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Originally a punisher of those who challenged the gods, the Greek goddess Nemesis was fused by the Romans with the requital-god Phthonos and the goddess Invidia to become the central figure of a Roman cult which worshiped her as an almighty fate and justice deity who ensured that people got what they deserved- good and bad. This cult, which reached its zenith under Hadrian, finds expression in the following hymn written by Mesomedes, one of Hadrian's court poets. Period-authentic instrumentation courtesy of Atrium
Musicae de Madrid (one of the first and oldest paleomusicology groups).
Hymn to Nemesis
By Mesomedes of Crete
Translated by A.Z. Foreman
Click to hear me and my clone singing the original using reconstructed 2nd century Greek pronunciation
Nemesis, winged tilter of scales and lives,
Justice-spawned Goddess with steel-blue eyes!
You bridle vain men who roil in vain
Against Your adamantine rein.
Great hater of hubris and megalomania,
Obliterator of black resentment,
By Your trackless, churning, wracking wheel
Man's glinting fortunes turn on earth.
You come in oblivion's cloak to bend
The grandeur-deluded rebel neck,
With forearm measuring out lifetimes,
With brow frowning into the heart of man
And the yoke raised sovereign in Your hand.
Hail in the highest, O justice-queen
Nemesis, winged tilter of scales and lives,
Immortal Judge! I sing Your song,
Almighty Triumph on proud-spread wings,
Lieutenant of fairness, Requiter of wrongs.
Despise the lordly with all Your art
And lay them low in the Netherdark.
The Original:
Ύμνος εις Νέμεσιν
Μεσομήδης ὁ Κρής
Νέμεσι πτερόεσσα βίου ῥοπά,
κυανῶπι θεά, θύγατερ Δίκας,
ἃ κοῦφα φρυάγματα θνατῶν,
ἐπέχεις ἀδάμαντι χαλινῷ,
ἔχθουσα δ’ ὕβριν ὀλοὰν βροτῶν,
μέλανα φθόνον ἐκτὸς ἐλαύνεις.
ὑπὸ σὸν τροχὸν ἄστατον ἀστιβῆ
χαροπὰ μερόπων στρέφεται τύχα,
λήθουσα δὲ πὰρ πόδα βαίνεις,
γαυρούμενον αὐχένα κλίνεις.
ὑπὸ πῆχυν ἀεὶ βίοτον μετρεῖς,
νεύεις δ’ ὑπὸ κόλπον ὀφρῦν ἀεὶ
ζυγὸν μετὰ χεῖρα κρατοῦσα.
ἵλαθι μάκαιρα δικασπόλε
Νέμεσι πτερόεσσα βίου ῥοπά.
Νέμεσιν θεὸν ᾄδομεν ἄφθιτον,
Νίκην τανυσίπτερον ὀμβρίμαν
νημερτέα καὶ πάρεδρον Δίκας,
ἃ τὰν μεγαλανορίαν βροτῶν
νεμεσῶσα φέρεις κατὰ Ταρτάρου.
Hymn to Nemesis
By Mesomedes of Crete
Translated by A.Z. Foreman
Click to hear me and my clone singing the original using reconstructed 2nd century Greek pronunciation
Nemesis, winged tilter of scales and lives,
Justice-spawned Goddess with steel-blue eyes!
You bridle vain men who roil in vain
Against Your adamantine rein.
Great hater of hubris and megalomania,
Obliterator of black resentment,
By Your trackless, churning, wracking wheel
Man's glinting fortunes turn on earth.
You come in oblivion's cloak to bend
The grandeur-deluded rebel neck,
With forearm measuring out lifetimes,
With brow frowning into the heart of man
And the yoke raised sovereign in Your hand.
Hail in the highest, O justice-queen
Nemesis, winged tilter of scales and lives,
Immortal Judge! I sing Your song,
Almighty Triumph on proud-spread wings,
Lieutenant of fairness, Requiter of wrongs.
Despise the lordly with all Your art
And lay them low in the Netherdark.
The Original:
Ύμνος εις Νέμεσιν
Μεσομήδης ὁ Κρής
Νέμεσι πτερόεσσα βίου ῥοπά,
κυανῶπι θεά, θύγατερ Δίκας,
ἃ κοῦφα φρυάγματα θνατῶν,
ἐπέχεις ἀδάμαντι χαλινῷ,
ἔχθουσα δ’ ὕβριν ὀλοὰν βροτῶν,
μέλανα φθόνον ἐκτὸς ἐλαύνεις.
ὑπὸ σὸν τροχὸν ἄστατον ἀστιβῆ
χαροπὰ μερόπων στρέφεται τύχα,
λήθουσα δὲ πὰρ πόδα βαίνεις,
γαυρούμενον αὐχένα κλίνεις.
ὑπὸ πῆχυν ἀεὶ βίοτον μετρεῖς,
νεύεις δ’ ὑπὸ κόλπον ὀφρῦν ἀεὶ
ζυγὸν μετὰ χεῖρα κρατοῦσα.
ἵλαθι μάκαιρα δικασπόλε
Νέμεσι πτερόεσσα βίου ῥοπά.
Νέμεσιν θεὸν ᾄδομεν ἄφθιτον,
Νίκην τανυσίπτερον ὀμβρίμαν
νημερτέα καὶ πάρεδρον Δίκας,
ἃ τὰν μεγαλανορίαν βροτῶν
νεμεσῶσα φέρεις κατὰ Ταρτάρου.
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