Homeric Hymns
A collection of thirty-three ancient Greek hymns celebrating individual Olympian and chthonic deities
The Meaning of Homeric Hymns
The Homeric Hymns are a collection of hexameter poems composed between the seventh and fifth centuries BCE, attributed to Homer by ancient tradition though produced by multiple anonymous poets. Each hymn addresses a specific deity, narrating the myths associated with their birth, powers, or cult. The longest and most celebrated are the Hymn to Demeter, which tells the abduction of Persephone and the founding of the Eleusinian Mysteries; the Hymn to Apollo, describing his birth on Delos and the establishment of his oracle at Delphi; the Hymn to Hermes, recounting the infant god's theft of Apollo's cattle; and the Hymn to Aphrodite, narrating her seduction of the mortal Anchises. The shorter hymns serve as preludes that rhapsodes performed before reciting longer epic works at festivals. Collectively, the Homeric Hymns provide essential evidence for early Greek religious thought, cult practice, and the characterisation of the gods in ways that complement and sometimes contradict Homer's epics.
Parents
None recorded
Symbols
Fun Fact
The Hymn to Hermes portrays the god as a mischievous newborn who invents the lyre and steals cattle all on his first day of life
Words We Inherited
English words and phrases that trace back to this myth. See our full guide to English words from Greek mythology.
Explore Further
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💭 conceptreligion, literature
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