Hymn to the Dictaean Zeus

Stele with the hymn to the Dictean Zeus in the Archaeological Museum of Heraklion

The hymn to the dictaean Zeus , also called the hymn of the Kouretes , is an ancient Greek solemn hymn of praise and praise. It is located on a stele of which four fragments were found in May 1904 during the excavations in Roussolakkos near Palekastro on the east coast of the Greek island of Crete . The hymn describes the invocation of young Zeus as the “greatest kouros ”, who was worshiped as the god of fertility and who was supposed to greet the young citizens after their initiation at the annual festival of the rebirth of nature at his birthplace Dikta ( Greek  Δίκτα ) . The stele, the discovery of which made it possible to locate the temple of the dictate Zeus , known from traditional scriptures , is now exhibited in the Archaeological Museum of Heraklion .

Location

Approximate coordinates of the site: 35 ° 11 ′ 39 ″  N , 26 ° 16 ′ 37 ″  E

The sanctuary of Dictean Zeus in Roussolakkos existed from the geometric period of the 8th century BC. Until the Roman period of the 4th century AD. For the initially uncovered sanctuary that arose on the ruins of a Minoan city, between 550 and 150 BC was used. A temple was built. Presumably, the sanctuary, which could be assigned to the Dictaean Zeus through the inscription on the stele fragments found in a pit near the block Χ (Chi) of the Roussolakkos excavation site, was the center of Heleia (Ἥλεια), also Eleia (Ἑλεία), a city or an area of ​​the Eteocretes who, according to inscriptions and the tradition by Strabo (10.4.6), had retained the cult of the dictaean Zeus. An equation of Zeus Diktaios with the Cretan Zeus Velchanos is likely.

Around 900 BC The sanctuary, founded in BC, was about 200 meters from Bondalaki Beach (Παραλία Μπονταλάκι) on the east coast of Crete, halfway up a slight elevation. Finds of bronze relief shields, life , weapons and many vessels are evidence of rich offerings. The goblets, lamps and torches found show that wine was consumed in the cult of the night ceremonies. The temple developed from a local place of worship to a supra-regional religious center of Eastern Crete, the administration of which the Poleis Itanos , Praisos and Hierapytna claimed for themselves. Only fragments of the terracotta decoration have survived from the temple building, no wall remains have been found. The corresponding area of ​​block Χ cannot be visited because it was backfilled after the excavations. To the west of the ancient cult site of Dictaean Zeus is the 539 meter high mountain Modi (Μόδι) at a distance of 6.5 kilometers, which in ancient times was called Dikte (Δίκτη) according to Strabo (10.4.12) and was considered the birthplace of Zeus .

Text of the hymn

The inscription on the limestone stele engraved on both sides dates from the beginning of the 3rd century AD, but judging by the smooth meter , the text is from the Hellenistic period of the late 4th or early 3rd century BC. BC, based on older ideas and rites. The translation of the following text is based on different versions of English translations.

ἰὼ μέγιστε κοῦρε, χαῖρέ μοι, Κρόνειε παγκρατὲς γάνους βέβακες δαιμόνων ἁγώμενος Δίκταν εαἰς ἐγὶλεεν ἰαές ἐνιυτέν ᾷγπομο μογπλεν ἕαπλεγπλε γπλεν τάν τοι κρέκομεν πακτίσι μείξαντες ἅμ 'αὐλοῖσιν, καὶ στάντες ἀείδομεν τεὸν ἀμφὶ βωμὸν εὐερκῆ. ἰὼ μέγι [στε] κοῦρε, χαῖρέ μοι, Κρόνειε παγκρα [τὲς γάνους βέβακες δ] αιμόνων ἁγώμενος Δίκταν εἕινος Δἕκταν εἕις ὸιν εγαπον πλν ιντε [απον ἐινιν πλντιν πον πλντε [απον ιντε [απον πντε [απον ἐποντε [απον ιιντε [απον πντπε [απον ιντε [ ἔνθα γὰρ σέ παῖδ 'ἄμ (β) ρ (ο) τον ἀσπιδ [ηφόροι τροφῆες] πὰρ Ῥέας λαβόντες πό (δ) α κ [ρούονέτες ἀπντες ἀπαν [ἰὼ μέγιστε κοῦρε, χαῖρέ μοι, Κρόνειε] [παγκρατὲς γάνους βέβακες δαιμόνων ἁγώμενος] [Δίλατταν εππος ἐκᾷαίτγαπος ἐνιαιτγαπος ἐκᾷαἕτνγαπος ἐκᾷαἕτντέπος ἐνιαὸττγαπος ἐκᾷαἕτντὸπος ἐκᾷαἕττέτᾷπος κκᾷαἕττέγπος ἐκᾷαἕττέτέπος ἐκᾷαρτέτοπος ἐκᾷατατέπος ἐκᾷαἕρ] [- - - -] [- - - τ] ᾶς καλᾶς ἀο (ῦ) ς. [ἰὼ μέγιστε κοῦρε, χαῖρέ μοι, Κ] ρόνειε παγκρατὲς γάν [ους βέβακες δαιμόνω] ν ἁγώμενος Δίλταν εέἕς] κγαᾷταν εππς ἐκὸν αλὶν ἰπτὶν [επυς ] ἐκν αλἐν επτυν [ [ὧραι δὲ β] ρύον κατῆτος καὶ βροτὸς Δίκα κατῆχε [καὶ πάντα δι] ῇπε (ζ) ώ (ι) 'ἁ φίλολβος Εἰρή (ν) α. [ἰὼ μέγιστε κοῦρε, χαῖρέ μοι, Κρόνειε] παγκρατὲς γάν [ους βέβακες δαιμόνων ἁαγώ] μενος Δκλαταν εἰςθε [πλιθε ] ποπθε [ναπθεἐ [πλπθτ [πλιθε] [ναπθε] ἀ [λλ 'ἄναξ θόρ' ἐς στα] μνία καὶ θόρ 'εὔποκ' ἐ [ς πώεα] [κἐς λάι] α καρπῶν θόρε κἐς τελεσφ] [όρος οἴρος] ἰὼ μέγιστε κοῦρε, χαῖρέ μοι, Κρ [όνειε] παγκρατὲς γάνους βέβακες [δαιμό] νων ἁγώμενος Δίαθταν εἰἕς ἐἐνε [αγομν εἰἕς ἐὸνε [αγομν] ἐπντε [ αγιν πντε [αγιν ππνε [αγιν πνε [αγτνε] [θόρε κἐς] πόληας ἁμῶν θόρε κἐς ποντο (π) όρος νᾶας θόρε κἐς ν [εὸς πο] λείτ (α) ς θόρε κντο (π) νμινκνκνκνκ Θέμινκνκνκνκ [ [ἰὼ μέγιστε] κοῦρε, χαῖρέ μοι, Κρόνειε παγκρατὲς γάνους βέβακ [ες δαιμόνων ἁγ] ​​ώμενος Δίγλταν εἕς ὸν γτομν ες ἐὸν [αγθν οπος ἐιν [αποτν πος] ὸνα [.

Hail the greatest Kouros , greetings, son of Kronos , almighty ruler at the head of the demons , return to Dikta at the turn of the year and enjoy our song, that we sing, accompanied by harps and flutes , and how we stand around the well-built altar. Hail the greatest Kouros, greetings, son of Kronos, almighty ruler at the head of the demons, return to Dikta at the turn of the year and enjoy our song. Because here the immortal child your guardians of Rhea received you, striking the shields to hide you. Hail the greatest Kouros, greetings, son of Kronos, almighty ruler at the head of the demons, return to Dikta at the turn of the year and enjoy our song. - - - - - - - from the beautiful dawn. Hail the greatest Kouros, greetings, son of Kronos, almighty ruler at the head of the demons, return to Dikta at the turn of the year and enjoy our song. The seasons were fruitful, mortals served justice, and prosperity loving peace was upon all creatures. Hail the greatest Kouros, greetings, son of Kronos, almighty ruler at the head of the demons, return to Dikta at the turn of the year and enjoy our song. And, Lord , jump on the wine jugs, jump on the flocks of sheep, jump on the fruit fields and make our houses productive. Hail the greatest Kouros, greetings, son of Kronos, almighty ruler at the head of the demons, return to Dikta at the turn of the year and enjoy our song. Bespringe our cities , our bespringe seagoing vessels , bespringe our young citizens and bespringe equitable Themis . Hail the greatest Kouros, greetings, son of Kronos, almighty ruler at the head of the demons, return to Dikta at the turn of the year and enjoy our song.

The present text follows the standard pattern of ancient Greek hymns, the invocation, followed by the argument and ending with the plea to the deity. The hymn begins and ends with the chorus , which was also sung between each of the six stanzas . The called god is not named by name, but referred to as the “greatest kouros”, but “son of Kronos” as well as the description of the handover of the “immortal child” by Rhea, the wife of Kronos, to the kouretes in the second stanza make it clear that Zeus is meant.

The Cretan Zeus, also called Velchanos, was a vegetation god who was reborn every year, like the Semitic Adonis and the Egyptian Osiris . In the hymn, Zeus, who "leaps" on herds, fields, ships, cities and young citizens , is called to return to Dikta and enjoy the singing at his altar. The request to “jump” to the young god in the last verses is to be understood in such a way that Zeus should “enter” the things mentioned in order to “fertilize” them in a metaphorical sense.

Finding the chryselephantinen statue of Kouros of Palekastro in the excavations in Roussolakkos in 1987 shows up in 1990 with its connection to the Minoan initiation rites that the mythical dance of Koureten and some of the older ideas, as in her hymn to the diktäischen Zeus expressed came, probably based on performances that took place in Crete 1500 years before the annual hymn was chanted in Greek times. The rites inherited from the Minoan culture were apparently continued in antiquity until the Diktaion, the temple of Dictaean Zeus in Roussolakkos, was abandoned some time after the 3rd century AD.

literature

• Robert C. Bosanquet: Excavations at Palaikastro IV: The Temple of Dictaean Zeus . In: The Annual of the British School at Athens . No. 11 . Macmillan, London 1905, pp. 298–308 (English, digitized version [accessed April 13, 2018]).
• Robert C. Bosanquet: The Palaikastro Hymn of the Kouretes . In: The Annual of the British School at Athens . No. 15 . Macmillan, London 1909, pp. 339–356 (English, digitized version [PDF; 1.3 MB ; accessed on April 14, 2018]).
• Gilbert Murray : The Hymn of the Kouretes . In: The Annual of the British School at Athens . No. 15 . Macmillan, London 1909, pp. 357–365 (English, digitized version [PDF; 1.3 MB ; accessed on April 14, 2018]).
• Jane E. Harrison : Themis: A Study of the Social Origins of Greek Religion . Cambridge University Press, Cambridge 1912, The Hymn of the Kouretes, pp. 1–29 (English, digitized [accessed April 13, 2018]).
• Joseph E. Fontenrose : The Ritual Theory of Myth . University of California Press, Berkeley / Los Angeles / London 1971, ISBN 978-0-520-01924-9 , The Palaikastro Hymn, p. 29–34 (English, excerpt [accessed April 13, 2018]).
• Eugenia Vikela: The hymn from Palaikastro. A search for remnants of the Minoan religion . In: Harald Siebenmorgen (ed.): In the labyrinth of Minos: Crete - the first European high culture . Biering & Brinkmann, Munich 2000, ISBN 978-3-930609-26-0 , pp. 219-226 .
• Mark Alonge: The Palaikastro Hymn and the modern myth of the Cretan Zeus. (PDF, 167 KB) Stanford University, December 2005, p. 2 , accessed on April 13, 2018 (English). 

Individual evidence

1. ^ Antonis Vasilakis: Crete . Mystis, Iraklio 2008, ISBN 978-960-6655-30-2 , The inscription with the Curete hymn to the dictaean Zeus, p. 84 .
2. ↑ Mark Alonge: The Palaikastro Hymn and the modern myth of the Cretan Zeus. (PDF, 167 KB) Stanford University, December 2005, p. 2 , accessed on April 13, 2018 (English). 
3. ↑ Strabo : Description of the Earth . Ed .: Albert Forbiger . Hoffmann, Stuttgart 1858, Description of Crete, p. 144 ( 475 [accessed April 13, 2018]).
4. ↑ Joseph E. Fontenrose : The Ritual Theory of Myth . University of California Press, Berkeley / Los Angeles / London 1971, ISBN 978-0-520-01924-9 , The Palaikastro Hymn, p. 30 (English, excerpt [accessed on April 13, 2018]).
5. ^ Fritz Graf : Zeus . In: Karel van der Toorn, Bob Becking, Pieter Willem van der Horst (eds.): Dictionary of Deities and Demons in the Bible . Brill, Leiden 1999, ISBN 90-04-11119-0 , pp. 938 (English, excerpt [accessed on April 13, 2018]).
6. ^ Antonis Vasilakis: Crete . Mystis, Iraklio 2008, ISBN 978-960-6655-30-2 , The Sanctuary and Temple of Dictean Zeus, p. 84 .
7. ↑ Strabo: Description of the Earth . Ed .: Albert Forbiger. Hoffmann, Stuttgart 1858, Description of Crete, p. 149 ( 478 [accessed April 13, 2018]).
8. ↑ Holger Sonnabend : Dikte. In: The New Pauly (DNP). Volume 3, Metzler, Stuttgart 1997, ISBN 3-476-01473-8 , Sp. 572.
9. ↑ Johan Ahlfeldt: Dikte Mons, Mount modes. In: Digital Atlas of the Roman Empire. Lund University , February 21, 2015, accessed April 13, 2018 . 
10. ↑ ^{a b} Martin P. Nilsson : history of Greek religion . 3. Edition. First volume: The religion of Greece up to the Greek world domination . Beck, Munich 1992, ISBN 978-3-406-01370-6 , Prehistoric times: The afterlife of the Minoan religion, p. 322 ( excerpt [accessed April 13, 2018]).
11. ↑ ^{a b c} J. Alexander MacGillivray: The Diktaian Hymn to Zeus: a Paean to Peace. Zachos Terzakis, August 17, 2010, accessed April 14, 2018 . 
12. ↑ Balbina Bäbler: Zeus. In: The New Pauly (DNP). Volume 12/2, Metzler, Stuttgart 2002, ISBN 3-476-01487-8 , Col. 782-791, here Col. 788.

Web links

• Sitia: Archaeological Places. Sitia Development Organization, 2016, accessed April 13, 2018 . 
• The Hymn to Dictaean Zeus. Explore Crete, October 11, 2016, accessed April 13, 2018 .