Ares, courageous one, strong of arm, quick of wit,
swift to respond to any danger, any threat,
on the battleground you stand, unyielding god.
As fields of blood turn to fields of flowers,
you hold the fallen ever dear, each name you know,
each lost life you honor. Well honored in Thrace
and in Scythia, your golden helm shines bright,
your sharp sword cuts down the foe with cunning craft.
To the soldier in peril you grant your strength;
to those living in fear you grant the will to fight
or to flee; to those who struggle you grant the
heart’s fire that forges ambition, that forms victory.
Ares, upholder of the might of men, companion
of those who make war and those who defend
home and family, in trenches and in tanks,
on the grounds of battle and of burial, you are there.
Ares, brave one, bloody one, leader of men
who does what must be done, I praise and honor you.
Tag Archive | prayers
Dike (Justice)
Firm-hearted Dike, sister of the Seasons,
daughter of great Zeus and Themis of godly law,
mistress of justice, friend of the wronged and the righteous;
your strength lies in truth, goddess, in the worth
of fair play, and in the rights of men. O Dike,
the trusty one, the honorable one, the one whose
word is ever good–these men and women find
your favor, their prayers to you are answered well.
But those who lie, and cheat, and thieve, these evil-doers
earn your wrath; never can they escape your vengeance.
Dike, whose sharp sword pierces the heart of the unjust,
who protects the honest and the noble, the upright
and the true, fair-minded goddess, impartial one,
the rule of right is ever your concern. Dike,
champion of the good, I praise and honor you.
Litany to Hera
Hera, queen of lofty Olympos, goddess
whose crown shines brightly, alight with precious gems;
attended by the Seasons, enthroned in gold,
you sit at the side of of lightning-wielding Zeus:
I praise and honor you, I thank you for your blessings.
Hera, queen of the cloudless heavens, queen of the stars
that flicker in the night; the broad blue sky is yours,
Hera, the gentle breeze, the keen-edged winter winds.
With every breath, we are grateful for your gifts:
I praise and honor you, I thank you for your blessings.
Hera of the lovely eyes, fairest of all
who walk Olympos’ splendid halls; your beauty
is unequaled, shining goddess, dark-eyed one
whose gaze is steady, who sees into all hearts:
I praise and honor you, I thank you for your blessings.
Glorious Hera, bride of thundering Zeus,
friend of marriage, friend of those who pledge their hearts.
Each wedding day is brighter for your presence, Hera;
each couple is blessed who receives your favor.
I praise and honor you, I thank you for your blessings.
Hera, goddess of family, of the bond between
the generations, you knew our forebears long ago
and you will know our children’s children. Great Hera,
wise one whose keen eye sees into posterity,
I praise and honor you, I thank you for your blessings.
Mighty Hera, patroness of kings and of queens,
of the leaders of nations, you understand power,
you hold its essence in your hands. You grant to those
you favor all influence and might, O goddess.
I praise and honor you, I thank you for your blessings.
Majestic Hera, indomitable goddess,
defender of men, warder of the city walls,
guardian of the gates, your people turn to you
for succor, you who are both comfort and refuge.
I praise and honor you, I thank you for your blessings.
Gaia
Gaia, elder god, first among the worthy ones,
first out of the void, who brought all things into being,
kind-hearted goddess, loving mother of many,
broad-bosomed Gaia, home to all who breathe your sweet air,
benevolent one, we look go you for comfort,
for solace in sorrow, for counsel in chaos,
we seek your wisdom, we seek your foreknowledge,
for you have ever been and ever will be,
so long as we have walked upon your sod and stone,
so long as we have shared in your bounty, so long
as we have lived, have we known you, and have we
relied upon your goodness and compassion.
Gaia, gracious one, upholder of order,
we have drunk of your clear, clean water, goddess;
we have eaten of your fruit, we have taken
of your riches. Gaia, from whom all life arose,
we thank you for your gifts; we thank you for your blessings.
Litany to Zeus
Zeus unparalleled, king of the deathless gods,
who strides the halls of Olympos, who sits enthroned,
greatest among the mighty one Zeus of the strong will
and the swift strike whose firm hand guides the path of men:
I praise and honor you, I thank you for your blessings.
Lightning-wielding Zeus, master of the sudden storm,
at whose whim the winds rise up, the warm spring showers,
the earth receives your gift and becomes fruitful.
Zeus of the thunderbolt, Zeus the rain-giver:
I praise and honor you, I thank you for your blessings.
Far-seeing Zeus, friend of the Fates, whose words were shared
with men at Dodona and at Didyma, and
at shrines throughout the world. Zeus who hands each one
their lot, author of chance, father of fortune:
I praise and honor you, I thank you for your blessings.
Kindly Zeus, who hears the voices of the troubled,
the entreaties of the poor and the desolate,
gracious Zeus who receives the offerings of all,
who approach, merciful Zeus whose wrath may be appeased:
I praise and honor you, I thank you for your blessings.
Benevolent Zeus, protector of the traveler,
defender of the stranger, whose righteous wrath falls
on those who prey upon the lost and the alone,
whose favor falls on the good and generous host:
I praise and honor you, I thank you for your blessings.
Honorable Zeus who supports the works of men,
who guards the larder of the householder,
who watches over home and family, town and nation,
who upholds the speech of the assembled crowd:
I praise and honor you, I thank you for your blessings.
Zeus of the law, Zeus of the righteous, Zeus of the just,
of courts and of councils, advisor of kings,
who guides the work of the lawmaker, of the judge,
of those who bring peace and order to the land,
I praise and honor you, I thank you for your blessings.
Zeus, to whom the oath is sacred above all things,
who hears each vow we make and holds us to our word,
whose anger falls on those who break those bonds,
who rewards the upright and the honorable:
I praise and honor you, I thank you for your blessings.
Zeus the vengeful, whose fiery bolt comes down upon
the evil-doer, friend of the weak, friend of the wronged,
scourge of the villain, the scoundrel, the brute and the fiend,
Zeus who punishes the guilty as they deserve
I praise and honor you, I thank you for your blessings.
Zeus who keeps away all ill, who wards off the harmful,
the baneful, the base; Zeus whose goodness and might
preserve the city, hold safe the home, bar the gates
against any foe, keep sorrow and woe at bay:
I praise and honor you, I thank you for your blessings.
Asklepios
All praise to skillful Asklepios,
son of Apollo and bright Koronis,
kind-hearted god, friend of men and women.
Your gentle touch eases our pain, O god,
your firm hand guides our restoration;
you teach us to live well, to care for
ourselves, to seek the wisdom of Hygeia,
your beloved daughter, good and knowing
goddess who turns the minds of men toward
wholesome food and drink, and healthful pursuits.
Nimble-fingered one, quick-witted one,
by your might does the broken bone set,
the torn flesh mend, the damaged soul heal.
With your help do we bear any hurt,
do we suffer any malady,
do we battle any affliction,
with strength of will and with steadfast heart.
Asklepios, father of physicians,
helper of humanity, I praise you,
I honor you, I thank you for your gifts.
Prayer to Apollo to Protect a Young Boy
Apollo. fair-faced son of Zeus and blessed Leto,
brother of keen-eyed Artemis of the swift shafts;
as your dear sister keeps watch over girl-children,
keeping them hale and strong, safeguarding their lives,
thus do you, bright Apollo, shelter and shield young boys.
I pray to you, Apollo, preserve __________
from all harm, keep him in good health and good spirits,
keep from him the evil of the world, grant to him
a life of simple joys, of friends honest and true,
of an eye that sees clearly all things, good and ill;
grant him strength and endurance to achieve all his goals;
grant him wit and prudence to choose those goals wisely;
grant him a kind spirit, that he may be a good man;
grant him a full and open heart, that he may be
happy. I seek your favor; I seek your blessing.
Prayer to Artemis to Protect a Young Girl
Artemis, daughter of kindly Zeus and fair Leto,
friend of young maids in their merry games and dances,
I pray to you, O goddess, watch over __________
in her travels through the world. Keep her safe from harm,
guard her from evil, protect her from all ill,
grant her the strength to overcome all obstacles,
grant her the resilience to recover from loss,
grant her the wisdom to find her way through the dark,
grant her true friends to join her on her journey.
Show her the joy in life, the pleasures of today
and the promise of tomorrow. Give her the gift
of a mind turned ever toward happiness and hope.
Artemis, defender of maidens, of frank
and forthright youth, I praise you and honor you.
I seek your favor, goddess; I ask your blessing.
Artemis
Fleet-footed Artemis, keen-eyed daughter of Zeus
and gentle Leto, sister of bright Apollo,
we see your shadow in the woods, the curve of your
bow, the flex of your arm, we hear the wind whisper
as your arrows seek their mark–deadly your art,
flawless your aim. Huntress you are, O Artemis,
slayer of the stag and of the boar, slayer of men
and of women, death by your hand is death unforeseen.
Maiden you are, goddess, and friend of maidens;
ever-youthful one, your favor falls on the young,
watching over young girls as they brave the world’s wonders,
comforting the mother in the throes of her labor,
keeping in your care the newborn babe. Artemis,
shining maid of the wilderness, who takes pleasure
in games, in contest and in merriment, who leads
the nymphs in their carefree dance, whose clear voice we hear
in the songs of young women and the hunter’s cry.
Artemis, strong and tall, I praise and honor you.
Apollo
O shining Apollo, son of lightning-wielding Zeus
and blessed Leto, brother of swift-footed
Artemis, father of gods and gallant heroes;
great Apollo, whose sun-bright hair is yet unshorn,
whose fair face and well-built form, ageless and abiding,
hold ever the beauty of youth. Laurel-wreathed god,
child of Delos, far-shooting one whose shafts fly straight
and true, you keep the evil of the world at bay,
you deliver mankind from plague and disease,
and yet your arrows carry death as well to men,
swiftly and suddenly. Sweet are the songs men sing
to laud your name, sweet too the spark of insight,
O companion of the excellent Muses.
In Delphi, O Apollo, was your name well spoken,
were you well honored with gifts and libations,
as you shared the words of father Zeus with men.
Apollo, protector of men and women,
brilliant one, I praise you and give thanks for your blessings.
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