I call now to Metis, wisest of goddesses,
daughter of Ocean and kind-hearted Tethys,
mother of wisdom, of grey-eyed Athena
who sprung full-formed from her father’s head.
Yours is the art of reason, O Metis;
yours is the will to understand, yours the drive
toward knowledge; yours is the gift of foresight,
of fine and flawless judgement in all things.
Metis whose counsel is renowned, whose vision
is unmatched, great goddess, I call to you.
I honor you, good and gracious Metis,
I offer you my praise and seek your blessing.
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To Chione
I call to Chione, bright-shining daughter
of Boreas who drives the cold north wind
and mountain-roaring Oreithyia,
mother of Eumolpos who served great Demeter,
who brought to the world her deepest mysteries.
Chione, beautiful goddess, fierce-hearted,
bold of spirit, child of the frozen earth,
yours is the winter, the long, dark nights;
yours is the storm and the deep-drifting snow.
We know you in the darkening days;
we know you in the ice-bound lands. Chione,
goddess of the frost and the rime, I honor you.
To Amphitrite
Amphitrite, great and sovereign goddess,
bride of Poseidon, mighty sea-queen,
daughter of Nereus, long of beard,
and Doris whose gift of the ocean’s bounty
provides for the children of humankind.
Amphitrite, eldest of the Nereids,
fairest of those fabled maids, Amphitrite
who sits enthroned on the ocean floor,
mother of all sea-creatures, of all who dwell
in your briny realm, friend of the sailor
and the fisher-folk, yours is the power
to grant a smooth sail, or to pull a ship down
beneath storm-driven waves. Amphitrite,
unrivaled, unyielding, I pray to you.
To Bia
Bia, O goddess whose might is well known,
whose calling it is to stand guard at the throne
of thundering Zeus, I offer you my praise.
O able daughter of battle-wise Pallas
and Styx in whose name great oaths are sworn,
sister of Nike, granter of victory,
with whom you share your holy station,
broad-winged one whose will is unmatched,
whose power compels the strongest to bend,
yours is the strength to stand against any,
yours is the irresistible force. Bia,
unyielding one, grant me your gift of fortitude.
To Eleos
I pray to Eleos, sweet spirit of mercy,
daughter of Nyx who rules the star-strewn night
and Erebos, great one whose gift it is
to wrap us in the comfort of the dark.
Eleos, so long ago your altar stood
in Athens’ marketplace, amid the temples
and assemblies, where all could see your name,
recall your goodness and your might. Eleos,
compassionate goddess, friend of the needy
and the poor, the supplicant and the refugee;
Eleos, protector of the wretched,
provider of sanctuary, I pray to you.
A Back to School Prayer to Athena
I pray to Athena, learned one, clever one,
daughter of Metis, mother of wisdom,
and great and thundering Zeus. Athena,
yours is the realm of the intellect,
of judgment, of reason, of clear perception;
yours is the might behind great minds.
Grant to me, O goddess, the power of thought,
the will to study, the wit to understand.
Grant to me, goddess, the gift of knowledge.
To Aegaeon
I call to Aegaeon, great god of the sea,
of the waters once traveled by heroes brave,
of the wicked gales and the foam-flecked surf.
O son of wise Gaia, good mother of all,
and Pontos who is the broad salt sea,
O god of the sea-storm, O mighty Aegaeon,
yours is the tempest that tosses the ship,
the squall that drives her into the deep;
yours are the lives of mariners, to take
or to spare as is your will. Aegaeon,
ancient one, brother of monsters, child of Titans,
I honor you with a full heart, O god of storms.
To Psyche
I call out to Psyche, sweet breath of the spirit,
fair among mortals, fair too among gods.
Beloved of Eros, your tale is one
of joy and of sorrow, of retribution
and redemption, of determination
and forgiveness. Daughter of humanity,
beautiful above all women, your loveliness
a blessing and a blight; loved by the love god,
betrayed by uncertainty, you would bear any torment,
face any fear, to reunite with your dear one.
Bright-winged goddess who knows the art of transformation,
who knows the work of a great love, I pray to you.
To Iris
Fleet-footed Iris, swift as the storm,
golden-winged goddess, I call out to you.
Daughter of Thaumus, ancient one of the sea,
and bright-lit Elektra of the thunderhead,
sister of the fearsome Harpies, I honor your might.
Iris of the rainbow, many-colored goddess,
handmaid and herald of deep-eyed Hera,
yours is a duty needful and grave;
messenger and courier, you speak with the voice
of all Olympus–the Trojans and the Argonauts
did tremble at your words. Harbinger of hope,
goddess of the new day, I pray to you.
To Asteria
Asteria who dwells in darkness, star-bright,
mistress of the spangled skies, I praise your name.
Daughter of Phoebe, great of understanding,
and restless Coeus who seeks to know all;
sister of twice-blessed Leto; mother of Hekate
to whom all honors are given, I pray to you.
Beautiful goddess, pursued by thundering Zeus,
in fleeing you became a quail and fell
into the sea, to rise again an island,
fair Delos of famous name. Asteria,
mistress of auguries, lady of the falling star,
great of glory, I praise your wisdom and your might.
Underflow 