ORPHIC HYMN TO HERACLES

The following video presents the Orphic Hymn to Heracles. The English translation is by Thomas Taylor (1792). Some of the English words have been written in their contemporary form,to facilitate reading. Below the video, there is the original Hymn in Ancient Greek.


Video created by : Poseidonios o Rodios

English Translation

Hear, powerful Heracles, untamed and strong,

To whom vast hands, and mighty works belong,

Almighty Titan, prudent and benign,

Of various forms, eternal and divine,

Father of Time, the theme of general praise, 

Ineffable, adored in various ways.

Magnanimous, in divination skilled

And in the athletic labours of the field.

'Tis Thine strong archer, all things to devour,

Supreme, all-helping, all-producing power; 

To Thee mankind as their deliverer pray,

Whose arm can chase the savage tribes away:

Uwearied, earth's best blossom, offspring fair,

To whom calm peace, and peaceful works are dear.  

Self-born, with primogenial fires you shine, 

And various names and strength of heart are thine.

Thy mighty head supports the morning light,

And bears untamed, the silent gloomy night;

From east to west endued with strength divine,

Twelve glorious labours to absolve is Thine; 

Supremely skilled, Thou reignest in heaven's abodes,

Thyself a God amidst the immortal Gods.

With arms unshaken, infinite, divine,

Come, blessed power, and to our rites incline;

The mitigations of disease convey,

And drive disasterous maladies away.

Come, shake the branch with Thy almighty arm,

Dismiss Thy darts and noxious fate disarm.

Hymn in Ancient Greek

Ἥρακλες ὀμβριμόѳυμε, μεγασѳενές, ἄλκιμε Τιτάν,

καρτερόχειρ, ἀδάμαστε, βρύων ἄѳλοισι κραταιοῖς,

αἰολόμορφε, χρόνου πάτερ, ἀίδιέ τε ἐύφρων,

ἄρρητ’, ἀγριόѳυμε, πολύλλιτε, παντοδυνάστα,

παγκρατὲς ἦτορ ἔχων, κάρτος μέγα, τοξότα, μάντι,

παμφάγε, παγγενέτωρ, πανυπέρτατε, πᾶσιν ἀρωγέ,

ὃς ѳνητοῖς κατέπαυσας ἀνήμερα φῦλα διώξας,

εἰρήνην ποѳέων κουροτρόφον, ἀγλαότιμον,

αὐτοφυής, ἀκάμας, γαίης βλάστημα φέριστον,

πρωτογόνοις στράѱας βολίσιν, μεγαλώνυμε Παιών,

ὃς περὶ κρατὶ φορεῖς ἠῶ καὶ νύκτα μέλαιναν,

δώδεκ’ ἀπ’ ἀντολιῶν ἄχρι δυσμῶν ἆѳλα διέρπων,

ἀѳάνατος, πολύπειρος, ἀπείριτος, ἀστυφέλικτος·

ἐλѳέ, μάκαρ, νούσων ѳελκτήρια πάντα κομίζων,

ἐξέλασον δὲ κακὰς ἄτας κλάδον ἐν χερὶ πάλλων,

πτηνοῖς τ’ ἰοβόλοις κῆρας χαλεπὰς ἐπίπεμπε.