Homeric Hymns

The Homeric Hymns (Ancient Greek: Ὁμηρικοὶ ὕμνοι, Homērikoì húmnoi) are a collection of thirty-three ancient Greek hymns and one epigram. The hymns praise deities of the Greek pantheon and retell mythological stories, often involving a deity's birth, their acceptance among the gods on Mount Olympus, or the establishment of their cult. In antiquity, the hymns were generally, though not universally, attributed to the poet Homer: modern scholarship has established that most date to the seventh and sixth centuries BC, though some are more recent and the latest, the Hymn to Ares, may have been composed as late as the fifth century AD. Quotes II. To Demeter ἕζετο δ᾿ ἐγγὺς ὁδοῖο φίλον τετιημένη ἦτορ Παρθενίῳ φρέατι ὅθεν ὑδρεύοντο πολῖται ἐν σκιῇ, αὐτὰρ ὕπερθε πεφύκει θάμνος ἐλαίης, γρηῒ παλαιγενέϊ ἐναλίγκιος, ἥ τε τόκοιο εἴργηται δώρων τε φιλοστεφάνου Ἀφροδίτης, οἷαί τε τροφοί εἰσι θεμιστοπόλων βασιλήων παίδων καὶ ταμίαι κατὰ δώματα ἠχήεντα. τὴν δὲ ἴδον Κελεοῖο Ἐλευσινίδαο θύγατρες ἐρχόμεναι μεθ᾿ ὕδωρ εὐήρυτον ὄφρα φέροιεν κάλπισι χαλκείῃσι φίλα πρὸς δώματα πατρός, τέσσαρες ὥς τε θεαὶ κουρήϊον ἄνθος ἔχουσαι, Καλλιδίκη καὶ Κλεισιδίκη Δημώ τ᾿ ἐρόεσσα Καλλιθόη θ᾿, ἣ τῶν προγενεστάτη ἦεν ἁπασῶν· οὐδ᾿ ἔγνων· χαλεποὶ δὲ θεοὶ θνητοῖσιν ὁρᾶσθαι. Vexed in her dear heart, she sat near the wayside by the Maiden Well, from which the women of the place were used to draw water, in a shady place over which grew an olive shrub. And she was like an ancient woman who is cut off from childbearing and the gifts of garland-loving Aphrodite, like the nurses of king's children who deal justice, or like the house-keepers in their echoing halls. There the daughters of Celeus, son of Eleusis, saw her, as they were coming for easy-drawn water, to carry it in pitchers of bronze to their dear father's house: four were they and like goddesses in the flower of their girlhood, Callidice and Cleisidice and lovely Demo and Callithoë who was the eldest of them all. They knew her not,—for the gods are not easily discerned by mortals. Lines 98–111 (tr. H. G. Evelyn-White, 1920) For mortal eyesHow hard to penetrate a god's disguise! (tr. Richard Hole, 1781) Μαῖα θεῶν μὲν δῶρα καὶ ἀχνύμενοί περ ἀνάγκῃ τέτλαμεν ἄνθρωποι· δὴ γὰρ πολὺ φέρτεροί εἰσιν. What the gods send us, we mortals bear perforce, although we suffer; for they are much stronger than we. Lines 147–148 (tr. Evelyn-White) νήϊδες ἄνθρωποι καὶ ἀφράδμονες οὔτ᾿ ἀγαθοῖοαἶσαν ἐπερχομένου προγνώμεναι οὔτε κακοῖο. Witless are you mortals and dull to foresee your lot, whether of good or evil, that comes upon you. Lines 256–257 (tr. Evelyn-White) αἰνότατον δ᾿ ἐνιαυτὸν ἐπὶ χθόνα πουλυβότειραν ποίησ᾿ ἀνθρώποις καὶ κύντατον, οὐδέ τι γαῖα σπέρμ᾿ ἀνίει· κρύπτεν γὰρ ἐϋστέφανος Δημήτηρ. πολλὰ δὲ καμπύλ᾿ ἄροτρα μάτην βόες εἷλκον ἀρούραις, πολλὸν δὲ κρῖ λευκὸν ἐτώσιον ἔμπεσε γαίῃ. καί νύ κε πάμπαν ὄλεσσε γένος μερόπων ἀνθρώπων λιμοῦ ὑπ᾿ ἀργαλέης, γεράων τ᾿ ἐρικυδέα τιμὴν καὶ θυσιῶν ἤμερσεν Ὀλύμπια δώματ᾿ ἔχοντας, εἰ μὴ Ζεὺς ἐνόησεν ἑῷ τ᾿ ἐφράσσατο θυμῷ. Then she caused a most dreadful and cruel year for mankind over the all-nourishing earth: the ground would not make the seed sprout, for rich-crowned Demeter kept it hid. In the fields the oxen drew many a curved plough in vain, and much white barley was cast upon the land without avail. So she would have destroyed the whole race of man with cruel famine and have robbed them who dwell on Olympus of their glorious right of gifts and sacrifices, had not Zeus perceived and marked this in his heart. Lines 305–313 (tr. Evelyn-White) ἔρχεο Περσεφόνη παρὰ μητέρα κυανόπεπλον ἤπιον ἐν στήθεσσι μένος καὶ θυμὸν ἔχουσσα, μηδέ τι δυσθύμαινε λίην περιώσιον ἄλλων. οὔ τοι ἐν ἀθανάτοισιν ἀεικὴς ἔσσομ᾿ ἀκοίτης αὐτοκασίγνητος πατρὸς Διός· ἔνθα δ᾿ ἐοῦσα δεσπόσσεις πάντων ὁπόσα ζώει τε καὶ ἕρπει, τιμὰς δὲ σχήσησθα μετ᾿ ἀθανάτοισι μεγίστας. Go now, Persephone, to your dark-robed mother, go, and feel kindly in your heart towards me: be not so exceedingly cast down; for I shall be no unfitting husband for you among the deathless gods, that am own brother to father Zeus. And while you are here, you shall rule all that lives and moves and shall have the greatest rights among the deathless gods. Lines 360–366 (tr. Evelyn-White) III. To Apollo Μνήσομαι οὐδὲ λάθωμαι Ἀπόλλωνος ἑκάτοιο, ὅν τε θεοὶ κατὰ δῶμα Διὸς τρομέουσιν ἰόντα· καί ῥά τ᾿ ἀναΐσσουσιν ἐπὶ σχεδὸν ἐρχομένοιο πάντες ἀφ᾿ ἑδράων, ὅτε φαίδιμα τόξα τιταίνει. I will remember and not be unmindful of Apollo who shoots afar. As he goes through the house of Zeus, the gods tremble before him and all spring up from their seats when he draws near, as he bends his bright bow. Lines 1–4 (tr. Evelyn-White) εἴη μοι κίθαρίς τε φίλη καὶ καμπύλα τόξα, χρήσω τ᾿ ἀνθρώποισι Διὸς νημερτέα βουλήν. The lyre and the curved bow shall ever be dear to me, and I will declare to men the unfailing will of Zeus. Lines 131–132 (tr. Evelyn-White) ἐνταυθοῖ νῦν πύθε᾿ ἐπὶ χθονὶ βωτιανείρῃ· οὐδὲ σύ γ᾿ ἐν ζωοῖσι κακὸν δήλημα βροτοῖσιν ἔσσεαι, οἳ γαίης πολυφόρβου καρπὸν ἔδοντες ἐνθάδ᾿ ἀγινήσουσι τεληέσσας ἑκατόμβας, οὐδέ τί τοι θάνατόν γε δυσηλεγέ᾿ οὔτε Τυφωεύς ἀρκέσει οὐδὲ Χίμαιρα δυσώνυμος, ἀλλὰ σέ γ᾿ αὐτοῦ πύσει γαῖα μέλαινα καὶ ἠλέκτωρ Ὑπερίων. Now rot here upon the soil that feeds man! You at least shall live no more to be a fell bane to men who eat the fruit of the all-nourishing earth, and who will bring hither perfect hecatombs. Against cruel death neither Typhoeus shall avail you nor ill-famed Chimera, but here shall the Earth and shining Hyperion make you rot. Lines 363–369 (tr. Evelyn-White) IV. To Hermes Ἑρμῆν ὕμνει, Μοῦσα, Διὸς καὶ Μαιάδος υἱόν Κυλλήνης μεδέοντα καὶ Ἀρκαδίης πολυμήλου, ἄγγελον ἀθανάτων ἐριούνιον. Muse, sing of Hermes, the son of Zeus and Maia, lord of Cyllene and Arcadia rich in flocks, the luck-bringing messenger of the immortals. Lines 1–3 (tr. Evelyn-White) καὶ τότε γείνατο παῖδα πολύτροπον, αἱμυλομήτην, ληϊστῆρ᾿, ἐλατῆρα βοῶν, ἡγήτορ᾿ ὀνείρων, νυκτὸς ὀπωπητῆρα, πυλήδοκον, ὃς ταχ᾿ ἔμελλεν ἀμφανέειν κλυτὰ ἔργα μετ᾿ ἀθανάτοισι θεοῖσιν· ἠῷος γεγονὼς μέσῳ ἤματι ἐγκιθάριζεν, ἑσπέριος βοῦς κλέψεν ἑκηβόλου Ἀπόλλωνος. For then she bare a son, of many shifts, blandly cunning, a robber, a cattle driver, a bringer of dreams, a watcher by night, a thief at the gates, one who was soon to show forth wonderful deeds among the deathless gods. Born with the dawning, at mid-day he played on the lyre, and in the evening he stole the cattle of far-shooting Apollo. Lines 13–18 (tr. Evelyn-White) She gave to light a babe all babes excelling,A schemer subtle beyond all belief;A shepherd of thin dreams, a cow-stealing,A night-watching, and door-waylaying thief. (tr. P. B. Shelley, 1824) Ἑρμῆς τοι πρώτιστα χέλυν τεκτήνατ’ ἀοιδόν. For it was Hermes who first made the tortoise a singer. Line 25 (tr. Evelyn-White) ὡς δ᾿ ὁπότ᾿ ὠκὺ νόημα διὰ στέρνοιο περήσει ἀνέρος ὅν τε θαμειναὶ ἐπιστρωφῶσι μέριμναι, ἠ᾿ ὅτε δινηθῶσιν ἀπ᾿ ὀφθαλμῶν ἀμαρυγαί, ὣς ἅμ᾿ ἔπος τε καὶ ἔργον ἐμήδετο κύδιμος Ἑρμῆς. As a swift thought darts through the heart of a man when thronging cares haunt him, or as bright glances flash from the eye, so glorious Hermes planned both thought and deed at once. Lines 43–46 (tr. Evelyn-White) V. To Aphrodite καί τε πάρεκ Ζηνὸς νόον ἤγαγε τερπικεραύνου, ὅς τε μέγιστος τ᾿ ἐστὶ μεγίστης τ᾿ ἔμμορε τιμῆς· καί τε τοῦ εὖτ᾿ ἐθέλῃ πυκινὰς φρένας ἐξαπαφοῦσα ῥηϊδίως συνέμειξε καταθνητῇσι γυναιξίν. Even the heart of Zeus, who delights in thunder, is led astray by her; though he is greatest of all and has the lot of highest majesty, she beguiles even his wise heart whensoever she pleases, and mates him with mortal women. Lines 36–39 (tr. Evelyn-White) Enslav’d to Mortal Beauties by her Pow’r,He oft descends, his Creatures to adore. (tr. William Congreve, 1725) Ἀγχίσεω . . . ὃς τότ᾿ ἐν ἀκροπόλοις ὄρεσιν πολυπίδακος Ἴδης βουκολέεσκεν βοῦς, δέμας ἀθανάτοισιν ἐοικώς. Anchises who was tending cattle at that time among the steep hills of many-fountained Ida, and in shape was like the immortal gods. Lines 53–55 (tr. Evelyn-White) οἳ δὲ μετ᾿ αὐτήν σαίνοντες πολιοί τε λύκοι χαροποί τε λέοντες ἄρκτοι παρδάλιές τε θοαὶ προκάδων ἀκόρητοι ἤϊσαν. ἣ δ᾿ ὁρόωσα μετὰ φρεσὶ τέρπετο θυμόν, καὶ τοῖς ἐν στήθεσσι βάλ᾿ ἵμερον, οἳ δ᾿ ἅμα πάντες σύνδυο κοιμήσαντο κατὰ σκιόεντας ἐναύλους. After her came grey wolves, fawning on her, and grim-eyed lions, and bears, and fleet leopards, ravenous for deer: and she was glad in heart to see them, and put desire in their breasts, so that they all mated, two together, about the shadowy coombes. Lines 69–74 (tr. Evelyn-White) For, ev’ry Glance she gives, soft Fire imparts,Enkindling sweet Desire in Savage Hearts. (tr. Congreve) πέπλον μὲν γὰρ ἕεστο φαεινότερον πυρὸς αὐγῆς, εἶχε δ᾿ ἐπιγναμπτὰς ἕλικας κάλυκάς τε φαεινάς. ὅρμοι δ᾿ ἀμφ᾿ ἁπαλῇ δειρῇ περικαλλέες ἦσαν καλοὶ χρύσειοι παμποίκιλοι· ὡς δὲ σελήνη στήθεσιν ἀμφ᾿ ἁπαλοῖσιν ἐλάμπετο, θαῦμα ἰδέσθαι. For she was clad in a robe out-shining the brightness of fire, a splendid robe of gold, enriched with all manner of needlework, which shimmered like the moon over her tender breasts, a marvel to see. Also she wore twisted brooches and shining earrings in the form of flowers; and round her soft throat were lovely necklaces. Lines 86–90 (tr. Evelyn-White) βουλοίμην κεν ἔπειτα, γύναι εἰκυῖα θεῇσι, σῆς εὐνῆς ἐπιβὰς δῦναι δόμον Ἄϊδος εἴσω. Willingly would I go down into the house of Hades, O lady, beautiful as the goddesses, once I had gone up to your bed. Lines 153–154 (tr. Evelyn-White) οὐ βιοθάλμιος ἀνήρ γίγνεται, ὅς τε θεαῖς εὐνάζεται ἀθανάτῃσι. He who lies with a deathless goddess is no hale man afterwards. Lines 189–190 (tr. Evelyn-White) νῦν δέ σε μὲν τάχα γῆρας ὁμοίιον ἀμφικαλύψει νηλειές, τό τ᾿ ἔπειτα παρίσταται ἀνθρώποισιν, οὐλόμενον καματηρόν, ὅ τε στυγέουσι θεοί περ. Harsh old age will soon enshroud you—ruthless age which stands someday at the side of every man, deadly, wearying, dreaded even by the gods. Lines 244–246 (tr. Evelyn-White) αὐτὰρ ἐμοὶ μέγ᾿ ὄνειδος ἐν ἀθανάτοισι θεοῖσιν ἔσσεται ἤματα πάντα διαμπερὲς εἵνεκα σεῖο, οἳ πρὶν ἐμοὺς ὀάρους καὶ μήτιδας, αἷς ποτε πάντας ἀθανάτους συνέμειξα καταθνητῇσι γυναιξί, τάρβεσκον· πάντας γὰρ ἐμὸν δάμνασκε νόημα. νῦν δὲ δὴ οὐκέτι μοι στόμα χείσεται ἐξονομῆναι τοῦτο μετ᾿ ἀθανάτοισιν, ἐπεὶ μάλα πολλὸν ἀάσθην, σχέτλιον, οὐκ ὀνομαστόν, ἀπεπλάγχθην δὲ νόοιο, παῖδα δ᾿ ὑπὸ ζώνῃ ἐθέμην βροτῷ εὐνηθεῖσα. And now because of you I shall have great shame among the deathless gods henceforth, continually. For until now they feared my jibes and the wiles by which, or soon or late, I mated all the immortals with mortal women, making them all subject to my will. But now my mouth shall no more have this power among the gods; for very great has been my madness, my miserable and dreadful madness, and I went astray out of my mind who have gotten a child beneath my girdle, mating with a mortal man. Lines 247–255 (tr. Evelyn-White) νύμφαι μιν θρέψουσιν ὀρεσκῷοι βαθύκολποι αἳ τόδε ναιετάουσιν ὄρος μέγα τε ζάθεόν τε· αἵ ῥ᾿ οὔτε θνητοῖς οὔτ᾿ ἀθανάτοισιν ἕπονται. δηρὸν μὲν ζώουσι καὶ ἄμβροτον εἶδαρ ἔδουσι, καί τε μετ᾿ ἀθανάτοισι καλὸν χορὸν ἐρρώσαντο· τῇσι δὲ σιληνοί τε καὶ εὔσκοπος Ἀργειφόντης μίσγοντ᾿ ἐν φιλότητι μυχῷ σπείων ἐροέντων. τῇσι δ᾿ ἅμ᾿ ἠ᾿ ἐλάται ἠὲ δρύες ὑψικάρηνοι γεινομένῃσιν ἔφυσαν ἐπὶ χθονὶ βωτιανείρῃ· καλαὶ τηλεθάουσαι ἐν οὔρεσιν ὑψηλοῖσιν ἑστᾶσ᾿ ἠλίβατοι, τεμένεα δέ ἑ κικλήσκουσιν ἀθανάτων· τὰς δ᾿ οὔ τι βροτοὶ κείρουσι σιδήρῳ. ἀλλ᾿ ὅτε κεν δὴ μοῖρα παρεστήκῃ θανάτοιο, ἀζάνεται μὲν πρῶτον ἐπὶ χθονὶ δένδρεα καλά, φλοιὸς δ᾿ ἀμφιπεριφθινύθει, πίπτουσι δ᾿ ἄπ᾿ ὄζοι, τῶν δέ θ᾿ ὁμοῦ ψυχὴ λείπει φάος ἠελίοιο. The deep-breasted mountain Nymphs who inhabit this great and holy mountain shall bring him up. They rank neither with mortals nor with immortals: long indeed do they live, eating heavenly food and treading the lovely dance among the immortals, and with them the Sileni and the sharp-eyed Slayer of Argus mate in the depths of pleasant caves; but at their birth pines or high-topped oaks spring up with them upon the fruitful earth, beautiful, flourishing trees, towering high upon the lofty mountains (and men call them holy places of the immortals, and never mortal lops them with the axe); but when the fate of death is near at hand, first those lovely trees wither where they stand, and the bark shrivels away about them, and the twigs fall down, and at last the life of the Nymph and of the tree leave the light of the sun together. Lines 257–272 (tr. Evelyn-White) ἢν δέ τις εἴρηταί σε καταθνητῶν ἀνθρώπων, ἥ τις σοὶ φίλον υἱὸν ὑπὸ ζώνῃ θέτο μήτηρ, τῷ δὲ σὺ μυθεῖσθαι μεμνημένος ὥς σε κελεύω· "φάσιν τοι νύμφης καλυκώπιδος ἔκγονον εἶναι, αἳ τόδε ναιετάουσιν ὄρος καταειμένον ὕλῃ." εἰ δέ κεν ἐξείπῃς καὶ ἐπεύξεαι ἄφρονι θυμῷ ἐν φιλότητι μιγῆναι ἐϋστεφάνῳ Κυθερείῃ, Ζεύς σε χολωσάμενος βαλέει ψολόεντι κεραυνῷ. And if any mortal man ask you who got your dear son beneath her girdle, remember to tell him as I bid you: say he is the offspring of one of the flower-like Nymphs who inhabit this forest-clad hill. But if you tell all and foolishly boast that you lay with rich-crowned Aphrodite, Zeus will smite you in his anger with a smoking thunderbolt. Lines 282–288 (tr. Evelyn-White) VI. To Aphrodite Αἰδοίην χρυσοστέφανον καλὴν Ἀφροδίτην ἄϊσομαι, ἣ πάσης Κύπρου κρήδεμνα λέλογχεν εἰναλίης. I will sing of stately Aphrodite, gold-crowned and beautiful, whose dominion is the walled cities of all sea-set Cyprus. Lines 1–3 (tr. Evelyn-White) περὶ δ᾿ ἄμβροτα εἵματα ἕσσαν· κρατὶ δ᾿ ἔπ᾿ ἀθανάτῳ στεφάνην εὔτυκτον ἔθηκαν καλὴν χρυσείην, ἐν δὲ τρητοῖσι λοβοῖσιν ἄνθεμ᾿ ὀρειχάλκου χρυσοῖό τε τιμήεντος· δειρῇ δ᾿ ἀμφ᾿ ἁπαλῇ καὶ στήθεσιν ἀργυφέοισιν ὅρμοισι χρυσέοισιν ἐκόσμεον, οἷσί περ αὐταί Ὧραι κοσμείσθην χρυσάμπυκες, ὁππότ᾿ ἴοιεν ἐς χορὸν ἱμερόεντα θεῶν καὶ δώματα πατρός. They clothed her with heavenly garments: on her head they put a fine, well-wrought crown of gold, and in her pierced ears they hung ornaments of orichalc and precious gold, and adorned her with golden necklaces over her soft neck and snow-white breasts, jewels which the gold-filleted Hours wear themselves whenever they go to their father's house to join the lovely dances of the gods. Lines 6–13 (tr. Evelyn-White) External links Category:Homer Category:Ancient Greek texts