Orphic Hymns · 79 of 138 · tr. Thomas Taylor

Hymn XXXV. DIANA

XXXV. TO DIANA. The FUMIGATION from MANNA. Hear me, Jove's daughter, celebrated queen, Bacchian and Titan, of a noble mien: p. 166 In darts rejoicing and on all to shine, Torch-bearing Goddess, Dictynna divine; O'er births presiding, and thyself a maid, 5 5 To labour-pangs imparting ready aid: Dissolver of the zone and wrinkl'd care, Fierce huntress, glorying in the Sylvan war: Swift in the course, in dreadful arrows skill'd, Wandering by night, rejoicing in the field: 10 Of manly form, erect, of bounteous mind, Illustrious dæmon, nurse of human kind: Immortal, earthly, bane of monsters fell, 'Tis thine; blest maid, on woody hills to dwell: Foe of the stag, whom woods and dogs delight, 15 In endless youth who flourish fair and bright. O, universal queen, august, divine, A various form, Cydonian pow'r, is thine: Dread guardian Goddess, with benignant mind Auspicious, come to mystic rites inclin'd 20 Give earth a store of beauteous fruits to bear, Send gentle Peace, and Health with lovely hair, And to the mountains drive Disease and Care. Footnotes 166:5 Ver. 5.] O'er births presiding . In the original, λοχεία: and Proclus, in Plat. Theol. p. 403. observes that this epithet is given to Diana by theologians, because she is the inspector of natural progression and generation.

Themes

◇Anthropomorphismtheology

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

[auto] The goddess is described with human characteristics such as a 'noble mien', 'mighty mind', and 'aspect kind'.

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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 addressed as a responsive reality who can hear the supplicant and end the holy rites.

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◇Prayerpraxis

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

[auto] The entire text is a direct invocation and petition to the goddess ('Hear me', 'Give earth').

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◇Ritual Firepraxis

Fire as medium of divine presence.

[auto] Fumigation implies the burning of incense (myrrh), using fire and smoke as a medium for the ritual.

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◇Ritual Puritypraxis

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

[auto] The text specifies fumigation from myrrh and holy rites, which are practices associated with purification 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 is an invocation that relies on calling the goddess by her name and specific epithets to summon her presence.

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Related passages · 1 parallel

◆egyptian|The Egyptian Book of the Dead (Papyrus of Ani)|Chapter 10 (part 15)

“500, Paris, 1879, p. 27. 4 Pyramid of Unas, l. 564.] {p. cxxvi} Disguised in female forms, the four goddesses go to the house of Ra-user, and, professing to have a knowledge of the art of midwifery, they are admitted to the chamber wher…”

Both passages describe divine figures associated with birth and creation. Passage A discusses the Egyptian goddesses and Amen-Ra's role in creation and sustaining the universe, while Passage B describes Diana as a goddess presiding over births and generation. Both texts highlight the divine attributes related to life and creation.