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Orphic Hymns · 67 of 86 · tr. Thomas Taylor

Hymn LXVII. HEALTH

LXVII. TO HEALTH. The FUMIGATION from MANNA. O Much-desir'd, prolific, gen'ral queen, Hear me, life-bearing, Health, of beauteous mien, Mother of all; by thee diseases dire, Of bliss destructive, from our life retire; And ev'ry house is flourishing and fair, 5 If with rejoicing aspect thou art there: Each dædal art, thy vig'rous force inspires, And all the world thy helping hand desires; Pluto life's bane alone resists thy will, And ever hates thy all-preserving skill. 10 O fertile queen, from thee forever flows To mortal life from agony repose; And men without thy all-sustaining ease, Find nothing useful, nothing form'd to please; Without thy aid, not Plutus' self can thrive, 15 Nor man to much afflicted age arrive; For thou alone of countenance serene, Dost govern all things, universal queen. Assist thy mystics with propitious mind, And far avert disease of ev'ry kind.
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Themes
Anthropomorphismtheology

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

[auto] The text attributes human characteristics such as 'Husband', 'lovely hair', and familial lineage ('offspring') to the divine.

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Cosmic Dualismtheology

Ontological opposition between two primal principles (light/darkness, truth/lie, spirit/matter) as the fundamental structure of reality.

A clear opposition is drawn between Health's preserving skill and Pluto's resistance as 'life's bane.'

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Divine Lighttheology

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

[auto] Asclepius is explicitly addressed as 'God of light' and described with attributes like 'bright' and 'abundant'.

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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.

The goddess is described as governing all things and providing a helping hand to the world.

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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 deity is portrayed as an active, personal reality who responds to human supplication and prayer.

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Prayerpraxis

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

[auto] The entire passage is a direct liturgical invocation and petition addressed to the goddess Health.

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Ritual Puritypraxis

The maintenance of a state of cleanliness—physical, moral, or spiritual—required for encounter with the divine.

Fumigation is employed as a means of cleansing and averting disease, aligning with requirements for divine encounter.

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Sacred Namestheology

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

[auto] The passage functions as a liturgical invocation using specific divine names like Esculapius and Pæan to summon power.

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Theurgypraxis

Iamblichean ritual practice that engages the gods directly through consecrated material symbols and actions, on the premise that divine power descends into properly prepared matter — distinct from philosophical contemplation alone.

The hymn prescribes a specific ritual action ('FUMIGATION') intended to engage divine power for material effect in the world.

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