I pray to Boreas, god of the shrill north wind,
god of the winter; from your glacial halls
in the heights of Thrace you come to us each year,
bringing the bitter chill, the knife-sharp sleet,
the shivering cold, the blinding white skies.
Father of slim-ankled Khione, maid of the snows
whose hand it is that frosts the tender grasses,
I call to you. O Boreas of the violet wings,
grant to us a season mild and free of harm,
bringer of the gales of winter, grant to us
a season safe. Ward us as we walk the black ice,
keep us from the storm, O Boreas, I pray to you.
Tag Archive | prayers
To the Furies
I praise the fair-minded Furies, daughters of Ge,
daughters of starry-cloaked Ouranos her consort,
born of blood and betrayal. Your wrath falls upon
the oathbreaker, O righteous ones; your vengeance
is borne by the murderous, the villainous,
the faithless and the wicked. Couriers of justice,
harbingers of evil omen, curse-bearers,
gracious ones who demand from the wrongdoer
what penance is due, none can escape your swift
and certain sanction. Goddesses, I honor you.
Litany to Hestia
Bright-veiled Hestia, heart of the happy home, goddess
who binds together a family, who strengthens
a city, the household is your temple,
the hearthfire your altar and your namesake. Hestia,
I praise and honor you, I thank you for your blessings.
Hestia, wise one who oversees the family feast,
who guides the making and the breaking of bread,
to whom offerings are made at simple meal
or sumptuous banquet, Hestia of the oven-fire,
I praise and honor you, I thank you for your blessings.
Hestia, gentle-hearted daughter of Kronos
and mother Rhea, first-born and last-born child
of Titans, dear sister of thundering Zeus
who gave to you a place of honor evermore,
I praise and honor you, I thank you for your blessings.
Hestia who sits ever at the center of things,
who tends the flickering flame of sacrifice
with patience and with care, who receives the first
and the best portion of all due offerings,
I praise and honor you, I thank you for your blessings.
Litany to Persephone
Persephone of the new blossoms, companion
of the laughing nymphs, with whom you dance in flowered
fields, with whom you play at merry games. Goddess,
slim-ankled maid, fair and sweet as new spring blossoms,
I praise and honor you, I thank you for your blessings.
Persephone, bearer of golden sheafs, bearer
of the fruit of the tree, corn-maiden who dwells
beneath the earth, who rises with the pale green shoots
each spring. Child of Demeter whose gifts are great,
I praise and honor you, I thank you for your blessings.
Fair-haired Persephone, bride of noble Hades,
queen of the underworld, mindfully you tasted
the seed of the pomegranate, with love and care
you chose to bear that heavy crown. Persephone,
I praise and honor you, I thank you for your blessings.
Good Persephone who makes welcome the dead
in the golden halls of Hades, kind-hearted one
whose grace it is that comforts those who have passed
from our world into your dark and distant realm,
I praise and honor you, I thank you for your blessings.
Persephone, merciful maiden of the Mysteries,
friend of the happy dead who travel first to fair
Eleusis, who travel last to distant Elysion.
Rich-robed Persephone of ancient might, goddess,
I praise and honor you, I thank you for your blessings.
Litany to Gaia
Well-honored Gaia, whose name is praised in every
land, whose voice is heard in dreams of prophecy,
whose vengeance falls upon the murderer, who bears
the weight of sorrow with serenity and strength,
I praise and honor you, I thank you for your blessings.
Broad-bosomed Gaia, granter of the gift of life
to all who dwell on the green earth. mother of many,
of Titans and giants, all your children bound
to you by love, O Gaia of the great heart.
I praise and honor you, I thank you for your blessings.
Gaia, companion of the Karpoi, those spirits
of fruit and grain who play at your feet, who dance
on the rich dark soil, who turn up their faces
in the warm soft rain, who take joy in the harvest.
I praise and honor you, I thank you for your blessings.
Gaia on whom the oaths of men and women are sworn
with solemn words and honest hearts, Gaia who sees
all actions, who witnesses all vows, who rewards
the upright and punishes the faithless. Gaia,
I praise and honor you, I thank you for your blessings.
Blessed Gaia who arose from formless Chaos,
bringer of order whose being and body
are held in common among all the far-flung realms,
whose spirit lies in all whose lives you hold in hand,
I praise and honor you, I thank you for your blessings.
Litany to Hades
Noble Hades, lord of the afterworld, upon
your head the shining helm that veils the one it crowns
in darkness, within your grasp the fearful staff
with which you split the world asunder. Hades,
I praise and honor you, I thank you for your blessings.
Hades, holder of all the wealth within the world,
yours are all the priceless treasures buried in
the earth’s deep bones, the silver and the gold,
the copper and the iron, the many-colored gems.
I praise and honor you, I thank you for your blessings.
Within your realm, O Hades, are treasures too
of life and abundance. The precious seeds of fruit
and grain, the soft black soil that clings to root and leaf,
without these gifts would mankind fail to flourish.
I praise and honor you, I thank you for your blessings.
Kindly host of the dead, receiver of all who pass
from the earth into your deep, abyssal realm,
granter of rest for the weary, sweet reunion
for those too long parted by your well-wrought gates.
I praise and honor you, I thank you for your blessings.
Fair-minded Hades, even-handed one who holds
in hand the lot of all whose earthly lives have ended.
The greatest of kings, the lowest of beggars,
all receive reward or sanction by your will.
I praise and honor you, I thank you for your blessings.
Epione
Soft-voiced Epione, beloved of skillful
Asklepios, mother of learned daughters four:
Hygeia who grants us hale and hearty lives;
Akeso who knits our bones and cools our fevers;
Panacea who holds the cure of all that ails;
and Iaso who knows of many remedies.
Blessed Epione, easer of distress,
to you do we turn when the torments of ill health
grow great, when wounds and maladies consume the soul,
when pain is cruel, bitter beyond bearing;
then do you come, sweet goddess, bringing comfort
and relief, easing the hurt. Goddess, I praise you.
Eos
Saffron-cloaked Eos, goddess of day’s dawning,
in darkness you wake each morn, with rosy fingers
you unbar the gates of heaven. Day-breaker,
day-bringer, well-crowned goddess of first light,
at ocean’s edge you dwell, with gentle hand you drive
your chariot of gold, exultant your heart with pride
and joy in the shining-maned steeds that draw it.
Golden-armed Eos, mother of the four winds,
mother of the dawn-star, mother of the even-star,
glorious is your spirit, beautiful your form,
your arrival inspires awe in all who greet the sun.
I praise your beauty and honor your might.
Poseidon
Poseidon of the white-capped waves, dark-haired
god of the the cold salt sea, of raging rivers
and sweetwater springs, ancient one, in Knossos
and in Thebes your name was known, carved with care
on tablets of clay, spoken softly, prayerfully,
in old Mycenae. World-shaker, god who holds
in hand the bones of the deep earth, in Corinth
were you well honored with games of skill and prowess;
throughout the land your temples stood, shining and tall.
The sea depths are yours, Poseidon; your palace lies
on the ocean floor, far removed from Olympos’ heights
and yet a glorious dwelling in your wondrous realm.
Bearer of the trident, stirrer of storms, master
of horses, granter to mankind of many gifts,
Poseidon, mighty son of Kronos, I praise you.
Persephone
I praise Persephone, child of thundering Zeus
and all-nourishing Demeter, bride of Hades
who holds in hand the wealth of the deep earth.
Persephone who dances in fields of flowers
with the laughing nymphs, garlanded in brilliant blossoms;
Persephone who wears the heavy crown of queen
in Hades’ dark and sumptuous realm, gracious and serene;
Persephone who with bright-haired Demeter
guides the fortunate soul to fair Elysium.
Graceful goddess whose feet sink into the fertile
soil or silently step through Hades marble halls,
Persephone who passes between the worlds,
who turns from girlish games to womanly pursuits,
blooming and ripening with the seasons. Kindly
Persephone, sweet as honey, I honor you.
Underflow 