Diotimos Library · Greek Antiquity Collection · Bilingual Edition
The Orphic Collection, Volume I: The Hymns
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Facing Pages · Branch 73 of 147
XXXVIII. To the Kouretes · Lines 18–25
Ancient Greek
p. 140XXXVIII. ΚΟΥΡΗΤΩΝ
θυμίαμα λίβανον
δένδρεα δ’ ὑψικάρην’ ἐκ ῥιζῶν ἐς χθόνα πίπτει,
ἠχὼ δ’ οὐρανίη κελαδεῖ ῥοιζήμασι φύλλων.
Κουρῆτες Κορύβαντες, ἀνάκτορες εὐδύνατοί τε
ἐν Σαμοθρῄκῃ ἄνακτες, ὁμοῦ Ζηνὸς κόροι αὐτοί,
πνοιαὶ ἀέναοι, ψυχοτρόφοι, ἠεροειδεῖς,
οἵτε καὶ οὐράνιοι δίδυμοι κλήζεσθ’ ἐν Ὀλύμπῳ,
εὔπνοοι, εὔδιοι, σωτήριοι ἠδὲ προσηνεῖς·
ὡροτρόφοι, φερέκαρποι ἐπιπνείοιτε ἄνακτες.
The Orphic Collection, Volume I: The Hymns: XXXVIII. To the Kouretes
p. 141XXXVIII. To the Kouretes
fumigation from frankincense
and the high-crowned trees fall from their roots to the ground,
and the heavenly echo rings with the rushing of the leaves.
Kouretes, Korybantes, lords and greatly able,
lords in Samothrace, and at once yourselves the boys of Zeus,
everflowing breaths, soul-nourishing, misty,
you who are also called heavenly twins in Olympos,
fair-breathing, of fair weather, saving and kindly;
nourishers of the seasons, fruit-bringing — may you breathe upon us, lords.
Socrates
Reading The Orphic Collection, Volume I: The Hymns · XXXVIII. To the Kouretes · XXXVIII. To the Kouretes · Lines 18–25
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Socrates will begin with this book and its sources.About This Reading Edition
The eighty-eight Orphic Hymns and the Prayer to Musaeus, in Ancient Greek and English, with the supplied critical apparatus, explanatory notes, introduction, glossary and editorial matter.
Historical Text and Translation
Orphic Hymns, attributed to Orpheus. Greek text after Eugenius Abel, Orphica (Leipzig and Prague, 1885), pages 57–102.
About Diotimos Editions
This historical edition credits Diotimos Editions as its English translator.
Rights
The ancient Greek source and the 1885 Abel edition are public-domain material. The supplied new English translation and editorial matter are published with the site owner’s authorization. Both supplied original files remain unchanged.