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Orphic Hymns · 82 of 86 · tr. Thomas Taylor

Hymn LXXXII. OCEAN

LXXXII. TO OCEAN. The Fumigation from AROMATICS OCEAN I call, whose nature ever flows, From whom at first both Gods and men arose; Sire incorruptible, whose waves surround, 3 And earth's concluding mighty circle bound: p. 220 Hence every river, hence the spreading sea, 5 And earth's pure bubbling fountains spring from thee: Hear, mighty fire, for boundless bliss is thine, Whose waters purify the pow'rs divine: Earth's friendly limit, fountain of the pole, Whose waves wide spreading and circumfluent roll. Approach benevolent, with placid mind, And be for ever to thy mystics kind.
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Themes
Anthropomorphismtheology

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

[auto] The wind is described with human and animal attributes such as 'lightly leaping feet', 'rapid wings', and 'air's wet bosom'.

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Divine Simplicitytheology

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

Ocean is described as 'incorruptible', implying an undivided and unchanging nature.

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Fasting And Prayerpraxis

Ascetic disciplines that prepare the body and mind for spiritual receptivity or purification.

[auto] The passage is structured as a prayer or invocation ('Approach...', 'Bear...') accompanying 'holy rites'.

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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 South Wind is addressed as a 'benevolent' and 'blessed' power capable of hearing requests and sending rains.

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Monadcosmology

The absolutely simple, undivided first principle from which all multiplicity and existence flows.

Ocean is presented as a singular, incorruptible source ('Sire') from which multiplicity flows.

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Pneumatic Electsoteriology

A spiritual elite who possess the divine spark and are predestined for salvation, contrasted with psychic (faithful) and hylic (material) persons.

The text specifically requests kindness towards 'thy mystics', implying an initiated spiritual group.

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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 liturgical invocation directly addressing Ocean to hear and approach.

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Ritual Firepraxis

Fire as medium of divine presence.

[auto] The text explicitly mentions 'FUMIGATION from FRANKINCENSE', which utilizes fire as the medium for the offering.

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Sacred Namestheology

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

The hymn explicitly invokes the deity by name ('OCEAN I call') as part of the ritual.

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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 header specifies 'Fumigation from AROMATICS', indicating ritual practice to engage the divine.

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Unity Of Beingtheology

The doctrine that all existence is ultimately one substance or one divine reality; non-duality as a theological claim.

The text states that both Gods and men arose from this single primordial source.

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Related passages · 8 parallels
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