Antiquae PrecesAntiquae Preces
ENRU
Roman

Prayers to Mercury

5 prayers

Mercury is the god of the margin the Romans cared about most: profit. The prayers are merchants' — for a good price, a safe road, a returning debtor — and the Mercuralia of May had traders sprinkle their goods and their own heads with water from his spring.

What is asked
Fontes · Sources
  • Horace · Satires2
  • Horace · Carmina1
  • Manilius · Astronomicon1
  • Ovid · Fasti1
Orationes · The texts
  1. 001

    Prayer to Mercury

    Horace · Carmina · 1.10.1-8; 17-20

    Mercurius, by Atlas born to Maia, God who fashioned our uncivilized ancestors into cultured men of urbane speech and athletic bearing, to You I sing, Messenger of the Gods and of mighty Jove, inventor of the curved lyre, it pleases You to compose secret jokes and play pranks skillfully. Gladly You restore pious souls to their proper places and by the golden staff confine the trivial quarrel. Dear are You to the Gods above and below.

    RomanPraiseInvocation
  2. 002

    Prayer to Mercury

    Ovid · Fasti · 5.681-690

    O Mercury, whether I have falsely called You to bear witness in the past, or deceitfully called upon Jupiter not to hear my empty promises, wash away my past perjuries, wash away yesterday's perfidious words, and allow me new perjuries to make when the new day dawns, and make the gods be indifferent to my lies. Grant that I may profit, grant joy in making a profit, grant that I may enjoy once more swindling my customers with deceitful words.

    RomanPetition
  3. 003

    Prayer to Mercury

    Horace · Satires · 2.6.4-5

    It is well. Nothing more ample do I pray, O Maia's son, save that You will make these my gifts last throughout my life.

    RomanPetition
  4. 004

    Prayer to Mercury

    Horace · Satires · 2.6.14-15

    May You, Mercurius, make plump the riches of my house and all else there, spare my natural talents in any case, and as usual, may You remain the primary guardian over me.

    RomanPetition
  5. 005

    Prayer to Mercury

    Manilius · Astronomicon · 1.30ff

    Mercurius Cyllenius, principle author of all sacred knowledge, at times within Heaven, at other times travelling within the starry signs to open the celestial paths to the highest parts above and the lowest paths beneath the earth. You stitch together the stars in the empty void of space into constellations, name them and determine their course; may it have been for us to reverently use the greater powers of the universe that You make.

    RomanInvocationPraise
← All gods