Ariadne, clever one, impassioned one,
venturesome one of whom great tales are told,
daughter of Crete, of Minos and Pasiphae,
dear grandchild of Helios who sees all things,
beloved of dark-eyed Dionysos,
I praise you. Fair Ariadne, wise one,
comely one, whose graceful, certain feet
trace patterns in the sand as you dance,
whose companions are the free-hearted maenads,
who takes joy in all the sweet things of the world.
Ariadne, ancient one, noble one,
firm of step, true of course, clear of mind.
Through any labyrinth you make your way,
in any intricacy you see design.
Ariadne, whose keen eye sees what is,
whose open heart embraces what may be,
Ariadne, I praise and honor you.
Euthenia
Blessed Euthenia, from whose hands fall
the gifts of the deep earth, the shining bits
of fortune, the stores of wealth, the refuge
of sufficiency that brings us peace of mind.
In Egypt, bride of the Nile you were,
your image carved on precious metal,
burnished by many fingers, shining like sunlight.
In Greece, child of Hephaistos and Aglaia,
goddess of noble name and wide renown,
with your sisters, givers of that which brings joy
to men and women in this firm-grounded world:
from clear-hearted Eucleia, one’s dear repute
and honor, the fair fame of a life well lived;
from bold Eupheme, the sweet words of praise
for work well done and triumph well won;
from kind Philosophryne, a seat by the fire,
a warm welcome, a hand reaching out
in friendship and comfort for a need well known.
And from you, Euthenia, the abundance
that feeds body and spirit at once,
that enables each child to live and thrive,
that brings to us the relief of knowing
that what we have will be enough. Euthenia,
compassionate goddess whose blessings we crave,
we thank you for all the times we had our fill,
for all the times we felt no want, for all
the times our hungers have been sated.
Gracious Euthenia, we praise and honor you.
Hekate
Dark-eyed Hekate, daughter of Asteria,
deep-hearted goddess, walker of many roads.
In the dark, in the night, you bring comfort
to those who suffer, to those who despair,
to those who are powerless, hopeless, defenseless.
At the threshold you stand, immovable,
barring all evil, safeguarding the home.
At the crossroad you stand, in that in-between
where nothing is certain and nothing is safe.
Along the edges of propriety
you go, with steady step and ready wit,
to guide and sustain those who do what they must.
In all the worlds you hold a share, on earth
and sea and sky, you move with ease among them.
Bearing torches, you light our way at night,
you lead us through shadows, you nourish our souls.
Guide of the lost, friend of the friendless,
comforter of the bereft, protector
of the stranger, the outcast, the forlorn.
warder of the door and all within,
Hekate, I thank you for needful gifts.
Aphrodite
Aphrodite, glory of Olympos,
golden one, incomparable goddess,
born of seafoam, borne on the ocean’s waves
until you found fair Cyprus’ sandy shore–
your beauty by god or mortal unseen,
your power over heart and mind unknown,
your touch unfelt, your voice unheard. All things,
all life, all men and women incomplete
without your presence. Aphrodite,
who sees the truth within us, who gifts us
with what we need; beloved Aphrodite,
dear one, blessed one, who holds us close,
whose gentle persuasions overcome
our doubts and fears, whose hand in the world
we see in one another, we praise you,
we honor you, we delight in your gifts.
Zeus
Mighty Zeus, Father Zeus, friend of the traveler,
friend of the stranger, friend of the householder.
Wielder of lightning, driver of storms, master
of the hard-flung rains that bring life to the earth.
Of brothers three the youngest, your father’s might
you overthrew with cunning wit, his throne you took,
his world you made your own. Kindly Zeus, watchful Zeus,
your wrath falls on the oathbreaker, the wrongdoer,
the one without honor who preys on his fellows;
likewise, your blessings are on the one who does right,
whose word is good, whose hand is open, whose welcome
is warm, whose integrity is a certainty.
Great Zeus, father of gods, lord of fair Olympos,
wise one, contriving one, maintainer of order,
from the deep earth you rose, in the bright sky you reign.
Zeus of many names, friend of the Fates, I praise you!
Hekate
Hekate, deathless one, granter of comfort
and of might, enigmatic goddess,
friend of women, of those in direst need
of your protection, kind one, strong one,
holder of the home against all evil.
Hekate, ancient one, daughter of Titans,
cousin and ally of thundering Zeus,
esteemed by him above all others,
holder alone of shares in all the worlds,
receiver of crossroad offerings,
deep one, subtle one, night-wandering goddess,
guide of those whose journey takes them through dark
and hidden places, who follow paths unmarked,
unknown. Hekate, defender of those
whose suffering is greatest, companion
of those who travel through the blackest depths,
bright-haired Hekate, I honor you.
Dionysos
All praise to Dionysos, caster of shadows,
so bright you sear the eyes of men, god of all things
that touch our souls, we seek you at the edges
of our lives, in all that we hide from ourselves,
stepping past the threshold, past safety, past the known.
Dionysos, beacon of faith and desire,
you transcend the limits of culture, of nature;
you grant us euphoria, escape, self-knowledge;
you hold us, you transform us, you call us to you
and we follow. In you we find solace, O god,
in you we find inspiration. In you we find
freedom within our grasp at last, dare we take it.
Dionysos, kind one, seductive one, we know you
in the body’s pleasures, the mind’s furthest flights,
the rhythms theat shake us, that open our hearts,
the soul-deep rages that pass like summer storms,
the moments of passion, held still in space.
Dionysos, nearest of gods, I thank you
for flashes of truth, for visions of self,
for that measureless piece of life between two breaths.
Dionysos, granter of ecstasy, granter
of growth, granter of perception, I honor you.
Hephaistos
Skillful Hephaistos, master of smith-craft,
son of majestic Hera, Olympos’ queen,
builder of clever machinery,
devices that please the eye and ease the body,
maker of exquisite ornaments,
designed of precious jewels and metals,
each treasure lovelier than the last.
Hephaistos, shaper of the ideal,
peerless inventor, flawless engineer,
exacting devisor of all works of skill,
with an artist’s eye and an artisan’s hand
you craft and create, forge and form.
Hephaistos, patron of those who seek
to follow your lead, joining beauty
with precision, form with perfect function,
god of those who refashion the world,
Hephaistos, brilliant one, I praise you.
Ares
Ares, warrior, soul of survival,
quick-thinking, quick-striking son of great Zeus,
your sword ever sharp, your shield ever ready,
your keen eyes ever wary, ever watchful,
ever vigilant, ever guarding
against any enemy, any danger.
Ares, efficient one, practical one,
a club or a stiletto at need;
the deft strategic mind is yours, war-god,
as much as the unthinking rage of battle,
the brutality, the sweat and the mud,
the pure drive to defend home and family.
Ares, lover of fair Aphrodite,
master of life-sustaining passions,
Ares, mighty one, I praise and honor you.
Aphrodite
Golden Aphrodite, fairest of goddesses,
ideal of grace and beauty, dearest friend of lovers,
inevitable one, irresistible one,
ever-present, overwhelming force of life.
Aphrodite, incomparable goddess,
in all love’s intricacies we see your hand:
in words of devotion, heavy with sentiment;
in the tentative touch of new lovers;
in shallow breaths, in eyes clouded by desire,
in tangled limbs, unknowing and uncaring
of any reality beyond two bodies;
in the comfort and passion of love long known;
in each creeping, fearful warning of love’s loss.
Beloved Aphrodite, heart of my faith,
anchor of my certainty, I praise and honor you.
Underflow 