From the book
The Orphic Collection, Volume I: The Hymns
Attributed to Orpheus · Diotimos Editions · 2026
Browse this book’s lexicon →Orientation
At a Glance
- The wordΚλείς names a key.
- In the Orphic HymnsProteus holds the sea’s keys at XXV.1, placing control of the marine domain at the start of his invocation.
- TranslationThe English “keys” keeps the image concrete without requiring a historical key-bearing ceremony.
- A place to readProteus’ keys concern the sea.
- English renderings
- key; control of access and allotment
Meaning
Κλείς names a key. In the hymns the plural becomes a concrete image of divine control: the holder governs a region or a range of outcomes. The forms κλῆδας and κληῖδας are accusative plurals, while κλῇδες is nominative; the spelling and stem variation do not create different objects.
Use in the book
Proteus holds the sea’s keys at XXV.1, placing control of the marine domain at the start of his invocation. Plouton holds the keys of the whole earth at XVIII.4, fitting the authority of an under-earth ruler who also gives yearly produce. Eros’ scope is wider still: at LVIII.4 he holds the keys of all things, and the following list names the regions subject to him.
LXXIII.6 changes from spatial domains to human experience. The keys of sorrow and joy are borne in the invoked daimon, who has already been identified with Zeus. The petition then asks him to drive away cares. The image does not require literal locks for emotions; it gives their distribution and reversal a governing centre. Nor do the shared keys prove that Proteus, Plouton, Eros, and the daimon have no distinctions. Each genitive states the local range of control.
Places to read
- Hymn XXV · Line 1Proteus’ keys concern the sea.
- Hymn XVIII · Line 4Plouton holds keys of the whole earth.
- Hymn LVIII · Line 4Eros’ keys have comprehensive scope.
- Hymn LXXIII · Line 6Keys govern sorrow and joy rather than a named physical region.
Translation
The English “keys” keeps the image concrete without requiring a historical key-bearing ceremony. In LXXIII.6 the apparatus reports reordered words and a different form of the verb of bearing; the kinds of keys remain sorrow and joy. Compare κλῃδοῦχος, where key-holding becomes a compound epithet.
Attested forms
κλῆδας; κλῇδες; κληῖδας
Occurrence inventory
4 in total. XVIII.4; XXV.1; LVIII.4; LXXIII.6