Restoration of Fertility and Founding of the Mysteries — Homeric Hymns, Homeric Hymn 2 to Demeter, lines 426–495, Greek & English

426

μίγδα κρόκον τʼ ἀγανὸν καὶ ἀγαλλίδας ἠδʼ ὑάκινθον

mixing therewith sweet crocus and irises and hyacinth,

καὶ ῥοδέας κάλυκας καὶ λείρια, θαῦμα ἰδέσθαι,¹

and rosebuds and lilies, a wonder to behold,

νάρκισσόν θʼ, ὃν ἔφυσʼ ὥς περ κρόκον εὐρεῖα χθών.

and the narcissus, which the wide earth produced just like a crocus.

αὐτὰρ ἐγὼ δρεπόμην περὶ χάρματι· γαῖα δʼ ἔνερθε

But while I was gathering them with joy, the earth beneath

430

χώρησεν· τῇ δʼ ἔκθορʼ ἄναξ κρατερὸς Πολυδέγμων·

opened, and from it leaped the strong lord Polydegmon.

βῆ δὲ φέρων ὑπὸ γαῖαν ἐν ἅρμασι χρυσείοισι

And he went carrying me beneath the earth in his golden chariot,

πόλλʼ ἀεκαζομένην· ἐβόησα δʼ ἄρʼ ὄρθια φωνῇ.

though I resisted much; and I cried out with a shrill voice.

ταῦτά τοι ἀχνυμένη περ ἀληθέα πάντʼ ἀγορεύω.

All these things, though grieving, I tell you as the truth.”

ὣς τότε μὲν πρόπαν ἦμαρ ὁμόφρονα θυμὸν ἔχουσαι

Thus then, for the whole day, having a single mind,

435

πολλὰ μάλʼ ἀλλήλων κραδίην καὶ θυμὸν ἴαινον

they greatly cheered each other’s heart and mind with embraces;

ἀμφαγαπαζόμεναι· ἀχέων δʼ ἀπεπαύετο θυμός.

and their soul ceased from its griefs.

γηθοσύνας δʼ ἐδέχοντο παρʼ ἀλλήλων ἔδιδόν τε.

And they received and gave joys to one another.

τῇσιν δʼ ἐγγύθεν ἦλθʼ Ἑκάτη λιπαροκρήδεμνος·

And near to them came bright-veiled Hecate,

πολλὰ δʼ ἄρʼ ἀμφαγάπησε κόρην Δημήτερος ἁγνήν·

and she many times embraced the holy daughter of Demeter.

440

ἐκ τοῦ οἱ πρόπολος καὶ ὀπάων ἔπλετʼ ἄνασσα.²

From that time, the queen became her attendant and companion.

ταῖς δὲ μέτʼ ἄγγελον ἧκε βαρύκτυπος εὐρύοπα Ζεὺς

And after them, loud-thundering, far-echoing Zeus sent as a messenger

Ῥείην ἠύκομον, Δημήτερα κυανόπεπλον

fair-haired Rhea, to bring dark-robed Demeter

ἀξέμεναι μετὰ φῦλα θεῶν, ὑπέδεκτο δὲ τιμὰς

to the tribes of the gods; and he promised to give her honors

δωσέμεν, ἅς κεν ἕλοιτο μετʼ ἀθανάτοισι θεοῖσι·

which she might choose among the immortal gods.

445

νεῦσε δέ οἱ κούρην ἔτεος περιτελλομένοιο

And he consented that her daughter, as the year rolled round,

τὴν τριτάτην μὲν μοῖραν ὑπὸ ζόφον ἠερόεντα,

should spend a third part of it beneath the murky gloom,

τὰς δὲ δύω παρὰ μητρὶ καὶ ἄλλοις ἀθανάτοισιν.

and the other two parts with her mother and the other immortals.

ὣς ἔφατʼ· οὐδʼ ἀπίθησε θεὰ Διὸς ἀγγελιάων.

Thus he spoke; and the goddess did not disobey the messages of Zeus.

ἐσσυμένως δʼ ἤιξε κατʼ Οὐλύμποιο καρήνων,

And swiftly she rushed down from the peaks of Olympus,

450

ἐς δʼ ἄρα Ῥάριον ἷξε, φερέσβιον οὖθαρ ἀρούρης

and she came to the Rarian plain, previously life-giving

τὸ πρίν, ἀτὰρ τότε γʼ οὔτι φερέσβιον, ἀλλὰ ἕκηλον

but at that time not at all life-giving, but idle

ἑστήκει πανάφυλλον· ἔκευθε δʼ ἄρα κρῖ λευκὸν

and completely leafless it stood; and it hid the white barley

μήδεσι Δήμητρος καλλισφύρου· αὐτὰρ ἔπειτα

by the counsels of fair-ankled Demeter. But thereafter,

μέλλεν ἄφαρ ταναοῖσι κομήσειν ἀσταχύεσσιν³

it was soon to wave with long ears of corn

455

ἦρος ἀεξομένοιο, πέδῳ δʼ ἄρα πίονες ὄγμοι

as spring waxed, and on the ground the rich furrows

βρισέμεν ἀσταχύων, τὰ δʼ ἐν ἐλλεδανοῖσι δεδέσθαι.

to be heavy with ears, and some of them to be bound in sheaves.

ἔνθʼ ἐπέβη πρώτιστον ἀπʼ αἰθέρος ἀτρυγέτοιο·

There she landed first of all from the harvestless air;

ἀσπασίως δʼ ἴδον ἀλλήλας, κεχάρηντο δὲ θυμῷ.

and gladly they saw each other, and rejoiced in heart.

τὴν δʼ ὧδε προσέειπε Ῥέη λιπαροκρήδεμνος·

And to her Rhea of the bright veil spoke thus:

460

δεῦρο τέκος, καλέει σε βαρύκτυπος εὐρύοπα Ζεὺς

”Hither, my child, loud-thundering, far-echoing Zeus calls you

ἐλθέμεναι μετὰ φῦλα θεῶν, ὑπέδεκτο δὲ τιμὰς

to come to the tribes of the gods; and he promised to give you honors

δωσέμεν, ἅς κʼ ἐθέλῃσθα μετʼ ἀθανάτοισι θεοῖσι.

which you might wish among the immortal gods.

νεῦσε δέ σοι κούρην ἔτεος περιτελλομένοιο

And he consented that your daughter, as the year rolled round,

τὴν τριτάτην μὲν μοῖραν ὑπὸ ζόφον ἠερόεντα,

should spend a third part of it beneath the murky gloom,

465

τὰς δὲ δύω παρὰ σοί τε καὶ ἄλλοις ἀθανάτοισιν.

and the other two parts with you and the other immortals.

ὣς ἄρʼ ἔφη τελέεσθαι· ἑῷ δʼ ἐπένευσε κάρητι.

Thus indeed he said it would be accomplished, and nodded with his head.

ἀλλʼ ἴθι, τέκνον ἐμόν, καὶ πείθεο, μηδέ τι λίην

But go, my child, and obey, and do not at all too

ἀζηχὲς μενέαινε κελαινεφέι Κρονίωνι.

excessively rage against the dark-clouded son of Cronos.

αἶψα δὲ καρπὸν ἄεξε φερέσβιον ἀνθρώποισιν.

And swiftly multiply the fruit that gives life to humans.”

470

ὣς ἔφατʼ. οὐδʼ ἀπίθησεν ἐυστέφανος Δημήτηρ·

Thus she spoke; and fair-crowned Demeter did not disobey.

αἶψα δὲ καρπὸν ἀνῆκεν ἀρουράων ἐριβώλων·

And swiftly she sent up fruit from the fertile fields.

πᾶσα δὲ φύλλοισίν τε καὶ ἄνθεσιν εὐρεῖα χθὼν

And the whole wide earth with leaves and flowers

ἔβρισʼ· ἣ δὲ κιοῦσα θεμιστοπόλοις βασιλεῦσι

grew heavy; and she went to the law-administering kings,

δεῖξεν Τριπτολέμῳ τε Διοκλεῖ τε πληξίππῳ

and showed to Triptolemus, and Diocles driver of horses,

475

Εὐμόλπου τε βίῃ Κελεῷ θʼ ἡγήτορι λαῶν

and the strength of Eumolpus, and Celeus leader of the people,

δρησμοσύνην θʼ ἱερῶν καὶ ἐπέφραδεν ὄργια πᾶσι,

the conduct of her sacred rites, and explained her mysteries to them all,

Τριπτολέμῳ τε Πολυξείνῳ, ἐπὶ τοῖς δὲ Διοκλεῖ

to Triptolemus and Polyxeinus, and besides to Diocles,

σεμνά, τά τʼ οὔπως ἔστι παρεξίμεν οὔτε πυθέσθαι⁴

the solemn rites, which it is in no way possible to transgress, nor to inquire into,

οὔτʼ ἀχέειν· μέγα γάρ τι θεῶν σέβας ἰσχάνει αὐδήν.

nor to utter; for a great reverence for the gods stays the voice.

480

ὄλβιος, ὃς τάδʼ ὄπωπεν ἐπιχθονίων ἀνθρώπων·

Happy is he among men on earth who has seen these things;

ὃς δʼ ἀτελὴς ἱερῶν ὅς τʼ ἄμμορος, οὔποθʼ ὁμοίων

but he who is uninitiated in the rites, and has no share in them, never has

αἶσαν ἔχει φθίμενός περ ὑπὸ ζόφῳ ἠερόεντι.

a like lot when dead beneath the murky gloom.

αὐτὰρ ἐπειδὴ πάνθʼ ὑπεθήκατο δῖα θεάων,

But when the bright goddess had instructed them in everything,

βάν ῥʼ ἴμεν Οὔλυμπόνδε θεῶν μεθʼ ὁμήγυριν ἄλλων.

they went to Olympus, to the gathering of the other gods.

485

ἔνθα δὲ ναιετάουσι παραὶ Διὶ τερπικεραύνῳ

And there they dwell beside Zeus who delights in thunder,

σεμναί τʼ αἰδοῖαι τε· μέγʼ ὄλβιος, ὅν τινʼ ἐκεῖναι

solemn and revered. Greatly happy is he whom they

προφρονέως φίλωνται ἐπιχθονίων ἀνθρώπων·

graciously love among men on earth;

αἶψα δέ οἱ πέμπουσιν ἐφέστιον ἐς μέγα δῶμα

and swiftly they send to his great house, to his hearth,

Πλοῦτον, ὃς ἀνθρώποις ἄφενος θνητοῖσι δίδωσιν.

Plutus, who gives wealth to mortal men.

490

ἀλλʼ ἄγʼ Ἐλευσῖνος θυοέσσης δῆμον ἔχουσα

But come, you who hold the land of fragrant Eleusis,

καὶ Πάρον ἀμφιρύτην Ἀντρῶνά τε πετρήεντα,

and sea-girt Paros and rocky Antron,

πότνια, ἀγλαόδωρʼ, ὡρηφόρε, Δηοῖ ἄνασσα,

lady, giver of splendid gifts, bringer of seasons, queen Deo,

αὐτὴ καὶ κούρη περικαλλὴς Περσεφόνεια·

you yourself and your beautiful daughter Persephone;

πρόφρονες ἀντʼ ᾠδῆς βίοτον θυμήρεʼ ὄπαζε.

graciously, in return for my song, grant a life pleasing to the heart.

495

αὐτὰρ ἐγὼ καὶ σεῖο καὶ ἄλλης μνήσομʼ ἀοιδῆς.

But I shall remember both you and another song.

Syntax notes4 items

427θαῦμα ἰδέσθαι
The infinitive ἰδέσθαι (middle of ἰδεῖν) follows the noun θαῦμα as an epexegetical (explanatory) infinitive, forming a poetic formula meaning "a wonder to behold."
440οἱ πρόπολος καὶ ὀπάων ἔπλετʼ ἄνασσα
Here οἱ is the dative singular pronoun referring to Persephone. The subject ἄνασσα (queen, referring to Hecate) became attendant and companion to her, linked by the verb ἔπλετο (epic past of πέλομαι).
454μέλλεν ἄφαρ ταναοῖσι κομήσειν ἀσταχύεσσιν
The verb μέλλεν governs a series of infinitives: the future active infinitive κομήσειν, and in line 456, βρισέμεν and δεδέσθαι, describing the imminent events destined to happen to the Rarian plain.
478τά τʼ οὔπως ἔστι παρεξίμεν οὔτε πυθέσθαι
The relative pronoun τά refers back to the antecedent σεμνά (holy/solemn rites). The impersonal ἔστι functions as "it is possible," which governs three infinitives: παρεξίμεν, πυθέσθαι, and ἀχέειν (in line 479, meaning 'to utter' or 'to voice').

Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-22) · Revision history (1, latest 2026-09-21)

2026-09-21 AI review — note 1

urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0013.tlg002.humanitext-grc2:426-495