Translated by Catherine Proppe, December 8, 2016
51. Νυμφῶν, θυμίαμα ἀρώματα.
To the Nymphs, Goddesses of Nature
Divine medium: aromatics
Νύμφαι, θυγατέρες μεγαλήτορος Ὠκεανοῖο,
Nymphai, daughters of great-hearted Ocean,
ὑγροπόροις γαίης ὑπὸ κεύθεσιν οἰκί' ἔχουσαι,
Watery passages beneath Gaia concealed, housed in the foundation’s
κρυψίδρομοι, Βάκχοιο τροφοί, χθόνιαι, πολυγηθεῖς,
Hidden paths, nurturers of Bacchos, Ge’s many subterranean deities,
καρποτρόφοι, λειμωνιάδες, σκολιοδρόμοι, ἁγναί,
Fruit-nurturers, meadow dwellers, with twisting courses pure,
ἀντροχαρεῖς, σπήλυγξι κεχαρμέναι, ἠερόφοιτοι,
Gracing caves, in grottoes delighting, air-wandering,
πηγαῖαι, δρομάδες, δροσοείμονες, ἴχνεσι κοῦφαι,
Upon all the earth running with dewy floating footprints,
φαινόμεναι, ἀφανεῖς, αὐλωνιάδες, πολυανθεῖς,
Manifest powers invisible midst glens of plentiful blooms,
σὺν Πανὶ σκιρτῶσαι ἀν' οὔρεα, εὐάστειραι,
Skipping with Pan, arising, flowing, fair stars,
πετρόρυτοι, λιγυραί, βομβήτριαι, οὐρεσίφοιτοι,
Streaming from rocks, clear, rumbling, flowing siphons,
ἀγρότεραι κοῦραι, κρουνίτιδες ὑλονόμοι τε,
Country-reigning daughters, woodland watersources,
παρθένοι εὐώδεις, λευχείμονες, εὔπνοοι αὔραις,
Divine lovely fragrance released in wintry breaths of air,
αἰπολικαί, νόμιαι, θηρσὶν φίλαι, ἀγλαόκαρποι,
Hilltop roamers, friends of beasts, gloriously fruitful,
κρυμοχαρεῖς, ἁπαλαί, πολυθρέμμονες αὐξίτροφοί τε,
Frost-bestowing, ageless, nurturing the upbringing of countless creatures,
κοῦραι ἁμαδρυάδες, φιλοπαίγμονες, ὑγροκέλευθοι,
Daughters as one with Dryads, fond of playful watery paths,
Νύσιαι, μανικαί, παιωνίδες, εἰαροτερπεῖς,
Nysian-inspiring paeans of springtime joy,
σὺν Βάκχωι Δηοῖ τε χάριν θνητοῖσι φέρουσαι·
With Bacchos and the Goddesses, too, graciously sustaining mortals.
ἔλθετ' ἐπ' εὐφήμοις ἱεροῖς κεχαρηότι θυμῶι
Come, upon prophecies’ holy joyous spirit,
νᾶμα χέουσαι ὑγεινὸν ἀεξιτρόφοισιν ἐν ὥραις.
Let growth-fostering water flow, in accord with the Horai.
NOTES
Greek religion saw in all of nature some manifestation of the divine.[1]
Nymphs (Νύμφαι) are the countless beautiful young Goddesses who prevail over particular locations in nature, such as oceans, seas, lakes, rivers, streams, fountains, wells, mountains, grottoes, forests, groves, glens, and trees. They are credited with inspiring artists, writers, and prophets; of accompanying and caring for deities; of nursing infants; curing the sick; and nurturing human, animal, and plant life. Nymph literally means “prevailing (Ν) + pure (ύ) + medium-of (μ) + nature (φ) + αι.”
A nymphaios (νυμφαῖος) is a sanctuary consecrated to the Nymphs of fresh water springs, usually a natural grotto or fountain with an architectural background, often the main water source in an area.
Dryads (Δρυάδες) are the beautiful young Nymphs of trees, groves, woods, and forests whose lives are bound up with that of their tree.
Human brides are often referred to as Nymphs.
Pan, the immortal God of “all,” was often depicted as chasing Nymphs. He is illustrated as a randy, goatish man in the wilds, dancing and playing music on his "Pan-pipe."
Ocean is the immortal God of the ocean.
Gaia is the immortal Goddess of generative earth, literally “generative (γ) + transcendant (α) + divine-power (ί) + center (η) + ς.” She is also called Ge, literally “generative (γ) + center (η).”
Bacchos is the immortal God of wine and its effects. He is also known as Dionysos. Nysa is the name of several mountains sacred to Dionysos.
The “Goddesses” are Demeter, the immortal Goddess of agriculture and grains, and her daughter, Kore, Goddess of new life in Spring and the afterlife.
The Charites are the immortal Goddesses of unearned blessings.
The Horai are the immortal Goddesses of the seasons, of the natural time for events to occur.
[1] Schmitz, L. (1870). NYMPHAE (Νύμφαι). In W. Smith (Ed.), Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology (Vol. 2, p. 1216). Boston: Little, Brown, and Company.
51. Νυμφῶν, θυμίαμα ἀρώματα.
To the Nymphs, Goddesses of Nature
Divine medium: aromatics
Νύμφαι, θυγατέρες μεγαλήτορος Ὠκεανοῖο,
Nymphai, daughters of great-hearted Ocean,
ὑγροπόροις γαίης ὑπὸ κεύθεσιν οἰκί' ἔχουσαι,
Watery passages beneath Gaia concealed, housed in the foundation’s
κρυψίδρομοι, Βάκχοιο τροφοί, χθόνιαι, πολυγηθεῖς,
Hidden paths, nurturers of Bacchos, Ge’s many subterranean deities,
καρποτρόφοι, λειμωνιάδες, σκολιοδρόμοι, ἁγναί,
Fruit-nurturers, meadow dwellers, with twisting courses pure,
ἀντροχαρεῖς, σπήλυγξι κεχαρμέναι, ἠερόφοιτοι,
Gracing caves, in grottoes delighting, air-wandering,
πηγαῖαι, δρομάδες, δροσοείμονες, ἴχνεσι κοῦφαι,
Upon all the earth running with dewy floating footprints,
φαινόμεναι, ἀφανεῖς, αὐλωνιάδες, πολυανθεῖς,
Manifest powers invisible midst glens of plentiful blooms,
σὺν Πανὶ σκιρτῶσαι ἀν' οὔρεα, εὐάστειραι,
Skipping with Pan, arising, flowing, fair stars,
πετρόρυτοι, λιγυραί, βομβήτριαι, οὐρεσίφοιτοι,
Streaming from rocks, clear, rumbling, flowing siphons,
ἀγρότεραι κοῦραι, κρουνίτιδες ὑλονόμοι τε,
Country-reigning daughters, woodland watersources,
παρθένοι εὐώδεις, λευχείμονες, εὔπνοοι αὔραις,
Divine lovely fragrance released in wintry breaths of air,
αἰπολικαί, νόμιαι, θηρσὶν φίλαι, ἀγλαόκαρποι,
Hilltop roamers, friends of beasts, gloriously fruitful,
κρυμοχαρεῖς, ἁπαλαί, πολυθρέμμονες αὐξίτροφοί τε,
Frost-bestowing, ageless, nurturing the upbringing of countless creatures,
κοῦραι ἁμαδρυάδες, φιλοπαίγμονες, ὑγροκέλευθοι,
Daughters as one with Dryads, fond of playful watery paths,
Νύσιαι, μανικαί, παιωνίδες, εἰαροτερπεῖς,
Nysian-inspiring paeans of springtime joy,
σὺν Βάκχωι Δηοῖ τε χάριν θνητοῖσι φέρουσαι·
With Bacchos and the Goddesses, too, graciously sustaining mortals.
ἔλθετ' ἐπ' εὐφήμοις ἱεροῖς κεχαρηότι θυμῶι
Come, upon prophecies’ holy joyous spirit,
νᾶμα χέουσαι ὑγεινὸν ἀεξιτρόφοισιν ἐν ὥραις.
Let growth-fostering water flow, in accord with the Horai.
NOTES
Greek religion saw in all of nature some manifestation of the divine.[1]
Nymphs (Νύμφαι) are the countless beautiful young Goddesses who prevail over particular locations in nature, such as oceans, seas, lakes, rivers, streams, fountains, wells, mountains, grottoes, forests, groves, glens, and trees. They are credited with inspiring artists, writers, and prophets; of accompanying and caring for deities; of nursing infants; curing the sick; and nurturing human, animal, and plant life. Nymph literally means “prevailing (Ν) + pure (ύ) + medium-of (μ) + nature (φ) + αι.”
A nymphaios (νυμφαῖος) is a sanctuary consecrated to the Nymphs of fresh water springs, usually a natural grotto or fountain with an architectural background, often the main water source in an area.
Dryads (Δρυάδες) are the beautiful young Nymphs of trees, groves, woods, and forests whose lives are bound up with that of their tree.
Human brides are often referred to as Nymphs.
Pan, the immortal God of “all,” was often depicted as chasing Nymphs. He is illustrated as a randy, goatish man in the wilds, dancing and playing music on his "Pan-pipe."
Ocean is the immortal God of the ocean.
Gaia is the immortal Goddess of generative earth, literally “generative (γ) + transcendant (α) + divine-power (ί) + center (η) + ς.” She is also called Ge, literally “generative (γ) + center (η).”
Bacchos is the immortal God of wine and its effects. He is also known as Dionysos. Nysa is the name of several mountains sacred to Dionysos.
The “Goddesses” are Demeter, the immortal Goddess of agriculture and grains, and her daughter, Kore, Goddess of new life in Spring and the afterlife.
The Charites are the immortal Goddesses of unearned blessings.
The Horai are the immortal Goddesses of the seasons, of the natural time for events to occur.
[1] Schmitz, L. (1870). NYMPHAE (Νύμφαι). In W. Smith (Ed.), Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology (Vol. 2, p. 1216). Boston: Little, Brown, and Company.
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