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Artemis - Diana
HH 9 Muse, sing of Artemis, sister of the Far-shooter, the virgin who delights in arrows,
who was fostered with Apollo. She waters her horses from Meles deep in reeds, and
swiftly drives her all-golden chariot through Smyrna [5] to vine-clad Claros where
Apollo, god of the silver bow, sits waiting for the far-shooting goddess who delights in
arrows.
Homeric adolescent woman
potnia therôn deer, bear
Moon - Selene, Hecate
golden arrows - shafts of woe,
sudden death of girls
virgin but not asexual, hunt
Brauron, kourotrophos
HH 27 I sing of Artemis, whose
shafts are of gold, who cheers on the
hounds, the pure maiden, shooter of
stags, who delights in archery, own
sister to Apollo with the golden
sword. Over the shadowy hills and
windy peaks [5] she draws her golden
bow, rejoicing in the chase, and sends
out grievous shafts. The tops of the
high mountains tremble and the
tangled wood echoes awesomely with
the outcry of beasts: earth quakes and
the sea also where fishes shoal.
But the goddess with a bold heart [10] turns every way destroying the race of wild
beasts: and when she is satisfied and has cheered her heart, this huntress who delights
in arrows slackens her supple bow and goes to the great house of her dear brother
Phoebus Apollo, to the rich land of Delphi, [15] there to order the lovely dance of the
Muses and Graces. There she hangs up her curved bow and her arrows, and heads and
leads the dances, gracefully arrayed, while all they utter their heavenly voice, singing
how neat-ankled Leto bore children [20] supreme among the immortals both in
thought and in deed.
Apollo - Apollo
HH 21 Phoebus, of you even the swan sings with clear voice to the beating of his
wings, as he alights upon the bank by the eddying river Peneios; and of you the sweettongued singer, holding his high-pitched lyre, always sings both first and last.
kouros
apellai initiation festival
poetry as unifier, poets’ god
bow - lyre
Ionians
healer and destroyer
sun god , Phoebus
antithesis to Dionysus, sôphrosynê
Laurel, Daphne
Delphi, prophecy
Hermes - Mercury
herma, heap of stones, bearded head
liminal, herm, ithyphallic, apotropaic,
hermeneutic
bringer of luck - guide of souls
(psychopompus)
HH 18 I sing of Cyllenian Hermes, the Slayer
of Argus, lord of Cyllene and Arcadia rich in
flocks, luck-bringing messenger of the deathless
gods. He was born of Maia, the daughter of
Atlas, when she had mated with Zeus, — [5] a
shy goddess she. Ever she avoided the throng of
the blessed gods and lived in a shadowy cave,
and there the Son of Cronos used to lie with the
rich-tressed nymph at dead of night, while
white-armed Hera lay bound in sweet sleep: and
neither deathless god nor mortal man knew it.
[10] And so hail to you, Son of Zeus and Maia;
with you I have begun: now I will turn to
another song! Hail, Hermes, giver of grace,
guide, and giver of good things!
idealization of youth
Argeiphontes (Slayer of
Argos).
Messenger, winged boots, hat
petasos, kerykeion (herald’s staff)
a.k.a caduceus
Aphrodite - Venus
HH 6 I will sing of stately Aphrodite, gold-crowned and beautiful,
whose dominion is the walled cities of all sea-set Cyprus. There the
moist breath of the western wind wafted her over the waves of the loudmoaning sea [5] in soft foam, and there the gold-filleted Horai
welcomed her joyously. They clothed her with heavenly garments: on
her head they put a fine, well-wrought crown of gold, and in her pierced
ears they hung ornaments of copper and precious gold, [10] and adorned
her with golden necklaces over her soft neck and snow-white breasts,
jewels which the gold-filleted Horai wear themselves whenever they go
to their father's house to join the lovely dances of the gods. And when
they had fully decked her, [15] they brought her to the gods, who
welcomed her when they saw her, giving her their hands. Each one of
them prayed that he might lead her home to be his wedded wife, so
greatly were they amazed at the beauty of violet-crowned Cytherea.
Hail, sweetly-winning, coy-eyed goddess! Grant that I may gain the
victory in this contest, [20] and order you my song. And now I will
remember you and another song also.
Dionysus - Bacchus - Bromius - Liber
HH 26 I begin to sing of ivy-crowned Dionysus, the loud-crying god, splendid son of Zeus and
glorious Semele. The rich-haired Nymphs received him in their bosoms from the lord his father
and fostered and nurtured him carefully [5] in the dells of Nysa, where by the will of his father he
grew up in a sweet-smelling cave, being reckoned among the immortals. But when the goddesses
had brought him up, a god oft hymned, then began he to wander continually through the woody
coombes, thickly wreathed with ivy and laurel. And the Nymphs followed in his train [10] with
him for their leader; and the boundless forest was filled with their outcry.
And so hail to you, Dionysus, god of abundant clusters!
wine, ecstasia, enthousiasmos
merging of votary and god
Zeus (Dios), Semele,
Cadmus of Thebes,
phallus
latecomer to Olympian pantheon
vegetation
Maenads, mania, Bacchae,
goat, lion,
Compare the images of gods and
goddesses in the Homeric Hymns
assigned for today’s class.
The shorter Homeric Hymns suggest a subordinate role for women in the society
that produced them.
The shorter Homeric Hymns suggest a subordinate role for women in the
society that produced them. While the poems characterize the Olympian gods in their
own right, they generally define the Olympian goddesses in terms of a god. Emphasis
is put on each as a wife or a sister, or, in one case, as a mother. The principal figures of
this divine society are thus male, the females being secondary. The efforts the poets
make to link the goddesses to gods must reflect a social phenomenon in archaic Greek
society, in which women likewise did not have social status independent of male
guardians. One exception to this rule is Aphrodite, goddess of love, a force so
elemental that her feminine embodiment of it cannot be limited to any one god.
Zeus is “best and greatest among gods” (23.1), and Poseidon is a “great god” (22.1). Hades
is “host of many” (2.18). Even the lesser gods derive their identity from some special strength:
Apollo has his lyre (21.4), and Hermes his divine messenger service (18.3). Among his many
epithets, Ares is “father of warlike Victory” and “ally of Themis”, but these figures are abstract
features for strength and justice (9.4); he is not dependent on them. Hephaestus is “famed for
inventions” (20.1), but he shares this role with Athena (20.2), which may be an indication of
lower status. Dionysus is defined emphatically as son of Zeus and Semele (26.2), which is more
than a simple patronymic, but his poem makes a point of saying that he is “counted among the
immortals” (26.6), as if this were disputable. His divine status seems suspect. He keeps the
company of nymphs (26.9-10). The dependence of his identity on his parents may likewise be
part of a somewhat androgynous character.
While Dionysus’ divinity and masculinity may be suspect, even the highest and
most divine Olympian goddesses are closely associated with gods, who seem to give
them status. Hera is “sister and wife” of Zeus (12.3-4). Hestia tends Apollo’s house
(24.1), and Artemis is the sister of Apollo, to whom she drives her chariot (9.1, 4-5).
Hestia is also honoured at the immortals’ banquets, but she shares this honour with
Hermes (29.4-6). Athena likewise “cares for war”, but only with Ares (11.2). Emphasis
is also put on her being born from Zeus’ head (28.4-5).
Aphrodite is not linked to any one god, but instead every god wishes to have her as
a wife (6.17). She is thus a sort of universal companion. Demeter is also somewhat
anomalous in being known principally as a mother, though not as a wife (13.2). Her
short hymn, which is very short and may leave out important information, makes no
reference to the girl’s father. Demeter thus has no dependence on a male god, which
raises issues that have to be explored in her longer hymn (2). It may be that she reflects
a sort of forlorn single-mother figure in ancient Greek culture, whose membership in
society is ambiguous.
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