Orphic Hymn 45

We used the first three lines and the last line of Orphic Hymn 45 in the opening piece this year. Big thanks to Jim for the Greek lessons!

[45] Hymn to Dionysos, Bassareos and Triennial
Come, blessed Dionysius, various nam’d,
Bull-fac’d, begot from Thunder, Bacchus fam’d.
Bassarian God, of universal might,
Whom swords, and blood, and sacred rage delight:
In heav’n rejoicing, mad, loud-sounding God,
Furious inspirer, bearer of the rod:
By Gods rever’d, who dwell’st with human kind,
Propitious come, with much-rejoicing mind.
Tr. Thomas Taylor (1782)

45. Διονύσου Βασσαρέως Τριετηρικού

Ἐλθέ, μάκαρ Διόνυσε, πυρίσπορε, ταυρομέτωπε,
Βάσσαρε καὶ Βακχεῦ, πολυώνυμε, παντοδυνάστα,
ὃς ξίφεσιν χαίρεις ἠδ’ αἵματι Μαινάσι θ’ ἁγναῖς,
εὐάζων κατ’ Ὄλυμπον, ἐρίβρομε, μανικὲ Βάκχε,
θυρσεγχής, βαρύμηνι, τετιμένε πᾶσι θεοῖσι
καὶ θνητοῖσι βροτοῖσιν, ὅσοι χθόνα ναιετάουσιν
ἐλθέ, μάκαρ, σκιρτητά, φέρων πολὺ γῆθος ἅπασι.

Ehltheh’, mah’kahr Dio’nyseh, pyrih’sporeh, tauromeh’tohpeh,
Bah’ssahreh kai’ Bahkcheh-oo’, polyoh’myneh, pahntohdynah’stah,
Hohs’ zih’phehsihn chaireis eid-hai’mahtih Mainah’sih th-ahn’gaiihs,
eu’ahzohn kat O’lympon, eh’rihbromeh, mahnihkeh’ Bah’kcheh,
thyrsehncheis’, bahry’meinih, tehtihmeh’neh pah’sih thehoih’sih
kai’ thneitoi’sih brotoih’sihn, ho’soi chtho’nah naiehtah’ousihn
ehltheh’, mah’kahr, skirhteitah’, phehron-poly’ ngei’thos hah’pahsih.

Vowels: a = ah, au = “ow”, ai = ay (as in “I”)
Looks like “n” = ei (as in “freight”), e = eh
Looks like “w” = oh (as in “OMG”), o (as in “ought”)
u = y (as in “funny” or “me”, except when it is “oo” as in “moon”), eu (as in “you”)
i = ih
Some consonants: ch (gargle)
Looks like X, = ch (another gargle)
Specials (see lines 3, 5, and 6): where the vowels “o” and “ah” begin words, but have what is called a “hard breathing sign,” and so are rendered “ho” and “hah” respectively.