Monday 23 May 2016

Homeric Hymn to The Mother of the Gods - Howling Wolves and Wailing Pipes!



μητέρα μοι πάντων τε θεῶν πάντων τ᾽ ἀνθρώπων
ὕμνει, Μοῦσα λίγεια, Διὸς θυγάτηρ μεγάλοιο,
κροτάλων τυπάνων τ᾽ ἰαχὴ σύν τε βρόμος αὐλῶν
εὔαδεν ἠδὲ λύκων κλαγγὴ χαροπῶν τε λεόντων
οὔρεά τ᾽ ἠχήεντα καὶ ὑλήεντες ἔναυλοι.
καὶ σὺ μὲν οὕτω χαῖρε θεαί θ᾽ ἅμα πᾶσαι ἀοιδῇ.



TO THE MOTHER OF THE GODS
I prithee, clear-voiced Muse, daughter of mighty Zeus, sing of the mother of all gods and men. She is well-pleased with the sound of rattles and of timbrels, with the voice of flutes and the outcry of wolves and bright-eyed lions, with echoing hills and wooded coombes. And so hail to you in my song and to all goddesses as well!

Translated by H. G. Evelyn-White.


I prefer the translation by Thelma Sargent:

To the Mother of the Gods

Sing to me Muse, clear-voiced daughter of powerful Zeus.
Of the mother of all the gods and of mankind.
Who delights in drums and the rattle of castanets,
The wailing of pipes, the howling of wolves, and the fierce lion’s roar,
And in all the echoing hills and tree-shadowed valleys.
Thus with my song I greet you, and all other goddesses too.


If you hear me howlin', Howlin' Wolf

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