Research...
Oct. 16th, 2005 11:36 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
badstarmostly posting this for my own easy reference, but feel free to peruse if you have interest in hymns to Selene and Artemis
Hymn to Selene
Daughters of Jove, whose voice is melody,
Muses, who know and rule all minstrelsy,
Sing the wide-winged Moon! Around the earth,
From her immortal head in Heaven shot forth,
Far light is scattered--boundless glory springs;
Where'er she spreads her many-beaming wings
The lampless air glows round her golden crown.
But when the Moon divine from Heaven is gone
Under the sea, her beams within abide,
Till, bathing her bright limbs in Ocean's tide,
Clothing her form in garments glittering far,
And having yoked to her immortal car
The beam-invested steeds whose necks on high
Curve back, she drives to a remoter sky
A western Crescent, borne impetuously.
Then is made full the circle of her light,
And as she grows, her beams more bright and bright
Are poured from Heaven, where she is hovering then,
A wonder and a sign to mortal men.
The Son of Saturn with this glorious Power
Mingled in love and sleep--to whom she bore
Pandeia, a bright maid of beauty rare
Among the Gods, whose lives eternal are.
Hail Queen, great Moon, white-armed Divinity,
Fair-haired and favorable! thus with thee
My song beginning, by its music sweet
Shall make immortal many a glorious feat
Of demigods, with lovely lips, so well
Which minstrels, servants of the Muses, tell.
--Unknown, 7th century B.C. ?
Translated from Greek by Percy Bysshe Shelley
From Homeric Hymns
homeric hymn to selene
(ll. 1-13) And next, sweet voiced Muses, daughters of Zeus, well- skilled in song, tell of the long-winged Moon. From her immortal head a radiance is shown from heaven and embraces earth; and great is the beauty that ariseth from her shining light. The air, unlit before, glows with the light of her golden crown, and her rays beam clear, whensoever bright Selene having bathed her lovely body in the waters of Ocean, and donned her far-gleaming, shining team, drives on her long-maned horses at full speed, at eventime in the mid-month: then her great orbit is full and then her beams shine brightest as she increases. So she is a sure token and a sign to mortal men.
(ll. 14-16) Once the Son of Cronos was joined with her in love; and she conceived and bare a daughter Pandia, exceeding lovely amongst the deathless gods.
(ll. 17-20) Hail, white-armed goddess, bright Selene, mild, bright-tressed queen! And now I will leave you and sing the glories of men half-divine, whose deeds minstrels, the servants of the Muses, celebrate with lovely lips.
Lost Homeric Hymn to Selene (I)
I'll start the singing
By invoking the
Bright Goddess
the beautifully tressed
Selene
Hyperion's child
Daughter of brightness
I praise you infinitely, She of the Lovely Hair
That streams behind you as you ride
Your four milky-white mares
through the stream of the sky
Divine patroness of becoming
a full and complete nymph
a recognised woman
Divine ruler of Night
Puller of the silver strings
Of Poseidon's mighty tides
Magnet of all life
Surveyor of Gaia's fertility
Whose green grass
Grows wild and free
Under my maiden's feet
Goddess to whom I'm singing this song
to whom I shall always be singing
For though you are not of the Twelve
there you ride nontheless
I bid thee safe journey, Bright One
And I will remember you
in another song
Hymn to Selene
Muses, sweet-speaking daughters of Zeus Kronides
and mistresses of song, sing next of long-winged Moon!
From her immortal head a heaven-sent glow
envelops the earth and great beauty arises
under its radiance. From her golden crown the dim air
is made to glitter as her rays turn night to noon,
whenever bright Selene, having bathed her beautiful skin
in the Ocean, put on her shining rainment
and harnessed her proud-necked and glittering steeds,
swiftly drives them on as their manes play
with the evening, dividing the months. Her great orbit is full
and as she waxes a most brilliant light appears
in the sky. Thus to mortals she is a sign and a token.
Lost Homeric Hymn to Artemis (I)
Great Goddess Artemis, Maiden Huntress,
Magnetic sharer of the crescent moon,
Grant me understanding of all that is Wild and Natural,
Grant me the power of chastity,
Grant me the loving force of the Mother,
Grant me transcendation from the ordinary.
You are She who Roams the Woods Alone,
Never afraid to face the dangers of the unknown,
Instill in me this sense of pride
In the naked face of the God Phobos.
I revel in the silvery shafts of your bow and arrow,
O Kynthia, Phoebe, Daphnaia, Korythalia,
Member of the true Holy Trinity,
Spread Your Wisdom to those who will not listen,
Or let me continue your legacy for You,
O Howling Huntress, O Moon Maiden.
Hymn to Selene
Daughters of Jove, whose voice is melody,
Muses, who know and rule all minstrelsy,
Sing the wide-winged Moon! Around the earth,
From her immortal head in Heaven shot forth,
Far light is scattered--boundless glory springs;
Where'er she spreads her many-beaming wings
The lampless air glows round her golden crown.
But when the Moon divine from Heaven is gone
Under the sea, her beams within abide,
Till, bathing her bright limbs in Ocean's tide,
Clothing her form in garments glittering far,
And having yoked to her immortal car
The beam-invested steeds whose necks on high
Curve back, she drives to a remoter sky
A western Crescent, borne impetuously.
Then is made full the circle of her light,
And as she grows, her beams more bright and bright
Are poured from Heaven, where she is hovering then,
A wonder and a sign to mortal men.
The Son of Saturn with this glorious Power
Mingled in love and sleep--to whom she bore
Pandeia, a bright maid of beauty rare
Among the Gods, whose lives eternal are.
Hail Queen, great Moon, white-armed Divinity,
Fair-haired and favorable! thus with thee
My song beginning, by its music sweet
Shall make immortal many a glorious feat
Of demigods, with lovely lips, so well
Which minstrels, servants of the Muses, tell.
--Unknown, 7th century B.C. ?
Translated from Greek by Percy Bysshe Shelley
From Homeric Hymns
homeric hymn to selene
(ll. 1-13) And next, sweet voiced Muses, daughters of Zeus, well- skilled in song, tell of the long-winged Moon. From her immortal head a radiance is shown from heaven and embraces earth; and great is the beauty that ariseth from her shining light. The air, unlit before, glows with the light of her golden crown, and her rays beam clear, whensoever bright Selene having bathed her lovely body in the waters of Ocean, and donned her far-gleaming, shining team, drives on her long-maned horses at full speed, at eventime in the mid-month: then her great orbit is full and then her beams shine brightest as she increases. So she is a sure token and a sign to mortal men.
(ll. 14-16) Once the Son of Cronos was joined with her in love; and she conceived and bare a daughter Pandia, exceeding lovely amongst the deathless gods.
(ll. 17-20) Hail, white-armed goddess, bright Selene, mild, bright-tressed queen! And now I will leave you and sing the glories of men half-divine, whose deeds minstrels, the servants of the Muses, celebrate with lovely lips.
Lost Homeric Hymn to Selene (I)
I'll start the singing
By invoking the
Bright Goddess
the beautifully tressed
Selene
Hyperion's child
Daughter of brightness
I praise you infinitely, She of the Lovely Hair
That streams behind you as you ride
Your four milky-white mares
through the stream of the sky
Divine patroness of becoming
a full and complete nymph
a recognised woman
Divine ruler of Night
Puller of the silver strings
Of Poseidon's mighty tides
Magnet of all life
Surveyor of Gaia's fertility
Whose green grass
Grows wild and free
Under my maiden's feet
Goddess to whom I'm singing this song
to whom I shall always be singing
For though you are not of the Twelve
there you ride nontheless
I bid thee safe journey, Bright One
And I will remember you
in another song
Hymn to Selene
Muses, sweet-speaking daughters of Zeus Kronides
and mistresses of song, sing next of long-winged Moon!
From her immortal head a heaven-sent glow
envelops the earth and great beauty arises
under its radiance. From her golden crown the dim air
is made to glitter as her rays turn night to noon,
whenever bright Selene, having bathed her beautiful skin
in the Ocean, put on her shining rainment
and harnessed her proud-necked and glittering steeds,
swiftly drives them on as their manes play
with the evening, dividing the months. Her great orbit is full
and as she waxes a most brilliant light appears
in the sky. Thus to mortals she is a sign and a token.
Lost Homeric Hymn to Artemis (I)
Great Goddess Artemis, Maiden Huntress,
Magnetic sharer of the crescent moon,
Grant me understanding of all that is Wild and Natural,
Grant me the power of chastity,
Grant me the loving force of the Mother,
Grant me transcendation from the ordinary.
You are She who Roams the Woods Alone,
Never afraid to face the dangers of the unknown,
Instill in me this sense of pride
In the naked face of the God Phobos.
I revel in the silvery shafts of your bow and arrow,
O Kynthia, Phoebe, Daphnaia, Korythalia,
Member of the true Holy Trinity,
Spread Your Wisdom to those who will not listen,
Or let me continue your legacy for You,
O Howling Huntress, O Moon Maiden.
