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Prayers to Diana

28 prayers

Diana holds together three things Roman religion did not find contradictory: the huntress of the Aventine woods, the moon, and the goddess women called on in labour. Catullus' hymn names all three in eight stanzas. The prayers here run from Nemi, her lake sanctuary, to the domestic vows of women who had survived a birth.

What is asked
Fontes · Sources
  • Statius · Thebaid4
  • Virgil · Aeneid4
  • Anonymous · CIL2
  • Horace · Carmina2
  • Ovid · Fasti2
  • Ovid · Metamorphoses2
  • Apuleius · Metamorphoses1
  • Catullus · Carmina1
  • Grattius Faliscus · Cynegetica1
  • Horace · Carmen Saeculare1
  • Laevius · Carmina1
  • Ovid · Amores1
  • Petronius Arbiter · Carmina1
  • Seneca · Hercules Furens1
  • Silius Italicus · Punica1
  • Terentius · Andria1
  • Tibullus · Elegiae1
  • Virgil · Eclogues1
Orationes · The texts
  1. 001

    The oath of Aeneas and Latinus

    Virgil · Aeneid · 12.176-82; 197-211

    May the Sun now bear witness, and so too the Earth, I pray, for whom I have been able to endure these many labors, and you, Almighty Father, and you his consort (Juno), daughter of Saturnus, at one time more beneficial, at another kinder, be so now as I pray to you, O Goddess, and to you, too, Father Mavors, who wields all warfare under your powers, and on all the springs and rivers of this land I invoke as witnesses, and all the powers of the high heavens and those of the deep blue seas on whom it is proper to call. By these same deities I, Aeneas, swear, by the Earth and the Sea, by the stars and Latona's twin children, and dual-faced Janus, and the powers of the gods below, and the harsh shrines of Father Dis. May the Great Father hear my vow, he that sanctions alliances with his thunderbolt. I touch the altars, and by the fires and by the divine powers who I have called to witness, I so swear, that never shall I breach this alliance or the peace of Italy, no matter what or how things happen, nothing shall divert my will, not even if waves would cover the earth, plunging all into deluge, and the Heavens fell into deepest Tartarus.

    RomanOathInvocation
  2. 002

    Prayer to Diana

    Catullus · Carmina · 34

    Diana, in faith, we are pure girls and boys, allow us to sing to You. Diana, magnificent child of still greater Jove, whose mother Latona gave You birth in an olive grove on Delos. Lady of the Mountains who runs over hills and through dark forests, over the wild rough hill country and through the tall grass of hidden valleys, in mountain pastures cut by roaring streams. Women in the pain of childbirth call you Lucina. You are Trivia, goddess of witches. You are Luna, the luminous moon. Monthly is measured the progress of Your journey through the year while You fill the rustic homes of good farmers with the fruits of the earth. By whatsoever holy name it pleases You, from antiquity have You accepted our customary offerings, preserve in good faith the children of Romulus as ever You graced our ancestors.

    RomanPraiseInvocationPetition
  3. 003

    Prayer to Diana

    Horace · Carmina · 3.22.1-8

    Guardian of hills and forest groves, Virgin, whom young mothers thrice invoke at childbirth, listen and deliver them from death. Triple goddess, to You I dedicate this pine tree that now overhangs my villa and each year the blood of a wild boar, who ponders an oblique thrust, I will gladly give to its roots as drink.

    RomanInvocationDedicationPetition
  4. 004

    Prayer to Diana and Apollo

    Horace · Carmen Saeculare · 1-4; 13-16; 69-72

    O shining Phoebe and forest Diana, Lucidum, shining ornaments of the sky, ever gentle and refined, O sacred brows, give us what we pray for now. Gentle Moon, Ilithyia, Lucina, by whatever name you wish to be called, Gentalis, watch over mothers, may You give them gentle deliveries.

    RomanPetitionInvocationPraise
  5. 005

    Prayer to Diana and Eileithyia

    Ovid · Amores · 2.13.19-26

    Ilithyia, You who are compassionate towards women in labor, who suffer with great pains in their womb, their bodies strained in slow birth of the hidden child, gently attend to her, Ilithyia, and favor my prayers. She is worthy of Your aid, reward her with life, I will myself, dressed in pure white robes offer frankincense upon Your altar, I will myself carry votive gifts to lay at Your feet. And to Your altar's inscription I shall add, 'By Naso, for Corinna saved.' Act in this manner, and receive the legend inscribed and the gifts in Your sanctuary.

    RomanPetitionDedication
  6. 006

    Prayer to Diana

    Statius · Thebaid · 9.608-635

    Virgin Goddess of the sacred groves, whose unkind banners and fierce battle cries I follow, scorning my sex in a manner unlike the Greeks. If ever did I not boldly enter Bacchic revelries of the night, and even after I married, though my virgin purity was soiled, in my heart of hearts I remained a virgin huntress. I took no care to hide my fault from You in some secret cave, but held out my son to You, confessed my shame and trembling laid him at Your feet. He was not of degenerate blood, not weak or mild, but straightaway he crawled to my bow and as a babe cried for my arrow. For him I pray — whose fate causes me these restless nights and threatening dreams — for him, who now audaciously goes too boldly off to war, I pray to You that I may see him victorious, or, if I pray for too much, grant at least that I may see him once more. I pray, merciful Dictynna, by Your mother's labors and Your brother's glory, with all Your arrows pierce deeply this unhappy womb, and let him first hear of his wretched mother's death.

    RomanPetitionOath
  7. 007

    Prayer to Diana

    Virgil · Aeneid · 11.557-560

    Gracious Diana, virgin daughter of Latona, who inhabits sacred groves and nurtures woodlands, I, her father, vow this child into service as Your handmaiden. Holding Your weapons before all others, Your suppliant flees on the wind from the enemy. Bear witness to my vow, I pray, O Goddess, and accept her as Your own, whom I now commit to a precarious breeze.

    RomanDedicationOath
  8. 008

    Prayer to Diana

    Virgil · Eclogues · 4.8-10

    Only do You, at the boy's birth, in whom a golden race now arises the world over, and the men of iron first begin to pass away, You alone favor him, chaste Lucina; indeed Your own Apollo reigns.

    RomanPetitionInvocation
  9. 009

    Prayer to Minerva

    Seneca · Hercules Furens · 900

    To you, you alone, O warlike Pallas Minerva, I pray, friend and companion in all my toils; Tamer of Lycurgus, ivy wreathed you crossed the eastern seas, bearing the Thyrsus in your hand; and you divine twins, Apollo and Diana, hear my prayer.

    RomanInvocationPetition
  10. 010

    Prayer to Diana and Isis

    Apuleius · Metamorphoses · 11.2

    Diana, who are the sister of the God Phoebus, who nourishes so many people by the generation of beasts, and are now adored at the sacred places of Ephesus — You who is worshipped in divers manners, and does illuminate all the borders of the earth by Your feminine shape, You which nourishes all the fruits of the world by Your vigor and force; with whatsoever name or fashion it is lawful to call upon You, I pray You end my great travail and misery, and deliver me from the wretched fortune, which has for so long a time pursued me. Grant peace and rest if it please You to reply to my entreaties, for I have endured too much labor and peril.

    RomanPetitionInvocation
  11. 011

    Prayer to Diana

    Anonymous · CIL · CIL III 8298

    Virgin Goddess of Delia, known for Your favoring grace, what offerings You demand I happily give.

    RomanDedicationPetition
  12. 012

    Prayer to Diana

    Anonymous · CIL · CIL X 3796

    Resident of Tifata, Glorious Virgin of hunters, in this place, Daughter of Latona, was Your temple established, renowned by the whole of mankind, Dweller of the Forest, and here as well, an unending praise of life for You who preserves honor.

    RomanPraiseDedication
  13. 013

    Prayer to Diana

    Grattius Faliscus · Cynegetica · 1-2

    I sing in thanks for the gifts of the Gods, and for those gifts, O Diana, which are under Your auspices, for those skills in which hunters delight.

    RomanGratitudePraise
  14. 014

    Prayer to Diana

    Horace · Carmina · 1.21.1; 5-8

    Tender virgins recite their prayers to You, Diana, You who delight in dark rivers and quivering forest foliage, wherever You may be, atop the chilly height of Algidus, or in the Erymanthic woods, or verdant Cragus.

    RomanInvocationPraise
  15. 015

    Prayer to Diana and Venus

    Laevius · Carmina · fr. 26; p. 292

    Therefore adoring You as though You were nurturing Venus Herself, whether You are female, or whether You are male, even so, Illuminating the Night, You are a nurturing Moon.

    RomanPraiseInvocation
  16. 016

    Prayer to Diana

    Ovid · Fasti · 2.449-452

    Thanks be to You, Lucina, who are named for this sacred grove, or else because it is You, Goddess, who brings life into the light of day. Kind Lucina, I pray that You spare pregnant girls from labor's hardship, and gently birth ripened infants from their wombs.

    RomanGratitudePetition
  17. 017

    Prayer to Diana

    Ovid · Fasti · 3.255-256

    Diana Lucina, You have given us light, attend our birthing prayers.

    RomanPetitionInvocation
  18. 018

    Prayer to Diana

    Ovid · Metamorphoses · 5.618-620

    Help me, Diana, for I am overwhelmed. Diana, I am Your servant, Your arms-bearer, to whom You have often given Your bow to carry, and who filled Your quiver with arrows.

    RomanPetitionInvocation
  19. 019

    Prayer to Diana

    Ovid · Metamorphoses · 6.327-328

    Favour me, Goddess, lead me, and lend me your support.

    RomanPetition
  20. 020

    Prayer to Diana

    Virgil · Aeneid · 1.329-330

    Whoever you may be, whether Diana or a Nymph, may You favor us and lighten our labors.

    RomanPetitionInvocation
  21. 021

    Prayer to Diana

    Silius Italicus · Punica · 13.136

    Come favorably, Diana, daughter of Latona, onto our undertaking.

    RomanInvocationPetition
  22. 022

    Prayer to Diana

    Statius · Thebaid · 4.752-770

    Potent Goddess of sacred groves — for by your noble appearance and modesty I think You are not born of mortals — look with favor upon a tired army on the march. We determined that Thebes deserves to be destroyed with the sword brought forward, but now severe drought makes us no longer war-like, it bends our hearts, and weakens us into idleness. Grant drink to those who are weary, whether you hold a babbling brook or stagnant pool. This will bring no shame or desecration to your place. Winds, you now are asked along with Jove for rain, may you refresh our virile and bellicose hearts and replenish our lifeless spirits. Only Jupiter may grant that we will return with plunder, but if so, O Goddess, war gained riches we will pile as offerings of thanks to you. For your sanctuary, Goddess, a great altar we will build, and wash it in the blood of numerous Boeotian cattle to repay your kindness.

    RomanPetitionDedicationOath
  23. 023

    Prayer to Diana

    Statius · Thebaid · 6.633-637

    Goddess, divine power of woodland groves, to You and to Your honour, these locks of my hair are owed, and by the vow made to You also comes this wrong. If my mother or I merited your good assistance in the hunt, I ask You not allow me to go to Thebes under foreboding signs, nor allow Arcadia to plunge into so much shame.

    RomanPetitionDedication
  24. 024

    Prayer to Diana

    Statius · Thebaid · 10.360-370

    By these wandering stars I swear, by the shade of my leader, who is to me a divine power, that like the depth of my grief so is my deep resolve. Cynthia, mistress of arcane mysteries of the night, if Your divine power is threefold and You descend into the forest each time with a different appearance, it was he who recently was Your companion, and whose honor was nurtured in Your sacred grove. At least consider now to lend me Your aid, for it is this boy, Diana, for whom I search.

    RomanOathPetition
  25. 025

    Prayer to Diana

    Terentius · Andria · 232

    I pray, You Gods, grant an easy delivery to this girl, and assign to someone else the ill fate that awaits the day when the midwife makes her mistakes.

    RomanPetitionProtection
  26. 026

    Prayer to Diana and Juno

    Tibullus · Elegiae · 3.12.1-8

    Accept, O natal Juno, this offering of incense. Cheerfully, O Lucina, she has come to adorn Your shrine of matrons. Come, most chaste Queen of Heaven, appear in royal robes and nod Your assent to the wine that is poured and the cakes piled high to await You. With You bring every herb for ending pain, and soothing songs to sing; across the ocean from distant shores bear such herbs as will cure our most severe ills, or whatever else we most fear. Rack this girl no more with pain, or cruelly delay her birthing.

    RomanPetitionInvocationDedication
  27. 027

    Prayer to Diana

    Virgil · Aeneid · 9.404-405

    You, O divine daughter of Latona, Glory of the Stars and Guardian of the Sacred Groves, be present, Diana, that You may succor us who labor.

    RomanInvocationPetition
  28. 028

    Prayer to Apollo and Diana

    Petronius Arbiter · Carmina · 94 PLM

    God of Delphi, I have dedicated to You a temple made of fine Sicilian marble, spoken aloud Your praises while accompanied by the sweet sounds of the calamus reeds. If ever You hear our prayers, Apollo, and if indeed You are divine, tell me now, by what means does a man without money seek to find it?

    RomanPetitionDedication
Invoked alongside
Apollo4Juno2Dis Pater1Earth1Eileithyia1Isis1Janus1Jupiter1Mars1Minerva1Sol1the Manes1Venus1
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