Translated by Catherine Proppe, October 2, 2016
79. Θέμιδος, θυμίαμα λίβανον.
To Themis, Goddess of Divine Law
Divine medium: libanon (frankincense)
Οὐρανόπαιδ’ ἁγνὴν καλέω Θέμιν εὐπατέρειαν,
I call the pure child of Ouranos, Themis, nobly-sired,
Γαίης τὸ βλάστημα, νέην καλυκώπιδα κούρην,
Gaia’s tender young offspring, veiled guiding daughter,
ἣ πρώτη κατέδειξε βροτοῖς μαντήιον ἁγνὸν
First to make known to mortals pure divine messages
Δελφικῶι ἐν κευθμῶνι θεμιστεύουσα θεοῖσι
Concealed within Delphi, declaring divine law and right
Πυθίωι ἐν δαπέδωι, ὅθι Πύθων ἐμβασίλευεν·
From the depth of the earth where Python is enthroned
ἣ καὶ Φοῖβον ἄνακτα θεμιστοσύνας ἐδίδαξε·
Then Phoibe, in turn, great Themis instructed,
πάντιμ’, ἀγλαόμορφε, σεβάσμιε, νυκτιπόλευτε·
Honored by all, gloriously formed, majestic, presiding in the night.
πρώτη γὰρ τελετὰς ἁγίας θνητοῖς ἀνέφηνας,
First to give holy rites to mortals for all to see
βακχιακὰς ἀνὰ νύκτας ἐπευάζουσα ἄνακτα·
In Bacchic’ arising night-time inquiries of life, O Queen,
ἐκ σέο γὰρ τιμαὶ μακάρων μυστήριά θ’ ἁγνά.
From thou come forth honored blessed divine mysteries pure.
ἀλλά, μάκαιρ’, ἔλθοις κεχαρημένη εὔφρονι βουλῆι
So then, happily, come, rejoice in wise Councils
εὐιέρους ἐπὶ μυστιπόλους τελετὰς σέο, κούρη.
Most holy, upon solemn mystic initiations, honored Daughter.
NOTES
Themis is the immortal Goddess of divine law who inspires divine revelation. The name Themis literally translates as “divine (Θ) + essence (έ) + medium-of (μ) + divine power (ι) + ς.”
Themis is a Titan Goddess because she is the daughter of Ouranos, the immortal God of the sky and Gaia, the immortal Goddess of earth.
She is the mother by Zeus of the Goddesses of the Seasons (Horae), Good Law (Eunomia), Justice (Dike), Peace (Eirene), and Fate (Moirai).
“Themis is the personification of the order of things established by law, custom, and equity, whence she is described as reigning in the assemblies of men (Od. ii. 68, &c.), and as convening…the assembly of the [Goddesses and G]ods.”[1]
Themis succeeded Gaia as the inspiration for the “oracle” at Delphi. Delphi is the location of one of the most famous locations of proclamations made by priestesses of divine revelation. Delphyne (Δελφυνη) and delphus (δελφύς) mean womb.
Python (Πύθων) is the legendary serpent who guarded the “earth’s navel” believed to be located at Delphi. He was said to have been killed by the God Apollo, who then took possession of the “oracle (μαντεῖον).” However, Aeschylus has the Pythian priestess of Delphi in the first lines of his play the Eumenides say that the Goddess Phoebe, who inherited the “oracle” from Themis, bestowed the “oracle” as a birthday gift to Apollo:
“First, in this prayer of mine, I give the place of highest honor among the [Goddesses and G]ods to the first prophet, Earth; and after her to Themis, for she was the second to take this oracular seat [μαντεῖον] of her mother, as legend tells. And in the third allotment, with Themis' consent and not by force, another Titan, child of Earth, Phoebe, took her seat here. She gave it as a birthday gift to Phoebus [Apollo], who has his name from Phoebe.”[2]
Bacchos is the immortal God of wine and its effects.
[1] Schmitz, L. (1870). THEMIS (Θέμις). In W. Smith (Ed.), Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology (Vol. 3, p. 1023). Boston: Little, Brown, and Company.
[2] Aeschylus, Eumenides 1 ff (trans. Weir Smyth)(C 450 BCE) http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0006
79. Θέμιδος, θυμίαμα λίβανον.
To Themis, Goddess of Divine Law
Divine medium: libanon (frankincense)
Οὐρανόπαιδ’ ἁγνὴν καλέω Θέμιν εὐπατέρειαν,
I call the pure child of Ouranos, Themis, nobly-sired,
Γαίης τὸ βλάστημα, νέην καλυκώπιδα κούρην,
Gaia’s tender young offspring, veiled guiding daughter,
ἣ πρώτη κατέδειξε βροτοῖς μαντήιον ἁγνὸν
First to make known to mortals pure divine messages
Δελφικῶι ἐν κευθμῶνι θεμιστεύουσα θεοῖσι
Concealed within Delphi, declaring divine law and right
Πυθίωι ἐν δαπέδωι, ὅθι Πύθων ἐμβασίλευεν·
From the depth of the earth where Python is enthroned
ἣ καὶ Φοῖβον ἄνακτα θεμιστοσύνας ἐδίδαξε·
Then Phoibe, in turn, great Themis instructed,
πάντιμ’, ἀγλαόμορφε, σεβάσμιε, νυκτιπόλευτε·
Honored by all, gloriously formed, majestic, presiding in the night.
πρώτη γὰρ τελετὰς ἁγίας θνητοῖς ἀνέφηνας,
First to give holy rites to mortals for all to see
βακχιακὰς ἀνὰ νύκτας ἐπευάζουσα ἄνακτα·
In Bacchic’ arising night-time inquiries of life, O Queen,
ἐκ σέο γὰρ τιμαὶ μακάρων μυστήριά θ’ ἁγνά.
From thou come forth honored blessed divine mysteries pure.
ἀλλά, μάκαιρ’, ἔλθοις κεχαρημένη εὔφρονι βουλῆι
So then, happily, come, rejoice in wise Councils
εὐιέρους ἐπὶ μυστιπόλους τελετὰς σέο, κούρη.
Most holy, upon solemn mystic initiations, honored Daughter.
NOTES
Themis is the immortal Goddess of divine law who inspires divine revelation. The name Themis literally translates as “divine (Θ) + essence (έ) + medium-of (μ) + divine power (ι) + ς.”
Themis is a Titan Goddess because she is the daughter of Ouranos, the immortal God of the sky and Gaia, the immortal Goddess of earth.
She is the mother by Zeus of the Goddesses of the Seasons (Horae), Good Law (Eunomia), Justice (Dike), Peace (Eirene), and Fate (Moirai).
“Themis is the personification of the order of things established by law, custom, and equity, whence she is described as reigning in the assemblies of men (Od. ii. 68, &c.), and as convening…the assembly of the [Goddesses and G]ods.”[1]
Themis succeeded Gaia as the inspiration for the “oracle” at Delphi. Delphi is the location of one of the most famous locations of proclamations made by priestesses of divine revelation. Delphyne (Δελφυνη) and delphus (δελφύς) mean womb.
Python (Πύθων) is the legendary serpent who guarded the “earth’s navel” believed to be located at Delphi. He was said to have been killed by the God Apollo, who then took possession of the “oracle (μαντεῖον).” However, Aeschylus has the Pythian priestess of Delphi in the first lines of his play the Eumenides say that the Goddess Phoebe, who inherited the “oracle” from Themis, bestowed the “oracle” as a birthday gift to Apollo:
“First, in this prayer of mine, I give the place of highest honor among the [Goddesses and G]ods to the first prophet, Earth; and after her to Themis, for she was the second to take this oracular seat [μαντεῖον] of her mother, as legend tells. And in the third allotment, with Themis' consent and not by force, another Titan, child of Earth, Phoebe, took her seat here. She gave it as a birthday gift to Phoebus [Apollo], who has his name from Phoebe.”[2]
Bacchos is the immortal God of wine and its effects.
[1] Schmitz, L. (1870). THEMIS (Θέμις). In W. Smith (Ed.), Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology (Vol. 3, p. 1023). Boston: Little, Brown, and Company.
[2] Aeschylus, Eumenides 1 ff (trans. Weir Smyth)(C 450 BCE) http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0006
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