ORPHIC HYMN TO ARES

The following is a video with the Orphic Hymn to Ares, the Greek God of War. The translation is by Thomas Taylor (1792 ). Some of the English words have been written in contemporary spelling, to facilitate reading. Moreover, the Greek name of the God is used here,as in the original Orphic Hymn. Below the video, there is the Hymn in Ancient Greek.

Magnanimous, unconquered, boisterous Ares, in darts rejoicing, and in bloody wars; fierce and untamed, whose mighty power can make the strongest walls from their foundations shake: mortal-destroying King, defiled with gore, pleased with war's dreadful and tumultuous roar. Thee human blood, and swords, and spears delight, and the dire ruin of mad savage fight. Stay furious contests, and avenging strife, whose works with woe embitter human life; to lovely Kyrpis [Aphrodite] and to Lyaios [Dionysos] yield, for arms exchange the labours of the field; encourage peace, to gentle works inclined, and give abundance, with benignant mind."

Ἆρες ὑπερμενέτα, βρισάρματε, χρυσεοπήληξ, ὀβριμόθυμε, φέρασπι, πολισσόε, χαλκοκορυστά, καρτερόχειρ, ἀμόγητε, δορυσθενές, ἕρκος Ὀλύμπου, Νίκης εὐπολέμοιο πάτερ, συναρωγὲ Θέμιστος, ἀντιβίοισι τύραννε, δικαιοτάτων ἀγὲ φωτῶν, ἠνορέης σκηπτοῦχε, πυραυγέα κύκλον ἑλίσσων αἰθέρος ἑπταπόροις ἐνὶ τείρεσιν ἔνθα σε πῶλοι ζαφλεγέες τριτάτης ὑπὲρ ἄντυγος αἰὲν ἔχουσι· κλῦθι βροτῶν ἐπίκουρε, δοτὴρ εὐθαλέος ἥβης, πρηῢ καταστίλβων σέλας ὑψόθεν ἐς βιότητα ἡμετέρην καὶ κάρτος ἀρήϊον, ὥς κε δυναίμην σεύασθαι κακότητα πικρὴν ἀπ᾽ ἐμοῖο καρήνου, καὶ ψυχῆς ἀπατηλὸν ὑπογνάμψαι φρεσὶν ὁρμὴν θυμοῦ τ᾽ αὖ μένος ὀξὺ κατισχέμεν ὅς μ᾽ ἐρέθῃσι φυλόπιδος κρυερῆς ἐπιβαινέμεν· ἀλλὰ σὺ θάρσος δὸς μάκαρ, εἰρήνης τε μένειν ἐν ἀπήμοσι θεσμοῖς δυσμενέων προφυγόντα μόθον κῆράς τε βιαίους.