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Homeric Hymns · Homeric Hymn 18 to Hermes §1-12

The Birth of Hermes to Maia and Farewell

Passage 1 of 1 · Greek

Summary

The birth of Hermes is recounted. It describes how Zeus secretly lay with Maia, avoiding Hera, leading to Hermes' birth, and concludes with a farewell and transition to another hymn.

§1Ἑρμῆν ἀείδω Κυλλήνιον, Ἀργειφόντην, §2Κυλλήνης μεδέοντα καὶ Ἀρκαδίης πολυμήλου, §3ἄγγελον ἀθανάτων ἐριούνιον, ὃν τέκε Μαῖα, §4Ατλαντος θυγάτηρ, Διὸς ἐν φιλότητι μιγεῖσα, §5αἰδοίη· μακάρων δὲ θεῶν ἀλέεινεν ὅμιλον, §6ἄντρῳ ναιετάουσα παλισκίῳ· ἔνθα Κρονίων §7νύμφῃ ἐυπλοκάμῳ μισγέσκετο νυκτὸς ἀμολγῷ, §8εὖτε κατὰ γλυκὺς ὕπνος ἔχοι λευκώλενον Ἥρην· §9λάνθανε δ’ ἀθανάτους τε θεοὺς θνητούς τ’ ἀνθρώπους.
I sing of Cyllenian Hermes, the slayer of Argus, lord of Cyllene and Arcadia rich in flocks, the luck-bringing messenger of the immortals, whom Maia bore, the daughter of Atlas, when she was joined in love with Zeus, bashful goddess; for she avoided the company of the blessed gods, dwelling in a deep-shadowed cave; there the son of Cronos used to lie with the rich-tressed nymph in the dead of night, while sweet sleep held white-armed Hera fast; and he escaped the notice of both immortal gods and mortal men.
§10καὶ σὺ μὲν οὕτω χαῖρε, Διὸς καὶ Μαιάδος υἱέ· §11σεῦ δ’ ἐγὼ ἀρξάμενος μεταβήσομαι ἄλλον ἐς ὕμνον.
And so, hail to you, son of Zeus and Maia; having begun with you, I will pass on to another hymn.
§12[χαῖρ᾽. Ἑρμῆ χαριδῶτα, διάκτορε, δῶτορ ἐάων. ]
[Hail, Hermes, giver of grace, guide, giver of good things!]

Notes

  1. §7μισγέσκετο — An imperfect form with the iterative suffix -ske-, indicating that Zeus repeatedly visited and lay with Maia.
  2. §8κατὰ... ἔχοι — An instance of tmesis, representing κατέχοι (present optative active 3rd singular of κατέχω). The optative in the clause introduced by εὖτε (when) expresses past iterative action ('whenever sweet sleep held...').
  3. §11σεῦ δ’ ἐγὼ ἀρξάμενος — The genitive pronoun σεῦ (Homeric for σοῦ) depends on the participle ἀρξάμενος (from ἄρχομαι, which takes the genitive), meaning 'having begun from you'. This is a formulaic closing expression in the Homeric Hymns.

Cite this passage

Homeric Hymns, Homeric Hymn 18 to Hermes §1-12. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0013.tlg018.humanitext-grc2:1-12

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