Sodalitas Graeciae (Nova Roma)/Religion from the Papyri/PGM Hymns

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Contents

Introduction

The texts of the hymns differ slightly from what Preisendanz presents in the main body of the PGM editions, likely corrections for meter, style, and so on. Some of his modifications are more justifiable than others, so both the original PGM text as well as the modified version has been presented for each hymn. Highlighting in blue in the original text indicates what Preisendanz retained in his reconstruction. Highlighting in green points out minor tweaks he made. The English translations under the "Original" column are directly from Betz. Those on the "Reconstructed" column are Betz translations with some modifications, where necessary, to conform the English with the reconstruction. Any questions about differences in the English texts should be settled by appeal to the Greek.

Hymn One (XII 244-252)

Reconstructed Original
τίς μορφὰς ζώων ἔπλασε, τίς δὲ εὗρε κελεύθους;
τίς καρπῶν γεννητής, τίς δ’ οὔρεα ὑψόσ’ ἐγείρει;
τίς δὲ ἀνέμους ἐκέλευσεν ἔχειν ἐνιαύσια ἔργα;
τίς δὲ Αἰὼν Αἰ<ῶ>να τρέφων Αἰῶσιν ἀνάσσει;
εἷς θεὸς ἀθάνατος· πάντων γεννήτωρ σὺ πέφυκας
καὶ πᾶσιν ψυχὰς σὺ νέμεις καὶ πάντα κρατύνεις,
Αἰώνων βασιλεῦ καὶ κύριε, ὃν καὶ τρέμουσιν
οὔρεα σὺν πεδίοις, πηγῶν ποταμῶν τε τὰ ῥεῖθρα
καὶ βῆσσαι γαίης <κ>αὶ πνεύματα, πάντα τὰ φύντα.
οὐρανὸς ὑψιφαής σε τρέμει καὶ πᾶσα θάλασσα,
κύριε, παντοκράτωρ ἅγιε καὶ δέσποτα πάντων.
σῇ δυνάμει στοιχεῖα πέλει καὶ φύεθ' ἅπαντα,
ἠελίου μήνης τε δρόμος νυκτός τε καὶ ἠοῦς,
ἀέρι καὶ γαίᾳ καὶ ὕδατι καὶ πυρὸς ἀτμῷ. 		τίς μορφὰς ζώων ἔπλασε, τίς δὲ εὗρε κελεύθους;
τίς καρπῶν γεννητής, τίς δ’ οὔρεα ὑψόσ’ ἐγείρει;
τίς δὲ ἀνέμους ἐκέλευσεν ἔχειν ἐνιαύσια ἔργα;
τίς δὲ Αἰὼν Αἰ<ῶ>να τρέφων Αἰῶσιν ἀνάσσει;
εἷς θεὸς ἀθάνατος· πάντων γεννήτωρ σὺ πέφυκας
καὶ πᾶσιν ψυχὰς σὺ νέμεις καὶ πάντα κρατύνεις,
Αἰώνων βασιλεῦ καὶ κύριε, ὃν καὶ τρέμουσιν
οὔρεα σὺν πεδίοις, πηγῶν ποταμῶν τε τὰ ῥεῖθρα
καὶ βῆσσαι γαίης <κ>αὶ πνεύματα, πάντα τὰ φύντα.
οὐρανὸς ὑψιφαής σε τρέμει καὶ πᾶσα θάλασσα,
κύριε, παντοκράτωρ ἅγιε καὶ δέσποτα πάντων.
σῇ δυνάμει στοιχεῖα πέλει καὶ φύεται πάντα,
ἠελίου μήνης τε δρόμος νυκτός τε καὶ ἠοῦς,
ἀέρι καὶ γαίᾳ καὶ ὕδατι καὶ πυρὸς ἀτμῷ.

Only one small stylistic difference, at the beginning
of line 251, φύεται πάντα was modified to φύεθ'
ἅπαντα, not changing the meaning.		 Who molded the forms of the beasts [of the Zodiac]? Who found [their] routes.
Who was the begetter of fruits? Who raises up the mountains?
Who commanded the winds to hold to their annual tasks?
What Aion nourishing an Aion rules the Aions?
One deathless god. You are the begetter of all
and assign souls to all and control all,
king of the Aions and lord, [before] whom
mountains and plains together tremble, springs and streams of rivers
and valleys of earth and spirits, and [all things] that are.
High shining heaven trembles before you, and every sea,
lord, ruler of all, holy one, and master of all.
By your power the elements exist and all things come into being,
the route of sun and moon, or night and dawn—
all things in air and earth and water and the breath of fire.

Hymn Two (III 550-558)

Reconstructed Original
Δεῦρο <σύ>, παντὸς κτίστα, θεῶν θεέ, κοίρανε <παντός>,
Πάν, ὁ διαστήσας τὸν κόσμον {τῷ σεαυτοῦ} πνεύματι θε<ί>ῳ·
πρῶτος δ’ ἐξεφάνης ἐκ πρωτογόνου, Μελιοῦχε
ὕδατος <ἐκ> βιαίου, ὁ τὰ πάντα κτίσας· ἄβυσσον,
γαῖαν, πῦρ, ὕδωρ <τε καὶ> ἀέρα καὶ πάλιν αἶθρα<ν>
καὶ ποταμοὺ<ς> κελάδοντα<ς>, ὑσγηνοϊδὴ<ς> τε σελήνη<ν>,
ἀστέρας ἀερίοι, ἐῴοι, περιδινοπλανῆται·
αὐταῖς σαῖς βουλαῖς <σοι> δορ<υ>φοροῦσιν ἅπαντα.		 δεῦρό μοι ἐν τῇ ἁγίᾳ σου περιστροφῇ τοῦ ἁγίου πνεύματος,
παντὸς κτίστα, θεῶν θεέ, κοίρανε παντός,
διαστήσας τὸν κόσμον τῷ σεαυτοῦ πνεύματι θε[ί]ῳ·
πρῶτος δ’ ἐξεφάνης ἐκ πρωτογόνου, φὺς εὐμεθόδως,
ὕδατος βιαίου, ὁ τὰ πάντα κτίσας· ἄβυσσον,
γαῖαν, πῦρ, ὕδωρ, ἀέρα καὶ πάλιν αἶθρα
καὶ ποταμοὺ<ς> κελάδοντα<ς>, ὑσγηνοϊδῆ τε σελήνη<ν>,
ἀστέρας ἀερίου<ς> ἐῴου<ς>, περιδινοπλανήτα[ς]·
αὐταῖς σαῖς βουλαῖς δορυφοροῦσιν ἅπαντα.

Come thou, founder of the world, O god of gods, lord of the world,
[the] All, who divides by your own divine spirit the universe;
first from the first born, Μελιοῦχε,
from water that's turbulent, who founded all the world: Abyss,
earth, fire, water in addition to air, and in turn Ether
and roaring rivers, red-faced moon,
Heaven's stars, morning stars, the whirling planets.
'Tis by your counsels they attend all things.		 Come to me in your holy circuit of the holy spirit,
founder of the world, O god of gods, lord of the world,
who have divided by your own divine spirit
first from the first born you appeared, created carefully,
from water that's turbulent,
who founded all the world: Abyss,
earth, fire, water, air and in turn Ether
and roaring rivers, red-faced moon,
Heaven's stars, morning stars, the whirling planets.
'Tis by your counsels they attend all things.

Hymn Three (IV 939-948)

Reconstructed Original
χαῖρε, δράκων ἀκμαῖέ {δὲ} λέων, φυσικαὶ πυρὸς ἀρχή,
χαῖρε δέ, λευκὸν ὕδωρ καὶ δένδρεον ὑψιπέτηλον
καὶ χρυσοῦ κυαμῶνος ἀναθροΐσκων μελίλωτον,
καὶ καθαρῶν στομάτων ἀφρὸν ἥμερον ἐξαναβλύζων,
κάνθαρε, κύκλον ἄγων σπορίμου πυρός, αὐτογένεθλε,
ὅστε δισύλλαβος εἶ, ΑΗ, καὶ πρωτοφανὴς εἶ,
νεῦσον ἐμοί, λίτομαι, ὅτι σύμβολα μυστικὰ φράζω·
ἵλαθί μοι, προπάτωρ, καί μοι σθένος αὐτὸς ὀπάζοις.		 χαῖρε, δράκων ἀκμαῖέ {δὲ} λέων, φυσικαὶ πυρὸς ἀρχή,
χαῖρε δέ, λευκὸν ὕδωρ καὶ δένδρεον ὑψιπέτηλον
καὶ χρυσοῦ κυαμῶνος ἀναθροΐσκων μελίλωτον,
καὶ καθαρῶν στομάτων ἀφρὸν ἥμερον ἐξαναβλύζων,
κάνθαρε, κύκλον ἄγων σπορίμου πυρός, αὐτογένεθλε,
ὅστε δισύλλαβος εἶ, ΑΗ, καὶ πρωτοφανὴς εἶ,
νεῦσον ἐμοί, λίτομαι, ὅτι σύμβολα μυστικὰ φράζω·
ηω αι ου αμερρ οουωθ· ιυϊωη· Μαρμαραυώθ· Λαϊλαμ· σουμαρτα·
ἵλαθί μοι, προπάτωρ, καί μοι σθένος αὐτὸς ὀπάζοις.

Only the voces magicae have been removed, probably
unjustifiably considering the context.		 Hail, serpent, and stout lion, natural Sources of fire
And hail, clear water and Lofty-leafed tree,
and you who gather up clover from golden fields of beans,
and who cause gentle foam to gush forth from pure mouths.
Scarab, who drive the orb of fertile fire, O self-generated one,
because you are two-syllabled, ΑE, and are the first-appearing one,
nod me assent, I pray, because your mystic symbols of delcare,
ηω αι ου αμερρ οουωθ· ιυϊωη· Μαρμαραυώθ· Λαϊλαμ· σουμαρτα·
Be gracious unto me, first-father, and may you yourself send strength
as my companion.

Hymn Four

This hymn was reconstructed by Preisendanz in such a wild and daring way that it is difficult to take it seriously. For this reason it is not included in this list, but if anyone really wants to see it, contact M. Cornelius Gualterus Graecus and it will be added. To give one a sense of how daring a reconstruction it is, below are the components (from different papyri, no less!) he used to put it together,

Lines Excluded
PGM IV 436-61
PGM IV 1957-89
PGM VIII 74-81
PGM I 315-25,41/42		 = A 1-25
= B 1-24
= C 1-8
= D 11-13		 (A), without 18-19, 21; (B) without 26-27; (C) without 7-10, 12, 14-27;
(D) without 1-6, 9-11, 18, 21, 22, 26, 27

Hymn Five (III 198-229)

Reconstructed Original
ἥσυχον ἐν στομάτεσσι πάντες κατερύκετε φ[ωνήν·]
αἰθέρος ἀμφίδρομοι σιγὴν ὄρνιθες ἔχοιτε,

σκιρτῶντες, δελφῖνες, ὑπὲρ ἁλίοιο παύεσθε,
μείνατέ μοι, ποταμῶν τε ῥοαὶ καὶ νάματα ν[ασμῶ]ν,
οἰωνοὶ πτηνοί, νῦν στήσατε πάντα ὑπ’ αἶθραν,
ἑρπετὰ φωλειοῖσι βοὴν ἀΐοντα φοβεῖσθε,
δαίμονες ἐν φθιμέν[ο]ις, σιγὴν τρομέοντες ἔ[χοιτ]ε,
ἀρρήτοις ἔπεσιν κόσμ[ος] ξει[νί]ζ̣εται αὐτός.
Σημέα βασιλεῦ, κόσμου [γενέτω]ρ, ἐμοὶ ἵλαος ἔ[σσο,]
κάν[θαρε, χ]ρυσοκόμην κλ̣[ῄζω θεὸν] ἀθάνατόν <σε>,
κάν[θαρε, π]ᾶσι θεοῖσι καὶ [ἀνθρώ]ποις μέγα θα[ῦμα,]
........πο.....ε̣πι̣σ̣......ι̣νον̣ πυρε̣σ[ίθυμε],
δέσποτα ἀν[τολίης], Τίταν, πυροεὶς ἀνατε[ί]λας, [σὲ]
κλῄζω, πύριν[ο]ν Διὸς ἄγγελον, θε<ῖ>ον Ἰάω,
καί σε, τὸν οὐράνιον κόσμον κατέχοντα, Ῥ[αφαήλ,]
ἀντολίῃς χαίρ[ω]ν, θεὸς ἵλαος ἔσ<σ>ο, Ἀβρασά[ξ,]
ἀντολίῃς χαίρ[ω]ν, θεὸς ἵλαος ἔσ<σ>ο, Ἀβρασά[ξ,]
καί σε, αἰθέριε, κλῄζω ἀ[ρ]ωγόν σου Μ[ιχαήλ]
καὶ σώζοντα βι̣.οσ̣ιδιω̣ αιρ̣... ὄμμα τέλ[ειον]
καὶ φύσιν δείξαντα καὶ ἐκ φύσεως φύσιν α[ὖθις,]
καὶ κλῄζω ἀθανάτων ...ο̣π̣ασ̣ηηπ̣α σεσε[νγενβ]αρφαραγγης·
παντοκράτωρ θεός ἐστι, σὺ δ’, ἀθάνατ’, ἔσσι μέγι[στος·]
ἱκνοῦμαι, νῦν λάμψον, ἄναξ κόσμοιο, Σα[βαώθ,]
ὃς δύσιν ἀντολίῃσιν ἐπισκεπάζε<ι>ς, Ἀδωνα[ί,]
κόσμος ἐὼν μοῦνος κόσμον ἀθανάτων ἐ[φοδε]ύεις,
αὐτομαθής, ἀδίδακτος μέσον κόσμον ἐλ[αύνων]
το[ῖς] νυκτός <σ’> α[ἴ]ρουσι δι’ ἠ<χ>οῦς ακραμμαχ[αρι,]
κα̣.............κ̣...[χαί]ρων ἐπίθυμα τὸ δά[φ]νου,
καὶ Στυγὸς ἀδ[μήτοιο] πύλας καὶ Κῆρα λύτ[ειραν,]
ὁρκίζω σε, σφραγῖδ[α θ]ε[οῦ], ὃν πάντες Ὀλύμ[που]
ἀθάνατοι φρίσσο[υσι θεοὶ κ]αὶ δαίμονες ἔξοχ’ ἄρ[ιστοι]
κ[αὶ] πέλαγος σιγᾶ[ν ἐπιτ]έλλεται, ὁππότ’ ἀκού[ει·]
ὅ[τι] ὁρκίζω σε κατ[ὰ τοῦ μ]εγάλου θεοῦ Ἀπ[όλλωνος]


Keep silent, everyone, the voice that's in your mouths
O circling birds of air, keep quiet;
Cease frolicking, you dolphins, o'er the brine.
Stand for me, river streams and fountain [flows].
Now, birds of augery, stop everything beneath the sky.
May you in awe keep silence,
daimons 'mid the shades.
The world itself's astonished by the secret words.
King Semea, [father] of the world, be gracious to me,
O scarab, [I call you] immortal, golden-haired god,
O Scarab, marvel great to ev'ry god and man,
[be gracious, lord, who hold the fiery vapor in your power],
Lord of the [sunrise], risen fiery, Titan, I call [you],
flaming messenger of Zues, divine IAO[1]


and you, too, who rule in heaven's realm, O Rafael,
who joy in sunrise, be a gracious god, O Abrasax;
and you, O greatest one, O heav'nly one, I call, and [you Michael], your helper,
who saves [his people's lives], the perfect eye of Zues,
and who has exalted nature and brought forth nature in its turn from nature.
And I call ... of the immortals ...
ο̣π̣ασ̣ηηπ̣α σεσε[νγενβ]αρφαραγγης
All-mighty is the god, but you are the greatest, immortal one;
I beg you, shine forth now, Lord of the world, Sabaoth,
who veil sunset from dawn, Adonai,
who, being a world, alone among immortals tour the world,
self-taught, untutored, through the world's midst traveling
to those who with a cry raise you at night. ακραμμαχ[αρι,]
κα̣.............κ̣... who joy in laurel offering,
in gates of untamed Styx and Death the Arbiter,
You I adjure, god's seal, at whom all Olympos'[2]


deathless gods quake and daimons who stand forth preeminent,
for whom the sea is ordered to be silent when it hears.
You I adjure by mighty god Apollo.

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