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Prayers to Dionysus

13 prayers

The Greek Dionysus of this collection is almost entirely a god of hymns rather than of petitions: the Homeric hymn of the pirates turned to dolphins, and a run of Orphic hymns that address him under cult titles — Liknites of the winnowing-fan, Lysios the loosener, Perikionios of the pillar. Each title was a different rite.

What is asked
Fontes · Sources
  • Anonymous (Orphic corpus) · Orphic Hymns9
  • Anonymous (Homeric corpus) · Homeric Hymns3
  • Plethon / Mousaios adaptation · Hellenic Polytheism: Household Worship1
In the sources
Dionysos · Dionysus
The name as each source prints it.
Orationes · The texts
  1. 001

    Hymn to Dionysus

    Anonymous (Homeric corpus) · Homeric Hymns · 26

    I begin to sing of Dionysos ivy-crowned, the loud-crying, splendid son of Zeus and glorious Semele. The rich-haired Nymphai received him in their bosoms from the lord his father and fostered and nurtured him carefully in the dells of Nysa, where by the will of his father he grew up in a sweet-smelling cave, being reckoned among the immortals. But when the goddesses had brought him up, a god oft hymned, then began he to wander continually through the woody coombes, thickly wreathed with ivy and laurel. And the Nymphai followed in his train with him for their leader; and the boundless forest was filled with their outcry. And so hail to you, Dionysos god of abundant clusters! Grant that we may come again rejoicing to this season, and from that season onwards for many a year.

    GreekInvocationPetition
  2. 002

    Hymn to Demeter of Eleusis

    Anonymous (Orphic corpus) · Orphic Hymns · 40

    O universal mother, Deo famed, august, the source of wealth, and various named: great nurse, all-bounteous, blessed and divine, who joyest in peace; to nourish corn is thine. Goddess of seed, of fruits abundant, fair, harvest and threshing are thy constant care. Lovely delightful queen, by all desired, who dwellest in Eleusis' holy vales retired. Nurse of all mortals, who benignant mind first ploughing oxen to the yoke confined; and gave to men what nature's wants require, with plenteous means of bliss, which all desire. In verdure flourishing, in glory bright, assessor of great Bromios bearing light: rejoicing in the reapers' sickles, kind, whose nature lucid, earthly, pure, we find. Prolific, venerable, nurse divine, thy daughter loving, holy Koure. A car with Drakones yoked 'tis thine to guide, and, orgies singing, round thy throne to ride. Only-begotten, much-producing queen, all flowers are thine, and fruits of lovely green. Bright Goddess, come, with summer's rich increase swelling and pregnant, leading smiling peace; come with fair concord and imperial health, and join with these a needful store of wealth.

    GreekInvocationPetition
  3. 003

    Hymn to Dionysus and Persephone

    Anonymous (Orphic corpus) · Orphic Hymns · 30

    Dionysos I call loud-sounding and divine, inspiring God, a twofold shape is thine: thy various names and attributes I sing, O firstborn, thrice begotten, Bakkheion king. Rural, ineffable, two-formed, obscure, two-horned, with ivy crowned, and Euion pure: bull-faced and martial, bearer of the vine, endued with counsel prudent and divine: Eubouleos, whom the leaves of vines adorn, of Zeus and Persephoneia occultly born in beds ineffable; all-blessed power, whom with triennial offerings men adore. Immortal Daimon, hear my suppliant voice, give me in blameless plenty to rejoice; and listen gracious to my mystic prayer surrounded with thy choir of nurses fair.

    GreekInvocationPetition
  4. 004

    Hymn to Chthonic Hermes

    Anonymous (Orphic corpus) · Orphic Hymns · 57

    Hermes, I call, whom fate decrees to dwell near to Kokytos, the famed stream of Haides, and in necessity's dread path, whose bourn to none that reach it ever permits return. O Bakkheios Hermes, progeny divine of Dionysos, parent of the vine, and of celestial Aphrodite, Paphian queen, dark-eyelashed Goddess, of a lovely mien: who constant wanderest through the sacred seats where Haides' dread empress, Persephone, retreats; to wretched souls the leader of the way, when fate decrees, to regions void of day. Thine is the wand which causes sleep to fly, or lulls to slumberous rest the weary eye; for Persephone, through Tartaros dark and wide, gave thee for ever flowing souls to guide. Come, blessed power, the sacrifice attend, and grant thy mystics' works a happy end.

    GreekInvocationPetition
  5. 005

    The Prayer of Musaeus

    Plethon / Mousaios adaptation · Hellenic Polytheism: Household Worship · Noumenia Ceremony — Prayer of Mousaios

    King Zeus and Gaia and sacred heavenly flames of Helios; holy light of Mene and all the stars; and You, dark haired Poseidon, earth-shaker; pure Persephone and Demetra of the bountiful fruit; Artemis, the maiden archer and farshooting Phoibos, who dwells in the sacred valley of Delphi, holding the highest honours amongst the Blessed; dancing Dionysos, bold Ares and powerful holy Ephaistos, foam-born goddess, bearer of famous gifts, and You, King of the Underworld, great and venerable God; Hebe and Eileithia and brave Heracles, and the great providence of Dikaiosyne and Eusevia; I also call the splendid Nymphs and Pan, the Great, and Hera, vigorous wife of aegis-bearing Zeus; I invoke the lovely Mnemosyne and the nine sublime Muses and the Kharites and the Horês of the Eniautos, Leto with the beautiful limbs, the modest Theio and Dione, the Kouretes, the armed Koryvantes, and the Kaveires, as well as our great Saviours, the indestructible children of Zeus, the great Idaian gods and the heavenly messenger, Hermes, the communicator, and Themis, the diviner of men, I invite venerable Nyx and brightly glowing Day, Pisti and Dike and the immaculate Lawgiver, Rhea and Kronos and the dark-veiled Tethys, Okeanos, the Great, and his daughters, the Okeanides, Atlas' and Aionos' superior power, and the eternal Time, and the splendid water of Styx, the soothing Gods and the benevolent Pronoia; the all-holy Daimona of the Gods and the malevolent of mortals, all heavenly, air and water Gods, all Gods of the earth, and of the fire, and of the underworld. Semele and the company of Bakkhos; Ino Leukothea and Palaimon, the bliss-giver, Sweet tongued Nike and queen Adrastea, and the great king, giver of tranquillity, Asclepios, Pallas, the fearsome maiden, and all the Winds and the Thunder, the steady foundation of the Kosmos, Mother of the Immortals, Attis and Mena, I call the Goddess Ourania together with her immortal pure Adonis, the Beginning and the End — the greatest of all. Come with benevolence and happy hearts, to this holy ceremony and sacred libation.

    GreekInvocationPraise
  6. 006

    Hymn to Dionysus and Semele

    Anonymous (Homeric corpus) · Homeric Hymns · 1

    Be favourable, O Insewn, Inspirer of frenzied women! We singers sing of you as we begin and as we end a strain, and none forgetting you may call holy song to mind. And so, farewell, Dionysos Insewn with your mother Semele whom men call Thyone.

    GreekInvocationPraise
  7. 007

    Hymn to Dionysus and Semele

    Anonymous (Homeric corpus) · Homeric Hymns · 7

    I sing of Dionysos, the son of glorious Semele... Hail, child of fair-faced Semele! He who forgets you can in no wise order sweet song.

    GreekInvocationPraise
  8. 008

    Hymn to Dionysus Amphietes

    Anonymous (Orphic corpus) · Orphic Hymns · 53

    Khthonion Dionysos, hear my prayer, rise vigilant with Nymphai of lovely hair: great Bakkhos Amphietos, annual God, who laid asleep in Persephone's abode, her sacred seat, didst lull to drowsy rest the rites triennial and the sacred feast; which roused again by thee, in graceful ring, thy nurses round thee mystic anthems sing; when briskly dancing with rejoicing powers, thou movest in concert with the circling hours. Come blessed, fruitful, horned, and divine, and on this sacred consecration propitious shine; accept the pious incense and the prayer, and make prolific the holy fruits thy care.

    GreekInvocationPetition
  9. 009

    Hymn to Dionysus Bassareus

    Anonymous (Orphic corpus) · Orphic Hymns · 45

    Come, blessed Dionysos, various-named, bull-faced, begot from thunder, Bakkhos famed. Bassaros God, of universal might, whom swords and blood and sacred rage delight: in heaven rejoicing, mad, loud-sounding God, furious inspirer, bearer of the rod: by Gods revered, who dwellest with humankind, propitious come, with much rejoicing mind.

    GreekInvocation
  10. 010

    Hymn to Dionysus Liknites

    Anonymous (Orphic corpus) · Orphic Hymns · 46

    Liknitos Dionysos, bearer of the vine, thee I invoke to bless these rites divine: florid and gay, of Nymphai the blossom bright, and of fair Aphrodite, Goddess of delight. 'Tis thine mad footsteps with mad Nymphai to beat, dancing through groves with lightly leaping feet: from Zeus' high counsels nursed by Persephoneia, and born the dread of all the powers divine. Come, blessed God, regard thy suppliant's voice, propitious come, and in these rites rejoice.

    GreekInvocation
  11. 011

    Hymn to Dionysus Lysios

    Anonymous (Orphic corpus) · Orphic Hymns · 50

    Hear me, Zeus' son, blest Bakkhos, God of wine, born of two mothers, honoured and divine; Lysios Euios Bakkhos, various-named, of gods the offspring, secret, holy, famed. Fertile and nourishing, whose liberal care augments the fruit that banishes despair. Sounding, magnanimous, Lenaios power, of various-formed, medicinal, holy flower: mortals in thee repose from labour find, delightful charm, desired by all mankind. Fair-haired Euion, Bromios, joyful God, Lysios, insanely raging with the leafy rod. To these our rites, benignant power, incline, when favouring men, or when on Gods you shine; be present to thy mystics' suppliant prayer, rejoicing come, and fruits abundant bear.

    GreekInvocationPetition
  12. 012

    Hymn to Dionysus Perikionios

    Anonymous (Orphic corpus) · Orphic Hymns · 47

    Bakkhos Perikionios, hear my prayer, who madest the house of Kadmos once thy care, with matchless force his pillars twining round, when burning thunders shook the solid ground, in flaming, sounding torrents borne along, propped by thy grasp indissolubly strong. Come, mighty Bakkhos, to these rites inclined, and bless thy suppliants with rejoicing mind.

    GreekInvocationPetition
  13. 013

    Hymn to Dionysus Trieterikos

    Anonymous (Orphic corpus) · Orphic Hymns · 52

    Bakkhos phrenetic, much named, blessed, divine, bull-horned, Lernaion, bearer of the vine; from fire descended, ranging, Nysion king, from whom initial ceremonies spring. Liknitos, pure and fiery bright, prudent, Eubouleos crown-bearer, wandering in the night; nursed in Mount Mero, all-mysterious power, triple, ineffable, Zeus' secret flower; Erikepaios, first-begotten named, of Gods the father and the offspring famed. Bearing a sceptre, leader of the choir, whose dancing feet phrenetic furies fire, when the triennial band thou dost inspire, Omadion, captor, of a fiery light, born of two mothers, Amphietos bright; love, mountain-wandering, clothed with skins of deer, Paian golden-rayed, whom all revere. Great annual god of grapes, the ivy crowned, Bassaros, lovely, virginlike, renowned. Come, blessed power, regard thy mystic's voice, propitious come, and in these rites rejoice.

    GreekInvocation
Invoked alongside
Persephone6Aphrodite3Semele3the Nymphs3Demeter2Hermes2Apollo1Ares1Artemis1Asclepius1Athena1Gaia1Hades1Helios1Hephaestus1Hera1Poseidon1Zeus1
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