03.04.2013 Views

The Mystical Hymns of Orpheus - Platonic Philosophy

The Mystical Hymns of Orpheus - Platonic Philosophy

The Mystical Hymns of Orpheus - Platonic Philosophy

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.

THE MYSTICAL HYMNS<br />

VIII.<br />

TO THE SUN.<br />

THE FUMIGATION FROM FRANKINCENSE<br />

AND MANNA.<br />

HEAR, golden Titan, whose eternal eye<br />

With matchless sight illumines all the sky.<br />

Native, unwearied in diffusing light,<br />

And to all eyes the object <strong>of</strong> delight :<br />

Lord <strong>of</strong> the Seasons, beaming light from far,<br />

Sonorous, dancing19 in thy four-yok'd car.<br />

With thy right hand the source <strong>of</strong> morning light,<br />

And with thy left the father <strong>of</strong> the night.20<br />

19 Proclus, in his most elegant hymn to the Sun, says <strong>of</strong><br />

this divinity :<br />

27s G'aao peiXi~o6wpos aX~&~atcov Siac~i~s<br />

IIaiTwv PXag~vu~v, E ~ ~'~TET~OCEV<br />

V vy~i~v,<br />

IIXyuas appoviqs aavaaTpovos Evpea ~oupov. i. e.<br />

" From thy bland dance repelling deadly ill,<br />

Salubrious Paeon blossoms into light,<br />

Health far diffusing, and th' extended world<br />

With streams <strong>of</strong> harmony innoxious fills."<br />

20 <strong>The</strong> hand is a symbol <strong>of</strong> power. Hence Proclus, in<br />

<strong>The</strong>ol. Plat. lib. 6, p. 380, says that those who are skilled in<br />

divine concerns attribute two hands to the Sun ; denomi-<br />

nating one the right hand, the other the left.

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!