Archives

Prayer to Zeus, Gaia and Helios for the Witnessing of an Oath

Sep22

I call to Zeus, great lord of Olympos,
upholder of order, upholder of truth,
to hear the words I speak on this day,
to witness the oath I make before you.

I call to broad-bosomed Gaia, mother
of all that is, who knows of all her children,
to hear the words I speak on this day,
to witness the oath I make before you.

I call to all-seeing Helios, driver
of the chariot of the sun, bright-haired god,
to hear the words I speak on this day,
to witness the oath I make before you.

Hear me, O deathless ones; mark my words
on this day, in this place. Hold me to my vow,
I pray to you, for I bind myself
freely and willingly with this pledge.

Prayer to Dike that Justice Be Done

Sep22

Wise and watchful Dike, daughter of thundering Zeus
and Themis in whom order resides, goddess
never forgotten, we know you now as Justice,
sword and scales in hand. Before the court you stand
in silence, keeper of truth, champion of the right,
upholder of integrity; you reward the honest man
and punish the wrong-doer, the wicked and the false.
Blessed Dike, the court is your temple
and to you do I offer my prayers for justice.
Grant to all concerned your honorable spirit,
O goddess; may all words spoken under oath
be whole and true. May all those who hold mastery
and might be of good intent, may they be fair-minded,
may they deem reason and righteousness to be
most grave and weighty matters. Dike who knows
the guiltless from the errant, I pray to you.

Prayer to Apollo in Time of Plague

Sep21

Fair Apollo, son of thundering Zeus who holds
in his hands the order of the world, golden god
who parcels health and illness to all as is fit,
who holds the door against disease or lets it in,
all at your will. Apollo, we thank you for health,
we thank you for the gifts of modern medicine
and the gifts of traditional cures and healing.
We thank you a world in which plague and pandemic
are uncommon. Yet what is rare still exists,
O Paean, and is as deadly as ever it was.
Great Apollo, kind-hearted god, I pray to you,
protect us from all ill. Keep from our gates infirmity
and affliction, turn away the epidemic and the blight.
Apollo, mighty one in whose power it lies
to bless us with relief from all maladies,
to end a pestilence, I pray for your favor.

Prayer to Epione for the Soothing of Pain

Sep21

Tender-hearted Epione, fair-haired bride
of wise Asklepios, mother of clever
Hygeia, gentle one who gives comfort and ease
to those whose hurt has passed the point of bearing,
kindly goddess whose soft hands soothe all agonies,
learned one who knows all remedies, all reliefs.
Epione, grant to this wo/man your gift of rest
and respite, keep at bay the torment and the pain.

Prayer to Eileithuia for a Woman in Childbirth

Sep21

I pray to Eileithuia, gracious granter
of relief to those who lie in childbed,
daughter of mighty Hera within whose realm
you wield your gift, O ancient one who sits
at the feet of the Fates. Eileithuia, easer
of the travail of women, gentle-handed
one who gives us strength to bear the racking pains
of childbirth, leader to life of all who ever
trod upon the fair-faced earth. O Eileithuia,
kind-hearted one, deliverer from pain,
I pray to you for the health of mother and child.
I ask of you, comfort this woman in the throes
of birth, aid her in her labor, safeguard her
and her child as it enters the bright-lit world.

To the Four Winds

Sep21

Boreas, god of the North Wind, god of the cold,
bitter breath of winter, purple-winged herald
of snow and black ice, your beard tipped with frost,
we know you in the unmatched beauty of your realm.
Most needful one, in your season we honor you.

Zephyros, god of the West Wind, god of the seedtime,
husband of the greening fields, father of the fruited
trees, mild one, kind one, fortunate one, companion
of Eros, within your domain does love unfold.
Most needful one, in your season we honor you.

Notos, god of the South Wind, god of summer storms,
god of the soul-searing heat, of the drenching rains
and the pale, parched soil. Foe of the farmer, taker
of the wealth of the earth, destroyer of crops:
most needful one, in your season we honor you.

Euros, god of the East Wind, god of the blood-red
leaves, the golden blades of grass, by the palace
of the sun you dwell. Change is in you, O Euros;
change in the world is yours, O capricious one.
Most needful one, in your season we honor you.

Apollo

Sep20

Shining Apollo, bright-haired son of Zeus
and tender-hearted Leto who bore you on the shores
of free-floating Delos, brother of Artemis
of the silver shafts, lover of truth who knows
what will be, who grants the gift of foreknowledge
to those who seek, patron of the wise Pythia
who sits at the center of the world. Apollo,
friend of the lovely Muses, player of sweet songs
upon the lyre, healer of plagues, defender
against all evil, ever-youthful one whose hands
are deft, whose arm is strong, whose bow-string taut and thick
looses a rain of arrows, enough to dim the sun.
Fairest of gods, long of lock and smooth of cheek,
laurel-crowned one, I thank you for your blessings.

Aphrodite

Sep16

Beloved Aphrodite, goddess who grants to us
the greatest of joys, the harshest of sorrows,
the sharpest of pleasures, the dearest of pains.
Aphrodite, freshest of Olympos’ flowers,
your lightest touch can turn the hearts of men toward love;
with voice sweet as honey, sweet as wine, you speak
words of persuasion, we hear and heed, rapt in wonder.
O Aphrodite, grace and beauty surround you,
where you pass, the roses bloom, with sweetest scent
and sharpest thorn: with reckless hands we grasp them.
Aphrodite, born of blood in the cold salt sea,
born of the fallen sky, goddess whose kindness
can be so brutal, whose cruelty we cherish,
blessed are your children, blessed those you favor,
blessed those who have felt your might, blessed those
who dwell in your domain. Aphrodite, honored one,
incomparable one, with each breath I praise you.

To Hebe

Sep13

I call to Hebe, incomparable daughter
of dark-eyed Hera, cupbearer whose calling
it is to carry sweet drink to the blessed
gods, bride of splendid Heracles of whom great tales
are told. In your care is the food of the gods,
the fragrant ambrosia, the rich clinging nectar,
the delectable draught that sustains the deathless
ones. Hebe, white-armed girl, attendant on great Hera,
companion of charming Aphrodite, friend of
the lovely Graces, comrade of wise Harmonia.
In the vigor of youth we know your might, Hebe;
in the simple joy of childhood, the fair-haired bride
on her wedding day, the brightest blossoms of the field,
we see your face. Hebe, protector of the young,
singer of the songs of spring, I call to you.

To Hygeia

Sep10

I call to Hygeia, daughter of wisdom-loving
Asklepios whose shining temples you share,
ever-watchful sister of dear Panakeia
who knows all remedies. Bright-eyed Hygeia,
foe of the Nosoi who lurk in the unclean corners,
rich-robed goddess, mild and gentle one whose soft touch
and soothing voice give ease to the suffering.
In Athens and in Corinth were you well honored;
in fair Sikyonia did you receive long locks
of the hair of women, did you receive the gifts
of the grateful. Hygeia, holder of the serpent
and the chalice, friend of the honest physician,
granter of the most precious of blessings, who gifts
us with a hale and robust form, with vigor
and vitality, blessed one, I call to you.