source ⟩ hypertext ⟩ public ⟩ hymns ⟩ hymnos-coureton ⟩ en.pug

//- meta
	slug: "hymns/hymnos-coureton"
	lang: en
	title: "Orphic Hymn to the Couretes (XXXI)"
	pageCreated: "2026-04-27"

extends ../../../views/hymns/hymnsheet.pug

block navbar
	ul
		li.nav-arrow.nav-arrow-left: a(href="/hymns/dionysos") #[span.dingbat ☙] #[b(lang="grc") Διονυσου] #[i To Dionysos]
		li.nav-current ΛΑʹ · XXXΙ
		li.nav-arrow.nav-arrow-right: a(href="/hymns/athena") #[i To Athena] #[b(lang="grc") Αθηνας] #[span.dingbat ❧]

block ancient-pic
	img(src="/hymns/thumbnails/hymnos-coureton-ancient.jpg" alt="Ancient relief of the Couretes")

block modern-pic
	img(src="/hymns/thumbnails/hymnos-coureton-modern.jpg" alt="Modern painting of the Couretes")

block greek
	h1 Ὕμνος Κουρήτων
	p.hymn-greek
		:format-hymn
			Σκιρτηταὶ Κουρῆτες, ἐνόπλια βήματα θέντες,
			ποσσίκροτοι, ῥομβηταί, ὀρέστεροι, εὐαστῆρες,
			κρουσιλύραι, παράρυθμοι, ἐπεμβάται ἴχνεσι κούφοις,
			ὁπλοφόροι, φύλακες, κοσμήτορες, ἀγλαόφημοι,
			μητρὸς ὀρειμανέος συνοπάονες, ὀργιοφάνται·
			ἔλθοιτ’ εὐμενέοντες ἐπ’ εὐφήμοισι λόγοισι,
			βουκόλῳ εὐάντητοι ἀεὶ κεχαρηότι θυμῷ.

block english
	h1 To the Couretes
	div.offering A hymn
	p.hymn-english Leaping #[span.theonym(greek="Couretes") Curetes], who with dancing feet#[br]and circling measures, armed footsteps beat:#[br]whose bosom’s mad, fanatic transports fire,#[br]who move in rythm to the founding lyre:#[br]who traces deaf when lightly leaping tread,#[br]arm bearers, strong defenders, rulers dread:#[br]propitious omens, guards of Proserpine#[+sn(1)],#[br]preserving rites, mysterious and divine#[br]come, and benevolent my words attend,#[br](in herds rejoicing), and my life defend.
	+sn(1)
		p Proclus calls the #[span.theonym(greek="Couretes") Curetes], guards of #[span.theonym(greek="Persephone") Proserpine], #[a.cite(title="Theology of Plato, book six, page 383" href="https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_Six_Books_of_Proclus,_the_Platonic_Successor,_on_the_Theology_of_Plato/Book_VI#CHAPTER_XIII.") lib. vi. Theol. Plat. p. 383].