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hymn · Greek

Hymn to Demeter of Eleusis

Demeter · Persephone · Dionysus
O universal mother, Deo famed, august, the source of wealth, and various named: great nurse, all-bounteous, blessed and divine, who joyest in peace; to nourish corn is thine. Goddess of seed, of fruits abundant, fair, harvest and threshing are thy constant care. Lovely delightful queen, by all desired, who dwellest in Eleusis' holy vales retired. Nurse of all mortals, who benignant mind first ploughing oxen to the yoke confined; and gave to men what nature's wants require, with plenteous means of bliss, which all desire. In verdure flourishing, in glory bright, assessor of great Bromios bearing light: rejoicing in the reapers' sickles, kind, whose nature lucid, earthly, pure, we find. Prolific, venerable, nurse divine, thy daughter loving, holy Koure. A car with Drakones yoked 'tis thine to guide, and, orgies singing, round thy throne to ride. Only-begotten, much-producing queen, all flowers are thine, and fruits of lovely green. Bright Goddess, come, with summer's rich increase swelling and pregnant, leading smiling peace; come with fair concord and imperial health, and join with these a needful store of wealth.
Commentarius · Commentary

A hymn to Demeter of Eleusis, and it is composed by stages of work.

Spermeiē, of the seed, at sowing; sōritis, at the heap of threshed grain; alōaiē, of the threshing floor; chloökarpe, green-fruited. The goddess is called in turn by the names of every stage, from sowing to the granary. These are not poetic synonyms but an inventory: each season of the year has its own name for her, and the full list of names is the full list of tasks.

Ἡ πρώτη ζεύξασα βοῶν ἀροτῆρα τένοντα — the first to yoke the ploughing neck of oxen. The same argument as in Ovid's Calliope: "Ceres was the first to part the clod with the curved plough" (ovid-ceres-001). Invention is the ground of cult; a god is worshipped for what he thought of.

Εἰρήνῃ χαίρουσα καὶ ἐργασίαις πολυμόχθοις — rejoicing in peace and in laborious works. Peace and hard labour are joined by "and", as things of one order: for a farmer, peace means the possibility of working.

Βρομίοιο συνέστιος — sharing a hearth with Bromios. Demeter and Dionysus under one roof: bread and wine, the two Eleusinian powers, housed together.

Fons · Source
AuthorAnonymous (Orphic corpus)
WorkOrphic Hymns
Section40
PeriodHellenistic to Roman imperial (3rd c. BC – 2nd c. AD)
OccasionOrphic hymn to Demeter Eleusinia — invocation of the corn-mother for harvest, peace, health and wealth
English translationThomas Taylor, 1792
Classificatio · Taxonomy
CultureGreek
Formhymn
FunctionsInvocation · Petition
SphereAgricultural