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  • Homeric and Orphic Hymns and other liturgy, devotionals, and prayers

    orphic hymn to gaia

    To Gaia,
    (fumigation from every kind of Seed, except beans and aromatics)

    O mother Gaia,
    of Gods and men the source,
    endured with fertile,
    all-destroying force;
    all-parent, bounding,
    whose prolific powers
    produce a store of beauteous
    fruits and flowers.

    All-various maid,
    the immortal world’s strong base,
    eternal, blessed,
    crowned with every grace;
    from whose wide womb
    as from an endless root,
    fruits many-formed,
    mature, and grateful shoot.

    Deep-bosomed, blessed,
    pleased with grassy plains,
    sweet to the smell,
    and with prolific rains.

    All-flowery Daimon,
    centre of the world,
    around thy orb the beauteous stars
    are hurled
    with rapid whirl,
    eternal and divine,
    whose frames with matchless skill
    and wisdom shine.

    Come, blessed Goddess,
    listen to my prayer,
    and make increase of fruits
    thy constant care;
    with fertile Horai*
    in thy train draw near,
    and with propitious mind
    thy suppliants hear.


    *Horai–goddesses of the Seasons
    “You have never answered but you did not need to. If I stand at the ocean I can hear you with your thousand voices. Sometimes you shout, hilarious laughter that taunts all questions. Other nights you are silent as death, a mirror in which the stars show themselves. Then I think you want to tell me something, but you never do. Of course I know I have written letters to no-one. But what if I find a trident tomorrow?" ~~Letters to Poseidon, Cees Nooteboom

    “We still carry this primal relationship to the Earth within our consciousness, even if we have long forgotten it. It is a primal recognition of the wonder, beauty, and divine nature of the Earth. It is a felt reverence for all that exists. Once we bring this foundational quality into our consciousness, we will be able to respond to our present man-made crisis from a place of balance, in which our actions will be grounded in an attitude of respect for all of life. This is the nature of real sustainability.”
    ~~Llewellyn Vaughan-Lee

    "We are the offspring of history, and must establish our own paths in this most diverse and interesting of conceivable universes--one indifferent to our suffering, and therefore offering us maximal freedom to thrive, or to fail, in our own chosen way."
    ~~Stephen Jay Gould, Wonderful Life: The Burgess Shale and the Nature of History

    "Humans are not rational creatures. Now, logic and rationality are very helpful tools, but there’s also a place for embracing our subjectivity and thinking symbolically. Sometimes what our so-called higher thinking can’t or won’t see, our older, more primitive intuition will." John Beckett

    Pagan Devotionals, because the wind and the rain is our Bible
    sigpic

  • #2
    Re: Homeric and Orphic Hymns and other liturgy, devotionals, and prayers

    I have a record album (yeah, I'm old) of Ancient Greek music... what little has survived well enough to be recorded - most is just fragments - but there is an Orphic Hymn on there, somewhere...
    Every moment of a life is a horrible tragedy, a slapstick comedy, dark nihilism, golden illumination, or nothing at all; depending on how we write the story we tell ourselves.

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: Homeric and Orphic Hymns and other liturgy, devotionals, and prayers

      Prayer to Venus (Aphrodite)

      translated from Sappho, source ?


      O Venus, beauty of the skies,
      To whom a thousand temples rise,
      Gaily false in gentle smiles,
      Full of love-perplexing wiles;
      O goddess, from my heart remove
      The wasting cares and pains of love.
      If ever thou hast kindly heard
      A song in soft distress preferred,
      Propitious to my tuneful vow,
      A gentle goddess, hear me now.
      Descend, thou bright immortal guest,
      In all thy radiant charms confessed.
      Thou once didst leave almighty Jove
      And all the golden roofs above:
      The car thy wanton sparrows drew,
      Hovering in air they lightly flew;
      As to my bower they winged their way
      I saw their quivering pinions play.
      The birds dismissed (while you remain)
      Bore back their empty car again:
      Then you, with looks divinely mild,
      In every heavenly feature smiled,
      And asked what new complaints I made,
      And why I called you to my aid?
      What frenzy in my bosom raged,
      And by what cure to be assuaged?
      What gentle youth I would allure,
      Whom in my artful toils secure?
      Who does thy tender heart subdue,
      Tell me, my Sappho, tell me who?
      Though now he shuns thy longing arms,
      He soon shall court thy slighted charms;
      Though now thy offerings he despise,
      He soon to thee shall sacrifice;
      Though now he freezes, he soon shall burn,
      And be thy victim in his turn.
      Celestial visitant, once more
      Thy needful presence I implore.
      In pity come, and ease my grief,
      Bring my distempered soul relief,
      Favour thy suppliant’s hidden fires,
      And give me all my heart desires.
      “You have never answered but you did not need to. If I stand at the ocean I can hear you with your thousand voices. Sometimes you shout, hilarious laughter that taunts all questions. Other nights you are silent as death, a mirror in which the stars show themselves. Then I think you want to tell me something, but you never do. Of course I know I have written letters to no-one. But what if I find a trident tomorrow?" ~~Letters to Poseidon, Cees Nooteboom

      “We still carry this primal relationship to the Earth within our consciousness, even if we have long forgotten it. It is a primal recognition of the wonder, beauty, and divine nature of the Earth. It is a felt reverence for all that exists. Once we bring this foundational quality into our consciousness, we will be able to respond to our present man-made crisis from a place of balance, in which our actions will be grounded in an attitude of respect for all of life. This is the nature of real sustainability.”
      ~~Llewellyn Vaughan-Lee

      "We are the offspring of history, and must establish our own paths in this most diverse and interesting of conceivable universes--one indifferent to our suffering, and therefore offering us maximal freedom to thrive, or to fail, in our own chosen way."
      ~~Stephen Jay Gould, Wonderful Life: The Burgess Shale and the Nature of History

      "Humans are not rational creatures. Now, logic and rationality are very helpful tools, but there’s also a place for embracing our subjectivity and thinking symbolically. Sometimes what our so-called higher thinking can’t or won’t see, our older, more primitive intuition will." John Beckett

      Pagan Devotionals, because the wind and the rain is our Bible
      sigpic

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: Homeric and Orphic Hymns and other liturgy, devotionals, and prayers

        A Psalm for Gaia
        Dolores Stewart Riccio


        The Earth is my mother, I shall not want.
        She nurtures me in green pastures;
        She freshens me with flowing waters.
        … She restores my body and awakens my soul.
        Although I walk in the shadow of changing seasons and passing time,
        I will not fear death,
        For the essence of life is within me,
        The peace and beauty of Earth comfort me.
        She teaches me to harvest her abundant gifts,
        She fills my heart with compassion,
        I drink from the cup of simple pleasures.
        As I look to the skies with wonder at the immensity of the universe,
        I know I am blessed beyond measure to live all the days of my life
        in the bountiful house of Gaia.
        “You have never answered but you did not need to. If I stand at the ocean I can hear you with your thousand voices. Sometimes you shout, hilarious laughter that taunts all questions. Other nights you are silent as death, a mirror in which the stars show themselves. Then I think you want to tell me something, but you never do. Of course I know I have written letters to no-one. But what if I find a trident tomorrow?" ~~Letters to Poseidon, Cees Nooteboom

        “We still carry this primal relationship to the Earth within our consciousness, even if we have long forgotten it. It is a primal recognition of the wonder, beauty, and divine nature of the Earth. It is a felt reverence for all that exists. Once we bring this foundational quality into our consciousness, we will be able to respond to our present man-made crisis from a place of balance, in which our actions will be grounded in an attitude of respect for all of life. This is the nature of real sustainability.”
        ~~Llewellyn Vaughan-Lee

        "We are the offspring of history, and must establish our own paths in this most diverse and interesting of conceivable universes--one indifferent to our suffering, and therefore offering us maximal freedom to thrive, or to fail, in our own chosen way."
        ~~Stephen Jay Gould, Wonderful Life: The Burgess Shale and the Nature of History

        "Humans are not rational creatures. Now, logic and rationality are very helpful tools, but there’s also a place for embracing our subjectivity and thinking symbolically. Sometimes what our so-called higher thinking can’t or won’t see, our older, more primitive intuition will." John Beckett

        Pagan Devotionals, because the wind and the rain is our Bible
        sigpic

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: Homeric and Orphic Hymns and other liturgy, devotionals, and prayers

          Homeric Hymn to Ares

          Ares, exceeding in strength, chariot-rider, golden-helmed, doughty in heart, shield-bearer, Savior of cities, harnessed in bronze, strong of arm, unwearying, mighty with the spear, O defender of Olympus, father of warlike Victory, ally of Themis, stern governor of the rebellious, leader of righteous men, sceptered King of manliness, who whirl your fiery sphere among the planets in their sevenfold courses through the aether wherein your blazing steeds ever bear you above the third firmament of heaven; hear me, helper of men, giver of dauntless youth! Shed down a kindly ray from above upon my life, and strength of war, that I may be able to drive away bitter cowardice from my head and crush down the deceitful impulses of my soul. Restrain also the keen fury of my heart which provokes me to tread the ways of blood-curdling strife. Rather, O blessed one, give you me boldness to abide within the harmless laws of peace, avoiding strife and hatred and the violent fiends of death.
          “You have never answered but you did not need to. If I stand at the ocean I can hear you with your thousand voices. Sometimes you shout, hilarious laughter that taunts all questions. Other nights you are silent as death, a mirror in which the stars show themselves. Then I think you want to tell me something, but you never do. Of course I know I have written letters to no-one. But what if I find a trident tomorrow?" ~~Letters to Poseidon, Cees Nooteboom

          “We still carry this primal relationship to the Earth within our consciousness, even if we have long forgotten it. It is a primal recognition of the wonder, beauty, and divine nature of the Earth. It is a felt reverence for all that exists. Once we bring this foundational quality into our consciousness, we will be able to respond to our present man-made crisis from a place of balance, in which our actions will be grounded in an attitude of respect for all of life. This is the nature of real sustainability.”
          ~~Llewellyn Vaughan-Lee

          "We are the offspring of history, and must establish our own paths in this most diverse and interesting of conceivable universes--one indifferent to our suffering, and therefore offering us maximal freedom to thrive, or to fail, in our own chosen way."
          ~~Stephen Jay Gould, Wonderful Life: The Burgess Shale and the Nature of History

          "Humans are not rational creatures. Now, logic and rationality are very helpful tools, but there’s also a place for embracing our subjectivity and thinking symbolically. Sometimes what our so-called higher thinking can’t or won’t see, our older, more primitive intuition will." John Beckett

          Pagan Devotionals, because the wind and the rain is our Bible
          sigpic

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: Homeric and Orphic Hymns and other liturgy, devotionals, and prayers

            From the Orphic Hymn (Hymn #2) to Nyx via Theoi.com


            (The Fumigation with Torches)

            Night, parent goddess, source of sweet repose,
            from whom at first both Gods and men arose,
            Hear, blessed Kypris, deck’d with starry light,
            in sleep’s deep silence dwelling Ebon night!
            Dreams and soft case attend thy dusky train,
            pleas’d with the length’ned gloom and feaftful strain.
            Dissolving anxious care, the friend of Mirth,
            with darkling coursers riding round the earth.
            Goddess of phantoms and of shadowy play,
            whose drowsy pow’r divides the nat’ral day:
            By Fate’s decree you constant send
            the light to deepest hell, remote from mortal sight
            For dire Necessity which nought withstands,
            invests the world with adamantine bands.
            Be present, Goddess, to thy suppliant’s pray’r,
            desir’d by all, whom all alike revere,
            Blessed, benevolent, with friendly aid
            dispell the fears of Twilight’s dreadful shade.
            “You have never answered but you did not need to. If I stand at the ocean I can hear you with your thousand voices. Sometimes you shout, hilarious laughter that taunts all questions. Other nights you are silent as death, a mirror in which the stars show themselves. Then I think you want to tell me something, but you never do. Of course I know I have written letters to no-one. But what if I find a trident tomorrow?" ~~Letters to Poseidon, Cees Nooteboom

            “We still carry this primal relationship to the Earth within our consciousness, even if we have long forgotten it. It is a primal recognition of the wonder, beauty, and divine nature of the Earth. It is a felt reverence for all that exists. Once we bring this foundational quality into our consciousness, we will be able to respond to our present man-made crisis from a place of balance, in which our actions will be grounded in an attitude of respect for all of life. This is the nature of real sustainability.”
            ~~Llewellyn Vaughan-Lee

            "We are the offspring of history, and must establish our own paths in this most diverse and interesting of conceivable universes--one indifferent to our suffering, and therefore offering us maximal freedom to thrive, or to fail, in our own chosen way."
            ~~Stephen Jay Gould, Wonderful Life: The Burgess Shale and the Nature of History

            "Humans are not rational creatures. Now, logic and rationality are very helpful tools, but there’s also a place for embracing our subjectivity and thinking symbolically. Sometimes what our so-called higher thinking can’t or won’t see, our older, more primitive intuition will." John Beckett

            Pagan Devotionals, because the wind and the rain is our Bible
            sigpic

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: Homeric and Orphic Hymns and other liturgy, devotionals, and prayers

              Originally posted by B. de Corbin View Post
              I have a record album (yeah, I'm old) of Ancient Greek music... what little has survived well enough to be recorded - most is just fragments - but there is an Orphic Hymn on there, somewhere...

              This is totally cool. Somewhere I have a link for what is called the Epitaph of Skelios (sp?--I'll have to look it up), which is awesome. I think its interesting that they can figure out the differences in notation. Words are so much easier, I would think, to translate...
              “You have never answered but you did not need to. If I stand at the ocean I can hear you with your thousand voices. Sometimes you shout, hilarious laughter that taunts all questions. Other nights you are silent as death, a mirror in which the stars show themselves. Then I think you want to tell me something, but you never do. Of course I know I have written letters to no-one. But what if I find a trident tomorrow?" ~~Letters to Poseidon, Cees Nooteboom

              “We still carry this primal relationship to the Earth within our consciousness, even if we have long forgotten it. It is a primal recognition of the wonder, beauty, and divine nature of the Earth. It is a felt reverence for all that exists. Once we bring this foundational quality into our consciousness, we will be able to respond to our present man-made crisis from a place of balance, in which our actions will be grounded in an attitude of respect for all of life. This is the nature of real sustainability.”
              ~~Llewellyn Vaughan-Lee

              "We are the offspring of history, and must establish our own paths in this most diverse and interesting of conceivable universes--one indifferent to our suffering, and therefore offering us maximal freedom to thrive, or to fail, in our own chosen way."
              ~~Stephen Jay Gould, Wonderful Life: The Burgess Shale and the Nature of History

              "Humans are not rational creatures. Now, logic and rationality are very helpful tools, but there’s also a place for embracing our subjectivity and thinking symbolically. Sometimes what our so-called higher thinking can’t or won’t see, our older, more primitive intuition will." John Beckett

              Pagan Devotionals, because the wind and the rain is our Bible
              sigpic

              Comment

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