Explained vocabulary

All-devouring — παμφάγος

παμφάγος

pamphagos

Herakles and Hephaistos are all-devouring, and Zeus’s storm weapon consumes all in its rush.

From the book

The Orphic Collection, Volume I: The Hymns

Attributed to Orpheus · Diotimos Editions · 2026

Browse this book’s lexicon →
English renderings
All-devouring

Meaning

Herakles and Hephaistos are all-devouring, and Zeus’s storm weapon consumes all in its rush. The fire context makes consumption vivid for Hephaistos and the bolt; Herakles’s epithet belongs to a broader cosmic praise that pairs devouring with begetting. None is a statement about the singers’ diet or a direct instruction for sacrifice.

Places to read

  1. Hymn XII · Line 6Read the word in its hymn.

Attested forms

παμφάγε; παμφάγον

Occurrence inventory

3 in total. XII.6; XIX.10; LXVI.5

Lexical references

LSJ παμφάγος (n77134)