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Homeric Hymns · Homeric Hymn 27 to Artemis §1-22

Artemis Hunting and Dancing at Delphi

Passage 1 of 1 · Greek

Summary

This hymn describes the majestic figure of Artemis engaged in hunting, and her graceful appearance as she finishes her hunt to sing and dance with the Muses and Graces at Apollo's house, praising Leto and her outstanding children.

§1Ἄρτεμιν ἀείδω χρυσηλάκατον, κελαδεινήν, §2παρθένον αἰδοίην, ἐλαφηβόλον, ἰοχέαιραν, §3αὐτοκασιγνήτην χρυσαόρου Ἀπόλλωνος, §4ἣ κατ’ ὄρη σκιόεντα καὶ ἄκριας ἠνεμοέσσας §5ἄγρῃ τερπομένη παγχρύσεα τόξα τιταίνει §6πέμπουσα στονόεντα βέλη·
I sing of Artemis of the golden distaff, the goddess of the loud chase, the revered virgin, who shoots deer, who delights in arrows, the own sister of Apollo of the golden sword, who over the shadowy mountains and windy peaks, rejoicing in the chase, draws her all-golden bow and sends forth groaning shafts.
τρομέει δὲ κάρηνα §7ὑψηλῶν ὀρέων, ἰάχει δ’ ἔπι δάσκιος ὕλη §8δεινὸν ὑπὸ κλαγγῆς θηρῶν, φρίσσει δέ τε γαῖα §9πόντος τ’ ἰχθυόεις·
And the summits of the high mountains tremble, and the shaded forest echoes terribly with the crying of beasts, and the earth shudders, and the fish-teeming sea.
ἣ δ’ ἄλκιμον ἦτορ ἔχουσα §10πάντη ἐπιστρέφεται θηρῶν ὀλέκουσα γενέθλην.
But she, keeping a courageous heart, turns everywhere, destroying the race of wild beasts.
§11αὐτὰρ ἐπὴν τερφθῇ θηροσκόπος ἰοχέαιρα, §12εὐφρήνῃ δὲ νόον, χαλάσασ’ εὐκαμπέα τόξα §13ἔρχεται ἐς μέγα δῶμα κασιγνήτοιο φίλοιο, §14Φοίβου Ἀπόλλωνος, Δελφῶν ἐς πίονα δῆμον, §15Μουσῶν καὶ Χαρίτων καλὸν χορὸν ἀρτυνέουσα.
But when the beast-watching, arrow-delighting goddess has enjoyed her sport, and gladdened her mind, she relaxes her well-curved bow, and goes to the great house of her dear brother, Phoebus Apollo, to the rich land of Delphi, to arrange the beautiful dance of the Muses and the Graces.
§16ἔνθα κατακρεμάσασα παλίντονα τόξα καὶ ἰοὺς §17ἡγεῖται χαρίεντα περὶ χροῒ κόσμον ἔχουσα, §18ἐξάρχουσα χορούς· αἳ δ’ ἀμβροσίην ὄπ’ ἰεῖσαι §19ὑμνεῦσιν Λητὼ καλλίσφυρον, ὡς τέκε παῖδας §20ἀθανάτων βουλῇ τε καὶ ἔργμασιν ἔξοχ’ ἀρίστους.
There, having hung up her backward-bent bow and arrows, she leads them, wearing lovely adornment about her body, starting the dances; while they, sending forth their divine voice, hymn fair-ankled Leto, how she bore children far outstanding in excellence among the immortals, both in counsel and in deeds.
§21χαίρετε, τέκνα Διὸς καὶ Λητοῦς ἠυκόμοιο·
Hail, children of Zeus and beautiful-haired Leto!
§22αὐτὰρ ἐγὼν ὑμέων τε καὶ ἄλλης μνήσομ’ ἀοιδῆς.
And I will remember both you and another song.

Notes

  1. §7ἰάχει δ’ ἔπι — An example of tmesis where the preposition `ἐπί` is separated from the verb `ἰάχω`, functioning together as the compound verb `ἐπιάχω` (to resound, echo). Alternatively, `ἔπι` could be interpreted as a postpositioned preposition, but it is standard to treat it as a poetic separation of the verb.
  2. §15ἀρτυνέουσα — Future participle nominative feminine singular of `ἀρτύνω` (to arrange, prepare), expressing the purpose ('in order to arrange') of the main verb `ἔρχεται`.
  3. §18αἳ δ’ — The nominative feminine plural article used as a demonstrative pronoun, referring back to the Muses and the Graces (`Μουσῶν καὶ Χαρίτων`).
  4. §19ὡς — A conjunction introducing an indirect question clause meaning 'how,' explaining the content of what they hymn (`ὑμνεῦσιν`), i.e., how Leto bore such outstanding children.

Cite this passage

Homeric Hymns, Homeric Hymn 27 to Artemis §1-22. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0013.tlg027.humanitext-grc2:1-22

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