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Orphic Hymns · 9 of 86 · tr. Thomas Taylor

Hymn IX. NATURE

IX. TO NATURE. * The FUMIGATION from AROMATICS. NATURE, all parent, ancient, and divine, O Much-mechanic mother, art is thine; p. 127 Heav'nly, abundant, venerable queen, In ev'ry part of thy dominions seen. p. 128 Untam'd, all-taming, ever splendid light, 5 All ruling, honor'd, and supremly bright. Immortal, first-born, ever still the same, Nocturnal, starry, shining, glorious dame. Thy feet's still traces in a circling course, By thee are turn'd, with unremitting force. 10 Pure ornament of all the pow'rs divine, Finite and infinite alike you shine; 12 To all things common and in all things known, Yet incommunicable and alone. Without a father of thy wond'rous frame, 15 Thyself the father whence thy essence came. All-flourishing, connecting, mingling soul, Leader and ruler of this mighty whole. Life-bearer, all-sustaining, various nam'd, And for commanding grace and beauty fam'd. 20 Justice, supreme in might, whose general sway The waters of the restless deep obey. Ætherial, earthly, for the pious glad, Sweet to the good, but bitter to the bad. All-wife, all bounteous, provident, divine, 25 A rich increase of nutriment is thine; p. 129 Father of all, great nurse, and mother kind, Abundant, blessed, all-spermatic mind: Mature, impetuous, from whose fertile seeds And plastic hand, this changing scene proceeds. 30 All-parent pow'r, to mortal eyes unseen, Eternal, moving, all-sagacious queen. By thee the world, whose parts in rapid flow, 33 Like swift descending streams, no respite know, On an eternal hinge, with steady course 35 Is whirl'd, with matchless, unremitting force. Thron'd on a circling car, thy mighty hand Holds and directs, the reins of wide command. Various thy essence, honor'd, and the best, Of judgement too, the general end and test. 40 p. 130 Intrepid, fatal, all-subduing dame, Life-everlasting, Parca, breathing flame. Immortal, Providence, the world is thine, And thou art all things, architect divine. O blessed Goddess, hear thy suppliant's pray'r, 45 And make my future life, thy constant care; Give plenteous seasons, and sufficient wealth, And crown my days with lasting, peace and health.
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Themes
Anthropomorphismtheology

Attributing human characteristics, emotions, or form to the divine; embodied divine imagery.

[auto] The Moon is described with human or animal attributes such as 'Bull-horn'd', wearing a 'robe', and being 'Female and Male'.

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Apophatic Theologytheology

Describing the divine only by negation—God transcends all positive categories and concepts; the via negativa.

Nature is described as 'incommunicable,' 'to mortal eyes unseen,' and transcending finite categories.

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Demiurgecosmology

A secondary creator deity—often ignorant or malevolent—responsible for fashioning the material world, distinct from the supreme transcendent God.

[auto] The commentary references the 'demiurgic intellect' as representing primary forms in matter and fashioning shadowy resemblances of true beings.

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Divine Lighttheology

The uncreated luminous quality of the divine, sometimes experienced directly in mystical states; illumination as revelation.

[auto] The hymn addresses the Moon as a source of 'silver light' and 'lamp of Night', while commentary mentions 'supernal illumination'.

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Divine Marriagesoteriology

The reunification of complementary divine principles (male-female, spirit-matter) as a symbol of wholeness and salvation.

[auto] The commentary notes that souls and spheres are endued with a two-fold power, 'male and female', which the Moon embodies.

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Divine Providencetheology

Pronoia — the doctrine that the divine actively orders the unfolding of the cosmos and human affairs toward intelligible ends, against pure chance or blind necessity.

[auto] The text explicitly names Nature as 'Providence' and 'provident,' governing the universe with 'unremitting force.'

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Divine Simplicitytheology

The doctrine that God has no parts, divisions, or composite attributes; pure undivided being.

[auto] The text explicitly states that in the Gods there is 'void of composition' and they are 'simple', contrasting with human variety.

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Emanation Hierarchycosmology

A chain of divine beings or principles flowing downward from a single transcendent source (the One or the Father), each level less perfect than the one above.

[auto] The text describes a flow from divine intellect to matter through 'temporal signatures of things eternal' and 'divisible representatives'.

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Living Godtheology

The divine conceived as active, present, and dynamic—not an abstract principle but a personal responsive reality.

[auto] The hymn directly addresses a personal Goddess ('Queen', 'Mother') who accepts praise and intervenes in rites.

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Prayerpraxis

Direct address to the divine, whether petitionary, contemplative, or liturgical; speech and silence offered upward.

[auto] The passage concludes with a direct supplication: 'O blessed Goddess, hear thy suppliant's pray'r.'

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Sacred Namestheology

Divine names or formulas that carry ontological power, used in prayer, liturgy, or magical practice.

[auto] The commentary extensively discusses how divine names and sounds signify the occult essence of God and possess ontological power in theurgy.

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Related passages · 11 parallels
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