Homeric Hymns

This collection of hymns praises the demigods, or the gods who have one mortal and one immortal parent. These hymns thus adhere to the theme of the intersection between the mortal and immortal worlds. Not only do the demigods embody this intersection, but their conception involves transgressing the threshold between the two worlds. This transgression is especially conspicuous when it involves Zeus, the father of the Dioscuri; Zeus neglected his divine identity when he transgressed the threshold by taking the form of a swan. His metamorphosis connects him to an earthly existence and allows him to seduce the mortal, but in so doing, he disturbs the natural separation between gods and humankind. Further, whenever a god transgresses this threshold, a part of their divinity is lost, as when Demeter forgoes her connection to motherhood after crossing the threshold of a mortal home, and when Hermes lusts for meat after crossing the threshold of his mother’s cave.

These hymns praise the demigods as perfectly representing their respective domains of power, much like the immortal gods. The mother of the gods is also praised for having borne them, mortals, and the earth. The hymns refer to her as “the mother of gods and mortals” (76), furthering the thematic connection between immortals and mortals through addressing their shared lineage.