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36. Ἀρτέμιδος

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Introduction to the Orphic Hymn to Ártæmis

Ártæmis (Artemis, Ἄρτεμις), the mighty Goddess of Ællînismόs (Hellenismos, Ἑλληνισμός), the ancient Greek religion, is rightly thought of as one of the greatest of all deities, for she is an Olympian. With her arrows she hunts the beautiful souls, those who strive for virtue, and pushes them forward to great progress. She is called a virgin because she possesses a great purity. She and her brother Apóllôn (Ἀπόλλων) work together as a pair and they are called twins because they share certain characteristics.

The Orphic hymn to Ártæmis creates a very colorful portrait of the Goddess, giving us access not only to understand her better, but also as a means of worship. Let us examine the hymn, breaking it down word by word.

The Original Ancient Greek Text:

36. Ἀρτέμιδος, θυμίαμα, μάνναν.

Κλῦθί μευ, ὦ βασίλεια, Διὸς πολυώνυμε κούρη, 1

Τιτηνίς, βρομίη, μεγαλώνυμε, τοξότι, σεμνή,

πασιφαής, δαιδοῦχε, θεά Δίκτυννα, λοχείη,

ὠδίνων ἐπαρωγὲ, καὶ ὠδίνων ἀμύητε·

λυσίζωνε, φίλοιστρε, κυνηγέτι, λυσιμέριμνε, 5

εὔδρομος, ἰοχέαιρα, φιλαγρότι, νυκτερόφοιτε,

κλεισίη, εὐάντητε, λυτηρίη, ἀρσενόμορφε,

ὀρθίη, ὠκυλόχεια, βροτῶν κουροτρόφε δαῖμον,

ἀγροτέρη, χθονίη, θηροκτόνος, ὀλβιόμοιρε·

ἣ κατέχεις ὀρέων δρυμούς, ἐλαφηβόλε, σεμνή, 10

πότνια, παμβασίλεια, καλὸν θάλος αἰὲν ἐοῦσα·

δρυμονία, σκυλακῖτι, Κυδωνιάς, αἰολόμορφε.

ἐλθέ, θεὰ σώτειρα, φίλη, μύστῃσιν ἅπασιν,

εὐάντητος, ἄγουσα καλοὺς καρποὺς ἀπὸ γαίης,

εἰρήνην τ’ ἐρατὴν καλλιπλόκαμόν θ’ ὑγίειαν· 15

πέμποις δ’ εἰς ὀρέων κεφαλὰς νούσους τε καὶ ἄλγη.

Reuchlinian transliteration of the ancient Greek text:

(See this page: Transliteration of Ancient Greek)

36. Artǽmidos, Thymíama, mánnan.

Klýthi mef, ô Vasíleia, Diós polyóhnymæ kouri, 1

Titanís, Vromíi, mægalóhnymæ, toxóti, sæmní,

pasiphäís, daidoukhæ, Thæá Díktynna, lokheiï,

ôdínôn æparôyǽ kai ôdínôn amýïtæ;

lysízônæ, phílistræ, kyniyǽti, lysimǽrimnæ, 5

évdromos, iokhǽaira, philagróti, nyktæróphitæ,

kleisíi, evánditæ, lytiríi, arsænómorphæ,

Orthíï, ôkylókheia, vrotóhn, kourotróphæ daimon,

agrotǽri, chthonic, thiroktónos, olviómiræ;

i katǽheis orǽôn drymous, ælaphivólæ, sæmní, 10

pótnia, pamvasíleia, kalón thálos aiǽn æousa;

drymonía, skylakíti, Kiddôniás, aiolómorphæ.

ælthǽ, Thæá Sóhteira, phíli, mýstisin ápasin,

evánditos, ágousa kalous karpous apó yaiïs,

eirínin t' æratín kalliplókamón th' iyíeian; 15

pǽmbis d' eis orǽôn kæphalás nousous tæ kai ályi.

BREAKDOWN OF THE HYMN

Ἀρτέμιδος - Ἀρτέμιδος is the genitive of Ἄρτεμις. Titles in the Orphic hymns are usually placed in the genitive case.

Θυμίαμα, (incense) μάνναν. (mánna) - The author of the hymn is suggesting an incense offering of mánna to Ártæmis.

Κλῦθί (hear) μευ, (me) - Hear me.

ὦ (oh) βασίλεια, (queen) - Oh Queen,

Διὸς (Zefs) πολυώνυμε (having many names) κούρη, (daughter) - many-named daughter of Zefs. Many of the Gods have numerous names and those of Ártæmis are legion, here indicating her grandeur.

Τιτανίς, (Ionic fem. of Titán) - Titán. Ártæmis is called a Titan because she is the daughter of the Titanís Litóh (Λητώ) as is her twin brother Apóllôn (Ἀπόλλων).

Βρομίη, - (Vákkhic, Βρόμιος) - Vákkhic. Ártæmis is Vákkhic, Dionysian, because she participates in the providence of her father, facilitating the works of Diónysos (Διόνυσος) who, with his Mysteries, frees us from the vicious circle of rebirths.

Μεγαλώνυμε, - renowned (μεγαλώνυμος)

Τοξότις, - archeress (τοξότις)

Σεμνή, - exalted (σεμνός is masculine; σεμνή is feminine.)

πασιφαής, - shining on all, Cf. πασιφάεσσα.

δαιδοῦχε, - torch-bearer (δᾳδοῦχος, masc.)

θεά (Goddess) Δίκτυννα, (Díktynna) - the Goddess Díktynna, Goddess of the chase. Ártæmis is sometimes equated with Vritómartis (Βριτόμαρτις), a Goddess associated with Minoan religion. Vritómartis may have been a priestess of Ártæmis; she was deified by the Goddess and is also called Díktynna.

Λοχείη, - protectress of childbirth (Λοχεία). Taylor comments:

"In the original, λοχεία: and Proclus, in Plat. Theol. p. 403. observes that this epithet is given to Diana by theologians, because she is the inspector of natural progression and generation." [1]

ὠδίνων (childbirth travail) ἐπαρωγὲ, (aider) - helper in a woman's travail

καὶ (and) ὠδίνων (pain of childbirth) ἀμύητε· (not participate) - while never having yourself the pain of childbirth. Ártæmis is known to help women when giving birth but she herself is mythologically a virgin, symbolic of a type of purity actually having nothing to do with sex.

λυσίζωνε, - freeing woman from maidenhood. Ártæmis is known by the epithet λυσίζωνος (Etym. λύσις "releasing" + ζώνη "belt or girdle") because in helping in childbirth, a maiden ceases to be a virgin. Taylor translates this, "dissolver of the zone;" this is an antiquated way of describing the loss of virginity.

φίλοιστρε, - frenzy-loving (φίλοιστρος)

κυνηγέτις, - huntress, (κυνηγέτις, fem. of κυνηγέτης) Ártæmis hunts the beautiful souls, those who have made an effort to achieve virtue, and shoots them with her arrows, propelling them to great progress.

λυσιμέριμνε, - you drive our cares away (λυσιμέριμνος)

εὔδρομος, - youthful runner (εὔδρομος) Ártæmis is usually depicted as an athletic maiden shooting arrows, running in a short tunic accompanied by a dog or a deer.

ἰοχέαιρα, - archer

φιλαγρότι, - huntress (φιλαγρέτις, lover of the chase, as in hunting)

νυκτερόφοιτε, - you roam through the night (νυκτερόφοιτος = νυκτίφοιτος, night-roaming)

κλεισίη (epic Ionic nom of κλεισία) – keeper of the chapel

εὐάντητε, - gracious one (εὐάντητος)

λυτηρία - liberator (voc. of λυτηριάς, a form of λυτήριος, “loosing, freeing.”)

ἀρσενόμορφε, - of manly form (ἀρσενόμορφος) As Apóllôn is always depicted as an ǽphivos (ephebe; Gr. ἔφηβος), a young man and still somewhat pretty and girlish, Ártæmis is thought of as athletic and somewhat manly.

Ὀρθίη, - you wail (in your revels) (from ὀρθἱάζω). Also, Ártæmis was called Ὀρθία in Lakohnía (Laconia, Λακωνία) and Arkadía (Arcadia, Αρκαδία).

ὠκυλόχεια, - giver of quick childbirth

βροτῶν (mortal) κουροτρόφε (child-rearer) δαῖμον. (divinity) - you foster the fledgling mortals. Ártæmis protects children, not only of humans but also of wildlife, this being a twin characteristic she shares with her brother Apóllôn.

ἀγροτέρη – fond of the chase (fem. of ἀγρότερος)

χθονίη, - earthy. This word, khthonía or chthonic is often confused with ypokhthónios (Gr. ὑποχθόνιος), which refers to that which is under the earth, but khthonía actually means of the earth, earthy.

θηροκτόνος, - slayer of wild beasts

ὀλβιόμοιρε· - blessed (ὀλβιόμοιρος = ὀλβιοδαίμων)

ἣ (you) κατέχεις (possess) ὀρέων (mountain) δρυμούς, (forests) - you dwell in the mountains and forests

ἐλαφηβόλε, - hunter of deer (ἐλαφηβόλος)

σεμνή, - revered (σεμνός masc. nom., σεμνή being the feminine.)

πότνια, - mistress

παμβασίλεια, - queen of all

καλὸν (beautiful) θάλος (scion) αἰὲν (ever) ἐοῦσα· (be) - beautiful scion (καλός θάλος) forever to be

δρυμονία, - haunting the woods (δρυμόνιος, masc. nom.)

σκυλακῖτι, - protectress of dogs (σκυλακῖτις).

Κυδωνιάς, - Kydohnian (Κυδωνιάτης). Of the ancient Cretan city of Κῠδωνία, ancient Kríti (Crete; Gr. Κρήτη) being associated with the Mysteries.

αἰολόμορφε. - many-shaped (αἰολόμορφος)

ἐλθέ, - Come

θεὰ (Goddess) σώτειρα, (savior) - Goddess and Deliverer

φίλη, - beloved

μύστηισιν (mystic initiates) ἅπασιν, (all together) - to all your mystics

εὐάντητος, - be accessible

ἄγουσα (carry) καλοὺς (beautiful) καρποὺς (fruits) ἀπὸ (from) γαίης, (earth) - bringing the splendid fruits of earth

εἰρήνην (peace) τ' ἐρατὴν (lovely) καλλιπλόκαμόν (beautiful locks of hair) θ' ὑγίειαν· (health) - lovely peace, beautiful locks of hair and health

πέμποις (send away) δ' εἰς (into) ὀρέων (mountains) κεφαλὰς (head) νούσους (disease) τε (both and) καὶ (and) ἄλγη. (pain) - drive away disease and pain to the top of the mountains.

All this work yields a more literal translation of the hymn to Ártæmis:

36. Ártæmis, Incense: mánna.

Hear me, oh Queen, many-named daughter of Zefs, 1

Titanís, Vákkhic, renowned, archeress, exalted,

Shining on all, torch-bearer, Goddess Díktynna, protectress of childbirth,

Helper in a woman's travail while never having yourself the pain of childbirth,

Freeing women from maidenhood, inspiring zeal, huntress, driving cares away, 5

Youthful runner, shooter of arrows, huntress, you roam through the night,

Keeper of the chapel, gracious one, liberator, manly one,

You wail in your revels, bestowing quick childbirth, you foster the fledgling mortals,

Fond of the chase, earthy, slayer of wild beasts, blessed,

You dwell in the mountains and forests, hunter of deer, revered, 10

Mistress, queen of all, beautiful scion forever to be,

Haunting the forests, protectress of dogs, Kydônian, many-shaped,

Come, Goddess Deliverer, beloved one, to all your mystics.

Be accessible, bringing the splendid fruits of the earth,

Lovely peace, beautiful locks of hair and health; 15

Drive away disease and pain to the top of the mountains.

NOTES:

[1] The Hymns of Orpheus, trans. by Thomas Taylor, 1792.

Much of the theology of our religion has been preserved in fragments: The Orphic Fragments of Otto Kern.

The story of the birth of the Gods: Orphic Theogony.

We know the various qualities and characteristics of the Gods based on metaphorical stories: Mythology.

Dictionary of terms related to ancient Greek mythology: Glossary of Hellenic Mythology.

Introduction to the Thæí (the Gods): The Nature of the Gods.

How do we know there are Gods? Experiencing Gods.