Abduction of Persephone and Demeter's Search — Homeric Hymns, Homeric Hymn 2 to Demeter, lines 1–73, Greek & English

Δήμητρʼ ἠύκομον, σεμνὴν θεόν, ἄρχομʼ ἀείδειν,

I begin to sing of lovely-haired Demeter, the holy goddess,

αὐτὴν ἠδὲ θύγατρα τανύσφυρον, ἣν Ἀιδωνεὺς¹

her and her slender-ankled daughter, whom Aidoneus

ἥρπαξεν, δῶκεν δὲ βαρύκτυπος εὐρύοπα Ζεύς,

seized, and heavy-thundering, far-seeing Zeus gave her to him,

νόσφιν Δήμητρος χρυσαόρου, ἀγλαοκάρπου,

apart from golden-sworded, bright-fruited Demeter,

παίζουσαν κούρῃσι σὺν Ὠκεανοῦ βαθυκόλποις

as she played with the deep-bosomed daughters of Oceanus

ἄνθεά τʼ αἰνυμένην, ῥόδα καὶ κρόκον ἠδʼ ἴα καλὰ

and gathered flowers—roses, saffron, and beautiful violets,

λειμῶνʼ ἂμ μαλακὸν καὶ ἀγαλλίδας ἠδʼ ὑάκινθον

along the soft meadow, and irises, and hyacinth,

νάρκισσόν θʼ, ὃν φῦσε δόλον² καλυκώπιδι κούρῃ

and the narcissus, which Gaia, by the will of Zeus, grew as a snare for the bud-like maiden,

Γαῖα Διὸς βουλῇσι χαριζομένη Πολυδέκτῃ,

to please the host of many guests,

θαυμαστὸν γανόωντα· σέβας τό γε πᾶσιν ἰδέσθαι

a wondrous, glowing thing, an object of awe to see for all,

ἀθανάτοις τε θεοῖς ἠδὲ θνητοῖς ἀνθρώποις·

both immortal gods and mortal men.

τοῦ καὶ ἀπὸ ῥίζης ἑκατὸν κάρα ἐξεπεφύκει·

From its root a hundred heads had grown,

κὦζʼ ἥδιστʼ ὀδμή, πᾶς τʼ οὐρανὸς εὐρὺς ὕπερθεν

and with its sweetest scent the whole broad heaven above

γαῖά τε πᾶσʼ ἐγελάσσε καὶ ἁλμυρὸν οἶδμα θαλάσσης.

and the entire earth laughed, as did the salty swell of the sea.

ἣ δʼ ἄρα θαμβήσασʼ ὠρέξατο χερσὶν ἅμʼ ἄμφω

She, amazed, reached out with both her hands

καλὸν ἄθυρμα λαβεῖν· χάνε δὲ χθὼν εὐρυάγυια

to take the beautiful toy; but the wide-wayed earth split open

Νύσιον ἂμ πεδίον, τῇ ὄρουσεν ἄναξ Πολυδέγμων

in the Nysian plain, where the lord, host of many guests, rushed out

ἵπποις ἀθανάτοισι, Κρόνου πολυώνυμος υἱός.

with his immortal horses, the many-named son of Cronus.

ἁρπάξας δʼ ἀέκουσαν ἐπὶ χρυσέοισιν ὄχοισιν

Seizing her against her will upon his golden chariot,

ἦγʼ ὀλοφυρομένην· ἰάχησε δʼ ἄρʼ ὄρθια φωνῇ,

he carried her away weeping; and she screamed with a shrill voice,

κεκλομένη πατέρα Κρονίδην ὕπατον καὶ ἄριστον.

calling upon her father, the son of Cronus, highest and best.

οὐδέ τις ἀθανάτων οὐδὲ θνητῶν ἀνθρώπων

But none of the immortals or of mortal men

ἤκουσεν φωνῆς, οὐδʼ ἀγλαόκαρποι ἐλαῖαι†

heard her voice, nor did the bright-fruited olive trees†.

εἰ μὴ Περσαίου θυγάτηρ ἀταλὰ φρονέουσα

Save only the daughter of Persaeus, tender-hearted,

ἄιεν ἐξ ἄντρου, Ἑκάτη λιπαροκρήδεμνος,

who heard from her cave, Hecate of the bright veil,

Ἠέλιός τε ἄναξ, Ὑπερίονος ἀγλαὸς υἱός,

and lord Helios, the glorious son of Hyperion,

κούρης κεκλομένης πατέρα Κρονίδην· ὃ δὲ νόσφιν

as the maiden called upon her father, the son of Cronus. But he, apart,

ἧστο θεῶν ἀπάνευθε πολυλλίστῳ ἐνὶ νηῷ,

sat away from the gods in his temple of many prayers,

δέγμενος ἱερὰ καλὰ παρὰ θνητῶν ἀνθρώπων.

receiving beautiful sacrifices from mortal men.

τὴν δʼ ἀεκαζομένην ἦγεν Διὸς ἐννεσίῃσι

Her, against her will, by the counsels of Zeus, was carrying away

πατροκασίγνητος, Πολυσημάντωρ Πολυδέγμων,

her father’s brother, the ruler of many, the host of many,

ἵπποις ἀθανάτοισι, Κρόνου πολυώνυμος υἱός.

with his immortal horses, the many-named son of Cronus.

ὄφρα μὲν οὖν γαῖάν τε καὶ οὐρανὸν ἀστερόεντα

So long indeed as the goddess looked upon the earth and the starry heaven,

λεῦσσε θεὰ καὶ πόντον ἀγάρροον ἰχθυόεντα

and the fish-swarming, flowing sea,

αὐγάς τʼ ἠελίου, ἔτι δʼ ἤλπετο μητέρα κεδνὴν

and the rays of the sun, and still hoped to see her dear mother

ὄψεσθαι καὶ φῦλα θεῶν αἰειγενετάων,

and the race of the ever-living gods,

τόφρα οἱ ἐλπὶς ἔθελγε μέγαν νόον ἀχνυμένης περ·

so long did hope soothe her great mind, grieved though she was.

ἤχησαν δʼ ὀρέων κορυφαὶ καὶ βένθεα πόντου

But the peaks of the mountains and the depths of the sea resounded

φωνῇ ὑπʼ ἀθανάτῃ· τῆς δʼ ἔκλυε πότνια μήτηρ.

with her immortal voice, and her queenly mother heard her.

ὀξὺ δέ μιν κραδίην ἄχος ἔλλαβεν, ἀμφὶ δὲ χαίταις

And sharp grief seized her heart, and about her immortal hair

ἀμβροσίαις κρήδεμνα δαΐζετο χερσὶ φίλῃσι,

she tore her veil with her own hands,

κυάνεον δὲ κάλυμμα κατʼ ἀμφοτέρων βάλετʼ ὤμων,

and cast a dark cloak down over both her shoulders,

σεύατο δʼ ὥστʼ οἰωνός, ἐπὶ τραφερήν τε καὶ ὑγρὴν³

and she rushed like a bird, over land and sea

μαιομένη· τῇ δʼ οὔτις ἐτήτυμα μυθήσασθαι

searching. But no one was willing to tell her the truth,

ἤθελεν οὔτε θεῶν οὔτε θνητῶν ἀνθρώπων,

neither of the gods nor of mortal men,

οὔτʼ οἰωνῶν τις τῇ ἐτήτυμος ἄγγελος ἦλθεν.

nor did any bird come to her as a truthful messenger.

ἐννῆμαρ μὲν ἔπειτα κατὰ χθόνα πότνια Δηὼ

For nine days then did queenly Deo wander over the earth

στρωφᾶτʼ αἰθομένας δαΐδας μετὰ χερσὶν ἔχουσα,

holding blazing torches in her hands,

οὐδέ ποτʼ ἀμβροσίης καὶ νέκταρος ἡδυπότοιο

nor did she ever taste of ambrosia and sweet-drinking nectar

πάσσατʼ ἀκηχεμένη, οὐδὲ χρόα βάλλετο λουτροῖς.

in her grief, nor did she cast water upon her body in baths.

ἀλλʼ ὅτε δὴ δεκάτη οἱ ἐπήλυθε φαινολὶς ἠώς,

But when the tenth bright dawn came to her,

ἤντετό οἱ Ἑκάτη, σέλας ἐν χείρεσσιν ἔχουσα

Hecate met her, holding a light in her hands,

καί ῥά οἱ ἀγγελέουσα ἔπος φάτο φώνησέν τε·

and to tell her the news, she spoke and said:

πότνια Δημήτηρ, ὡρηφόρε, ἀγλαόδωρε,

”Queenly Demeter, bringer of seasons, giver of bright gifts,

τίς θεῶν οὐρανίων ἠὲ θνητῶν ἀνθρώπων

who of the heavenly gods or of mortal men

ἥρπασε Περσεφόνην καὶ σὸν φίλον ἤκαχε θυμόν;

has carried off Persephone and grieved your dear heart?

φωνῆς γὰρ ἤκουσʼ, ἀτὰρ οὐκ ἴδον ὀφθαλμοῖσιν,

For I heard the voice, but did not see with my eyes

ὅστις ἔην· σοὶ δʼ ὦκα λέγω νημερτέα πάντα.

who it was. To you quickly I tell all the truth.”

ὣς ἄρʼ ἔφη Ἑκάτη· τὴν δʼ οὐκ ἠμείβετο μύθῳ

So indeed Hecate spoke; and the daughter of lovely-haired Rhea did not answer her with words,

Ῥείης ἠυκόμου θυγάτηρ, ἀλλʼ ὦκα σὺν αὐτῇ

but quickly with her

ἤιξʼ αἰθομένας δαΐδας μετὰ χερσὶν ἔχουσα.

she rushed, holding blazing torches in her hands.

Ἠέλιον δʼ ἵκοντο, θεῶν σκοπὸν ἠδὲ καὶ ἀνδρῶν,

And they came to Helios, the watcher of gods and men,

στὰν δʼ ἵππων προπάροιθε καὶ εἴρετο δῖα θεάων·

and they stood before his horses, and the noble goddess questioned him:

ἠέλιʼ, αἴδεσσαί με θεὰν σύ περ, εἴ ποτε δή σευ

”Helios, have respect for me, goddess as I am, if ever indeed

ἢ ἔπει ἢ ἔργῳ κραδίην καὶ θυμὸν ἴηνα·

by word or by deed I warmed your heart and mind.

κούρην τὴν ἔτεκον, γλυκερὸν θάλος, εἴδεϊ κυδρήν,

The daughter whom I bore, a sweet branch, glorious in her form,

τῆς ἀδινὴν ὄπʼ ἄκουσα διʼ αἰθέρος ἀτρυγέτοιο

her shrill voice I heard through the unharvested air

ὥστε βιαζομένης,⁴ ἀτὰρ οὐκ ἴδον ὀφθαλμοῖσιν.

as though she were being forced, but I did not see her with my eyes.

ἀλλά, σὺ γὰρ δὴ πᾶσαν ἐπὶ χθόνα καὶ κατὰ πόντον

But you, for indeed you look down upon all the earth and the sea

αἰθέρος ἐκ δίης καταδέρκεαι ἀκτίνεσσι,

from the bright air with your rays,

νημερτέως μοι ἔνισπε φίλον τέκος, εἴ που ὄπωπας,

tell me truly of my dear child, if anywhere you have seen her,

ὅστις νόσφιν ἐμεῖο λαβὼν ἀέκουσαν ἀνάγκῃ

who it is that has seized her apart from me, against her will by force,

οἴχεται ἠὲ θεῶν ἢ καὶ θνητῶν ἀνθρώπων.

and is gone, whether of the gods or of mortal men.”

Syntax notes4 items

2ἣν Ἀιδωνεὺς
The relative pronoun ἣν refers to the antecedent θύγατρα (daughter) and functions as the direct object of both subsequent verbs: ἥρπαξεν (seized) and δῶκεν (gave), where it serves as the direct object given to Hades.
8δόλον
In apposition to the object of the verb φῦσε (caused to grow) or functioning as an accusative of result, meaning "as a snare" to entrap the maiden.
43τραφερήν τε καὶ ὑγρὴν
The feminine adjectives τραφερή (dry, land) and ὑγρή (wet, sea) are used substantively, with the ellipsis of the nouns χθών (or γῆ) and θάλασσα (or ἅλς), a formulaic expression typical of Greek poetry.
68ὥστε βιαζομένης
The conjunction ὥστε is combined with the genitive participle βιαζομένης (being forced) to express a comparison ("as if being forced"). The genitive case agrees with either ὄψ (voice) or the genitive relative pronoun τῆς referring to the daughter.

Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-22)urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0013.tlg002.humanitext-grc2:1-73