddess of virtue, excellence, goodness.
[6] Psyche is the immortal Goddess of the soul.
[7] Anassa means Queen, Lady; addressed to Goddesses.
[8] Kleio (Κλειώ) means key/lock, the Muse who unlocks the divine channel, literally: core (Κ) + loosen/release (λ) + essence (ε) of + divine power (ι) + bring forth (ώ). Kleio also means “call” and “celebrate.”
[9] Euterpe (Εὐτέρπη) means essence of pure (Εὐ) + delight, gladdening, cheer (τέρπη). Euterpe is associated with inspiring music, song, and dance.
[10] Thaleia (Θάλειά) means bloom, literally: divine (Θ) + arising (ά) + loosen/release (λ) + essence of (ε) + divine power (ι). Thaleia also means rich, plentiful, abundance, good cheer.
[11] Melpomene (Μελπομένη) means means dance and sing (Μελπω) + power (μένη). Melo (μέλω) means to be an object of care or thought, to care for, to take an interest in. Melpomene eventually came to be associated with inspiring tragic drama.
[12] Terpsichore (Τερψιχόρη) means enjoy, delight in (Τερψι) + the choral dancers/singers (χόρη).
[13] Erato (Ἐρατώ) means the expression of love, “eros.” Erato (Ἐρατώ) is the Pythagorean name for two.
[14] Polyhymnia (Πολύμνιά) means many (Πολ) + hymns (ύμνιά).
[15] Ourania (Οὐρανίη) means the sky, particularly the night sky and its constellations, planets, and moon phases.
[16] Kalliope (Καλλιόπηι) means beautiful (Καλλι) + looking (όπηι).
[17] Mystae are initiates in the Mysteries.
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