Orphic Hymn #10, to Physus (Mother Nature)

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Secret Writing by Alysson Grey

Physus aka Mother Nature

Physus (Φυσις), from whose name we derive our English word “physics” is the Greek goddess of the natural world.  Her name derives from the verb φύω, which means “to grow” (like a plant or a child) or “to come into being”. That word, and the English “to be” share a common IndoEuropean root, highlighting Physus’s essential character: she is the entire “being and becoming” of the universe.  In this way, her name closely parallels the name Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh (אֶהְיֶה אֲשֶׁר אֶהְיֶה) or “I Am That I Am”, which is the name spoken to Moses by the burning bush in the Hebrew myth (Exodus 3:14). Latin speakers called her “Natura” (from whence our word “nature”). Some writers also equate her with Pan (whose name means “everything”), although I do not.

Physus is, in Orphic tradition, one of the great primeval gods (the protogenoi, or “first born”) who emerged from nothingness as the universe was coming into existence.  Physis is the great conductor of the cosmic harmony, who orders roiling chaos, bringing into being quarks and galaxies, setting fire to the stars and awakening life itself.  She is everything the exists, and the essential cause of all becoming.

Although often anthropomorphized as the Great Mother of All, Physus is profoundly ungendered, as she predates even Eros Protogonos’s invention of sex, much less the genesis of gender (which is a uniquely human phenomenon). In his commentary on the Timaeus, Proclus says of her: “Nature, therefore, is the last of the causes which fabricate this corporeal-formed and sensible essence. She is also the boundary of the extent of incorporeal essences, and is full of reasons and powers through which she directs and governs mundane beings...”

Orphic Hymn #10: To Physus, or Mother Nature

Incline to our prayer and grant us your favor,

Physics, All-Matter, divine Mother Nature,

Much-mechanical Matrix of clockwork creation,

Great Magna Mater, accept our libation:

Celestial Anassa, lustrous and endless,

Indomitable diktator, all-conquering Empress,

Almighty mistress of the mountainous breast,

Nursing the world, happy and blessed.

Imperishable Protogenia, exulted of old,

Sung forth by the night stars, their numbers untold:

Silent galaxies whirl on light-leaping feet,

The pitter-patter of matter to time’s tick-tock beat.

Pure Cosmic Mother, unbounded, eternal,

Font of all gods, heavenly and infernal.

Common to all, but uncommonly unique

All-pervading quintessence everything we seek.

Self-made and fatherless, poly-mythic majesty,

Full-blossoming weaver of natural tapestry,

Head of hegemony, life-bearing maiden,

Victorious charm-weaver, seductive all-satan,

Self-sufficient founder of multiverse reality--

Ethereal, material, and abyssal locality.

Bitter to the sinner, but sweet to the saint,

All-wise, all-generous, all-giving, all-great,

Queen for Forever, rich ripening savior,

Growth-promoting immortal divine liberator.

Father and mother, nurturing all-fruitful womb,

Giving birth to the seasons, coaxing blossoms to bloom.

You crafted the kosmos and you wove the waves,

Your perpetual motion spins nights into days.

Everlastingly circling, quick-flowing, whirling,

Fluid-formed shapechanger, eternally swirling.

Mover and shaker of every eternity,

Worldly wise essence, much-honored deity:

Enthroned, scepter-bearing, growling with power,

Mountains tremble in your presence, roaring out fire.

All dominating mistress of life without end,

Future-seeing foremother on whom all depend.

Truely, to everyone you are everything,

And from your immortal being all fates spring.

Good Goddess, Great Mother, we humbly request,

You guide us through life, happy and blessed,

Bring every good thing, each in its season,

Peace, health, and prosperity, wisdom and reason.

Ὦ Φύσι, παμμήτειρα θεά, πολυμήχανε μῆτερ,
O Phusis, Mother of all, Goddess, much-mechanic Mother

οὐρανία, πρέσβειρα, πολύκτιτε δαῖμον, ἄνασσα,
Ourania, honored elder, much-founding power, Anassa
πανδαμάτωρ, ἀδάμαστε, κυβερνήτειρα, παναυγής,

All-dominator, indomitable, Governor, all-light,
παντοκράτειρα, τιτιμενέα πανυπέρτατε πᾶσιν,

Almighty nursing force, all uppermost All
ἄφθιτε, πρωτογένεια, παλαίφατε, κυδιάνειρα,
Imperishable protogeneia[6], anciently spoken of exulted one
ἐννυχία, πολύπειρε, σελασφόρε, δεινοκάθεκτε,
By Nyx’s multiply-pierced light-bearing wondrously powerful grip
ἄψοφον ἀστραγάλοισι ποδῶν ἴχνος εἱλίσσουσα,
Silent starry galaxies’ footsteps trace whirling essence
ἁγνή, κοσμήτειρα θεῶν ἀτελής τε τελευτή,
Pure cosmic Mother of the Goddesses and Gods, unending to the end,
κοινὴ μὲν πάντεσσιν, ἀκοινώνητε δὲ μούνη,
Common to all, truly all essence, uncommon to the last, alone
αὐτοπάτωρ, ἀπάτωρ, ἐρατή, πολύμηθε, μεγίστη,
Self-fathered, without a father, lovely muti-legendary majesty,
εὐάνθεια, πλοκή, φιλία, πολύμικτε, δαῆμον,
Abundant blossoming weaver of affiliations’ much-blended knowledge
ἡγεμόνη, κράντειρα, φερέσβιε, παντρόφε κούρη,
Hegemonic sovereign bearing life, all-nurturing Maiden,
αὐτάρκεια, Δίκη, Χαρίτων πολυώνυμε πειθώ,
Self-sufficient Dike, charming many-realmed Peitho
αἰθερία, χθονία καὶ εἰναλία μεδέουσα,
Aitherial, earthly and of the sea, Medeousa
πικρὰ μέν φαύλοισι, γλυκεῖα δὲ πειθομένοισι,
Bitter, indeed coarse, sweet from Peitho’s force
πάνσοφε, πανδώτειρα, κομίστρια, παμβασίλεια,
All-wise, all-giving conveyor, all-Basileia
αὐξιτρόφος, πίειρα πεπαινομένων τε λύτειρα.
Augmenting nurturer, rich ripening everlasting Deliverer
πάντων μὲν σὺ πατήρ, μήτηρ, τροφὸς ἠδὲ τιθηνός,
All powerful Father, Mother, Nurturer, and Nurse

ὠκυλόχεια, μάκαιρα, πολύσπορος, ὡριὰς ὁρμή,
Bringer of swift birth, blessed, multi-seeded Horai instigator
παντοτεχνές, πλάστειρα, πολύκτιτε, ποντία δαῖμον,
All-technician, mold-maker, multi-Creator, the seas’ power
ἀιδίη, κινησιφόρε, πολύπειρε, περίφρων,
Eternal motion producer, much-experienced, thoughtful,

ἀενάωι στροφάλιγγι θοὸν ῥύμα δινεύουσα,

Everlastingly circling, quick-flowing, whirling

πάνρυτε, κυκλοτερής, ἀλλοτριομορφοδίαιτε,

All-fluid circling-softly, ever-changing in form

εὔθρονε, τιμήεσσα, μόνη τὸ κριθὲν τελέουσα,

Truly enthroned honored discrimating priests

σκηπτούχων ἐφύπερθε, βαρυβρεμέτειρα, κρατίστη

Staff-bearing above loud-thundering mighty

ἄτρομε, πανδαμάτειρα, πεπρωμένη, αἶσα, πυρίπνους,

Intrepid, tamer of all, gifter of portions fire-breathing

ἀίδιος ζωὴ ἠδ' ἀθανάτη τε πρόνοια·

Eternal Life and undying foresight

πάντα σοι εἰσὶ, τα πάντα· σὺ γὰρ μούνη τάδε τεύχεις.

You are everything, all-ruling singly here armoured

ἀλλά, θεά, λίτομαί σε σὺν εὐόλβοισιν ἐν ὥραις

But, goddess, supplicating make me wealthy in season

εἰρήνην ὑγίειαν ἄγειν, αὔξησιν ἁπάντων.

Eirene (Peace=Spring) and Hygeia(Health), Hey! Growing everything