Humanitext Reader

Homeric Hymns · Homeric Hymn 29 to Hestia §1-14

Praise and Invocation to Hestia and Hermes

Passage 1 of 1 · Greek

Summary

A hymn praising Hestia and Hermes. It invokes Hestia, the guardian of the hearth, and Hermes, the messenger god, praying that they dwell together in harmony and bring blessings to mankind.

§1ἑστίη, ἣ πάντων ἐν δώμασιν ὑψηλοῖσιν §2ἀθανάτων τε θεῶν χαμαὶ ἐρχομένων τ’ ἀνθρώπων §3ἕδρην ἀίδιον ἔλαχες, πρεσβηίδα τιμήν, §4καλὸν ἔχουσα γέρας καὶ τίμιον·
Hestia, you who in the high dwellings of all, both immortal gods and men who walk upon the earth, have obtained an everlasting seat, a primeval honor, holding a beautiful and esteemed prize.
οὐ γὰρ ἄτερ σοῦ §5εἰλαπίναι θνητοῖσιν, ἵν’ οὐ πρώτῃ πυμάτῃ τε §6Ἑστίῃ ἀρχόμενος σπένδει μελιηδέα οἶνον·
For without you there are no banquets for mortals, where one does not, first and last, pour libations of honey-sweet wine, beginning with Hestia.
§7καὶ σύ μοι, Ἀργειφόντα, Διὸς καὶ Μαιάδος υἱέ, §8ἄγγελε τῶν μακάρων, χρυσόρραπι, δῶτορ ἐάων, §10ἵλαος ὢν ἐπάρηγε σὺν αἰδοίῃ τε φίλῃ τε.
And you to me, Slayer of Argus, son of Zeus and Maia, messenger of the blessed ones, golden-wanded, giver of good things, being propitious, help, together with her who is revered and beloved.
§95ναίετε δώματα καλά, φίλα φρεσὶν ἀλλήλοισιν §11εἰδότες· ἀμφότεροι γὰρ ἐπιχθονίων ἀνθρώπων §12εἰδότες ἔργματα καλὰ νόῳ θ’ ἕσπεσθε καὶ ἥβῃ.
5Dwell [both of you] in this beautiful house, with minds friendly to each other, knowing [each other's hearts]; for both of you, knowing of earthly men [their] beautiful deeds, accompany [them] with intelligence and youth.
§13χαῖρε, Κρόνου θύγατερ, σύ τε καὶ χρυσόρραπις Ἑρμῆς· §14αὐτὰρ ἐγὼν ὑμέων τε καὶ ἄλλης μνήσομ’ ἀοιδῆς.
Hail, daughter of Cronus, and you too, golden-wanded Hermes; but I will remember both of you and another song.

Notes

  1. §5ἵν’ οὐ — In the clause introduced by the relative adverb ἵνα, the negator οὐ goes with the main verb σπένδει, creating a double-negative sense ('where one does not... [there is no banquet]').
  2. §10σὺν αἰδοίῃ τε φίλῃ τε — The feminine singular dative adjectives are used substantively, referring back to Hestia who was addressed at the beginning. Together with the preposition σύν (with), they entreat Hermes to help in cooperation with Hestia.
  3. §11εἰδότες — The masculine nominative plural perfect participle of οἶδα. Since it addresses both Hestia (feminine) and Hermes (masculine) together, the masculine gender is used as the grammatical default for a mixed-gender plural subject.

Cite this passage

Homeric Hymns, Homeric Hymn 29 to Hestia §1-14. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0013.tlg029.humanitext-grc2:1-14

Please note the AI-draft status of the translation and the date accessed.

Translation, notes and summary are AI-generated drafts, revised through reader feedback.