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 wordλοιβή names a libation, an offering made by pouring.
- In the Orphic HymnsPan is invited to come to the libations at XI.21.
- Translation“Libation” is a useful English term because it preserves the poured character of the offering.
- A place to readPan invited to the libations.
- English renderings
- Libation; poured offering
Meaning
λοιβή names a libation, an offering made by pouring. In these verses the liquid is not specified by the noun. The word therefore identifies the kind of act or offering, while its recipient, ritual quality, and hoped-for effect are supplied by the sentence. It is not simply another word for the incense named in many rubrics.
Use in the book
Pan is invited to come to the libations at XI.21. The plural locates the desired arrival at an offered act of worship, immediately within a direct summons. Zeus at XIX.20 is asked to give a favour χάριν λοιβῆς, in acknowledgement of the libation. The phrasing connects offering and request without spelling out a fixed exchange-rate or guaranteeing the result.
The Moirai are asked at LIX.19 to hear the speaker’s pure libations and prayers. A liquid offering cannot literally speak in the same way as a prayer; the shared verb treats the two together as an appeal to be received. The possessive “my” identifies the worshipper’s act, while ὁσίων characterizes its religious propriety. This is a useful example of the hymns joining material and verbal worship without making their vocabulary identical.
Places to read
- Hymn XI · Line 21Pan invited to the libations.
- Hymn XIX · Line 20A favour requested in relation to the libation.
- Hymn LIX · Line 19Libations and prayers joined in a single appeal to be heard.
Translation
“Libation” is a useful English term because it preserves the poured character of the offering. These three verse occurrences do not identify wine, milk, water, quantity, or vessel. A liquid named in a different rubric should be connected only where the source actually makes that connection. The related ἐπιλοιβή is separately retrievable rather than silently added to the count of λοιβή.
Attested forms
λοιβαῖς; λοιβῆς; λοιβῶν
Occurrence inventory
3 in total. XI.21; XIX.20; LIX.19