HYMN

(Gr. t^Atvoj.) An ode in praise of the Deity, or some divine personage. The earliest Greek hymns are those attributed, probably without foundation, to Homer: imitated by Call i mach us. They are in heroic verse, except one of Call i mach us in hexameters and pentameters; and their contents, for the most part, are narrations of the events in the mythological history of the respective gods and godde es to whom they are dedicated, related in an encomiastic strain. The choric strains of some of the tragedians in honour of deities, introduced into their dramas, appear also to have the character of hymns; especially as dramatic performances, among the Greeks, had something of a religious solemnity attached to them. The Theurgic Hymns were strains of a higher character, and intended only for those who were initiated into certain mysteries, supposed to have for their object the diilVision of more exalted notions of the divinity. Those which are falsely attributed to Orpheus, and pa by his name, are said to be of this cla ; but, except from their obscurity, it is difficult to say from what reason. Philosophical hymns, intended for the use of the followers of a still higher species of worship, are mentioned in the division of ancient hymns; but we have no genuine examples of such compositions. In modern literature, hymns are pieces of sacred poetry intended to be sung in churches; of which the Psalms of David, the most ancient pieces of poetry, properly so called, on record (except the book of Job), furnish the chief example and model. St. Hilary, bishop of Poitiers, is said to have been the first who composed hymns to be sung in churches. The Latin hymns of the Roman Catholic church are well known, from the exquisite music to which they have been united. (See Riddle's Christian Antiquities, p. 313. As to the cla ical hymns and hymnographers, see the Mein. de I' Acad, des Inscr. vols. xii. andxvi.) [s. 591]