And once more ... with feeling ... in Greek!

För dem som gillar grekiska kan jag förresten inte undanhålla den grekiska texten till den orfiska hymn jag översatte i det förra inlägget. Så här kommer den alltså (i transkription, utan accenter, vilka skapar tekniska problem):

Klythi meu, Hermeia, Dios angele, Maiados hyie,
pankrates êtor echôn, enagônie, koirane thnêtôn,
euphron, poikiloboule, diaktoros Argeiphonta,
ptênopedile, philandre, logou thnêtoisi prophêta,
gymnasin hos chaireis doliais t' apatais, strophiouche,
hermêneu pantôn, kerdempore, lysimerimne,
hos cheiressin echeis eirênes hoplon amaémphes,
Kôrykiôta, makar, eriounie, poikilomythe,
ergasiais eparôge, phile thnêtois en anankais,
glôssês deinon hoplon, to sebasmion anthrôpoisi -
Klythi meu euchomenou, biotou telos esthlon opazôn
ergasiêisi, logou charisin kai mnêmosynêisin.

En klassisk översättning till rimmad engelsk vers (jambisk pentameter) gjordes av Thomas Taylor på 1700-talet. Den har också ett visst schvung, om inte annat som tidsdokument:

Hermes, draw near, and to my pray'r incline,
angel of Jove, and Maia's son divine;
Studious of contests, ruler of mankind,
with heart almighty, and a prudent mind.
Celestial messenger, of various skill,
whose pow'rful arts could watchful Argus kill:
With winged feet, 'tis thine thro' air to course,
O friend of man, and prophet of discourse:
Great life-supporter, to rejoice is thine,
in arts gymnastic, and in fraud divine:
With pow'r endu'd all language to explain,
of care the loos'ner, and the source of gain.
Whose hand contains of blameless peace the rod,
Corucian, blessed, profitable God;
Of various speech, whose aid in works we find,
and in necessities to mortals kind:
Dire weapon of the tongue, which men revere,
be present, Hermes, and thy suppliant hear;
Assist my works, conclude my life with peace,
give graceful speech, and me memory's increase.