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

1
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
2
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.
3
Apollo - ApolloHH 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 sweet-tongued
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
4
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!
5
idealization of youth Argeiphontes (Slayer of
Argos). Messenger, winged boots, hat petasos,
kerykeion (heralds staff) a.k.a caduceus
6
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
loud-moaning 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.
7
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,
8
Compare the images of gods and goddesses in the
Homeric Hymns assigned for todays class.
9
The shorter Homeric Hymns suggest a subordinate
role for women in the society that produced them.
10
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.
11
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.
12
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
Apollos 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).
13
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 girls 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. 499 words