ALTHOUGH primarily addressed to Hestia, the hymn is equally in honour of Hermes. If the order of lines 9 f. is correct, Groddeck's inference is probably right, that ναίετε δώματα καλά alludes to the cult of the two deities in a common temple. Gemoll further supposes that here, as in xxiv, the hymn was sung at the dedication of a new temple. Baumeister's view, that the occasion was a feast in a private house, depends on the adoption of Martin's order of the lines, by which δώματα καλά is joined to ἐπιχθονίων ἀνθρώπων; but see on 9 f.

For the close connexion of Hestia and Hermes see PrellerRobert i. p. 423, Roscher Lex. i. 2649 f. Pheidias represented them as a pair on the basis of Olympian Zeus ( Paus.v. 11. 8). There was a hearth (ἑστία) in front of a statue of Hermes at Pharae, on which incense was offered before Hermes was consulted for omens ( Paus.viii. 22. 2 f.).

The origin of this connexion is not very clear; Preller sees a link in their relation to human life, Hestia representing quiet family life at home, while Hermes is the patron of the streets and ways, a god of active pursuits. According to others (e.g. Campbell Religion in Greek Lit. p. 119), the connexion is mainly local: Hermes, as the god of boundaries, is akin to the goddess of the house.

It is difficult to see why Gemoll should call the style of the hymn more lyric than epic; his theory of strophic arrangement (in stanzas of four lines) is also very dubious, and indeed breaks down, if we assume a lacuna after 9.

1-3. Cf. h. Aphr. 31, 32. For the form Ἑστίη see on h. Aphr. 22, xxiv. 1.

2 = Il. 5.442. χαμαὶ ἐρχομένων = ἐπιχθονίων, hence τε stands as third. The MSS. in Homer do not support Barnes' ἑρπομένων.

Commentary on line 3

a)i+/dion: for the word see on xxxii. 1. There is of course no objection to the lengthening of the final syllable by the ictus.

e)/laxes is clearly right, between the vocative in 1 and σοῦ in 4. φέρβει in xxx. 2 is no parallel, being preceded by the accusative Γαῖαν. ἔλαχε is due to the relative and its effect; cf. Il. 3.277, where for ἠέλιος ὃς πάντ' ἐφορᾷς καὶ πάντ' ἐπακούεις pap. Brit. Mus. 126 has εφορα επακουει.

*presbhi+/da tim/hn: Hestia was the eldest daughter of Cronos, but Gemoll is no doubt right in understanding this as simply high honour; cf. h. Aphr. 32 παρὰ πᾶσι βροτοῖσι θεῶν πρέσβειρα τέτυκται.