Mythology

Homeric Hymn to Dionysus 1 (Fragments)

From the Homeric Hymns. 7th century BC. Modern translation with the ancient Greek text for reference.

L.E. Ataire

Nov 1, 2023 — 4 min read

From the Homeric Hymns. 7th century BC. Modern translation with the ancient Greek text for reference.

Fragment I

οἳ μεˋν γαˋρ Δρακάνωι σ᾿, οἳ δ᾿ Ἰκάρωι ἠνεμοέσσηιοἳ μεˋν γαˋρ Δρακάνωι σ᾿, οἳ δ᾿ Ἰκάρωι ἠνεμοέσσηι

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For some claim you were born in Drakanos, some in windy Ikaros,

φᾶσ᾿, οἳ δ᾿ ἐν Νάξωι, δῖον γένος Εἰραφιῶτα,φᾶσ᾿, οἳ δ᾿ ἐν Νάξωι, δῖον γένος Εἰραφιῶτα,

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others say in Naxos, divine offspring, Eiraphiotes,

οἳ δέ σ᾿ ἐπ᾿ Ἀλφειῶι ποταμῶι βαθυδινήεντιοἳ δέ σ᾿ ἐπ᾿ Ἀλφειῶι ποταμῶι βαθυδινήεντι

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and some at the deep-swirling river Alpheios,

κυσαμένην Σεμέλην τεκέειν Διιˋ τερπικεραύνωικυσαμένην Σεμέλην τεκέειν Διιˋ τερπικεραύνωι

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that Semele, having conceived, gave birth to you for Zeus who delights in thunder,

ἄλλοι δ᾿ ἐν Θήβηισιν ἄναξ σε λέγουσι γενέσθαιἄλλοι δ᾿ ἐν Θήβηισιν ἄναξ σε λέγουσι γενέσθαι

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while others claim you were born in Thebes, Lord.

ψευδόμενοι· σεˋ δ᾿ ἔτικτε πατηˋρ ἀνδρῶν τε θεῶν τεψευδόμενοι· σεˋ δ᾿ ἔτικτε πατηˋρ ἀνδρῶν τε θεῶν τε

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All Lies! The father of gods and men gave birth to you,

πολλοˋν ἀπ᾿ ἀνθρώπων, κρύπτων λευκώλενον Ἥρηνπολλοˋν ἀπ᾿ ἀνθρώπων, κρύπτων λευκώλενον Ἥρην

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far from humans, to hide you from white-armed Hera,

ἔστι δέ τις Νύση ὕπατον ὄρος, ἀνθέον ὕληι,

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There is a place Nysa, a loftiest mountain and flourishing with woodland.

τηλοῦ Φοινίκης, σχεδὸν Αἰγύπτοιο ῥοάων·

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In a distant part of Phoenicia, near Egypt's flowing waters.

ἔνθ᾿ οὔ τις σὺν νηῒ] πε[ᾶι] μερόπων ἀνθρώπων·

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Where not a single ship of mortal men can reach.

οὐ γάρ οἱ ἔστι λι...ήν, νηῶν ὄχος ἀμφιελισσέων

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For it has no harbour for ships

ἀλλά οἱ ἠλίβα... πέτρη περιδέδρομε πάντηι ὑψηλή

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And high cliffs surround it on all sides

τά τε κα...ὰ φύει μενοεικέα πολλά

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yet it grows many lovely things

Fragment II

[Crates ap. Ath. 653b, in the ancient hymns]

αὐτῆισι σταφυλῆισι μελαίνηισιν κομόωντεςαὐτῆισι σταφυλῆισι μελαίνηισιν κομόωντες

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With their own dark grape clusters, the vine rows are flourishing . . .

Fragment III

[Pap. Oxy. 670, a papyrus from Oxyrhynchus]

⚡

(Zeus speaks to Hera) “. . . you wish. What else could happen to you worse than this? I was foolish myself, from . . . left voluntarily . . . as they assume . . . he tricked you and put you in infernal chains. Who could set you free, my love? A painful belt binds your form, while he, heeding neither commands nor pleas, has formed an unshakeable resolve in his heart. It’s a merciless son you've given birth to, my sister . . . cunning, even though a cripple . . . in front of . . . feet good . . .

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wrathful . . . . . . angry . . . Let us find out [if he will soften his hear]t of iron. For there are [two] clever children of mine at hand to ease your troubles. There is Ares, who lifts his spear, a thick-hide fighter . . . to look and brandish . . . also Dionysus . . . But let him not provoke me, otherwise he will suffer my thunderbolts haphazardly . . . of sweet . . . this lad . . .

Fragment IV

[Codex M]

“καί οἱ ἀναστήσουσιν ἀγάλματα πόλλ᾿ ἐνιˋ νηοῖς.“καί οἱ ἀναστήσουσιν ἀγάλματα πόλλ᾿ ἐνιˋ νηοῖς.

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...And they will establish many statues in his shrines; and just as there are three..., so at triennial festivals people will always offer complete hecatombs."

ἦ, καιˋ κυανέηισιν ἐπ᾿ ὀφρύσι νεῦσε Κρονίων;ἦ, καιˋ κυανέηισιν ἐπ᾿ ὀφρύσι νεῦσε Κρονίων;

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So spoke the son of Kronos, affirming it with a nod of his dark brow

ἀμβρόσιαι δ᾿ ἄρα χαῖται ἐπερρώσαντο ἄνακτοςἀμβρόσιαι δ᾿ ἄρα χαῖται ἐπερρώσαντο ἄνακτος

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and the lord's ambrosial hair bristled from his immortal head,

ἵληθ᾿, Εἰραφιῶτα γυναιμανές; οἱ δέ σ᾿ ἀοιδοίἵληθ᾿, Εἰραφιῶτα γυναιμανές; οἱ δέ σ᾿ ἀοιδοί

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Be gracious, Eiraphiotes, he who makes women mad!

σεῖ᾿ ἐπιληθόμενον ἱερῆς μεμνῆσθαι ἀοιδῆς.σεῖ᾿ ἐπιληθόμενον ἱερῆς μεμνῆσθαι ἀοιδῆς.

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It's impossible to engage in holy singing without paying heed to you.

Alternative ending:

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So saying, wise Zeus confirmed it with a nod of his head. So I salute you, Dionysus, Bull god, together with your mother Semele, whom they call Thyone.

Sources:

Homeric Hymns. Homeric Apocrypha. Lives of Homer. Edited and translated by Martin L. West. Loeb Classical Library 496. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2003.

The Homeric Hymns and Homerica with an English Translation by Hugh G. Evelyn-White. Homeric Hymns. Cambridge, MA., Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd. 1914.

West, Martin L. “The Fragmentary Homeric Hymn to Dionysus.” Zeitschrift Für Papyrologie Und Epigraphik 134 (2001): 1–11. http://www.jstor.org/stable/20190784.