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Prayers to Zeus

12 prayers

The Greek Zeus of this collection is largely a philosopher's god. Cleanthes' hymn addresses him as the reason running through everything, and it is a Stoic argument as much as a prayer. Beside it stand the older material: the oath formulas, the Homeric invocations, and the appeal to Zeus of rain.

What is asked
Fontes · Sources
  • Anonymous (Homeric corpus) · Homeric Hymns4
  • Anonymous (Orphic corpus) · Orphic Hymns2
  • LABRYS Polytheistic Community · Hellenic Polytheism: Household Worship2
  • Cleanthes (preserved by Epictetus) · Enchiridion1
  • Cleanthes · Hymn to Zeus1
  • George Gemistos Plethon · Twenty-second Hymn1
  • Plethon / Mousaios adaptation · Hellenic Polytheism: Household Worship1
Orationes · The texts
  1. 001

    Hymn to Zeus

    Cleanthes · Hymn to Zeus

    Most glorious of the immortals, many-named, forever almighty, Zeus, first author of nature, steering all things by law —

    GreekPraiseInvocationPetition
  2. 002

    Lead me, O Zeus

    Cleanthes (preserved by Epictetus) · Enchiridion · 53

    Lead me, O Zeus, and you too, Destiny, wherever I have been assigned by you;

    GreekInvocationDedication
  3. 003

    Hymn to Hestia

    Anonymous (Homeric corpus) · Homeric Hymns · 29

    Hestia, in the high dwellings of all... you have gained an everlasting abode and highest honour: glorious is your portion and your right. For without you mortals hold no banquet... And you, Argeiphontes, Son of Zeus and Maia, messenger of the blessed gods, bearer of the golden rod, giver of good, be favourable and help us, you and Hestia, the worshipful and dear. Come and dwell in this glorious house in friendship together; for you two, well knowing the noble actions of men, aid on their wisdom and their strength. Hail, Daughter of Kronos, and you also, Hermes Khrysorrapis! Now I will remember you and another song also.

    GreekInvocationPetition
  4. 004

    Prayer to Zeus and Hera

    LABRYS Polytheistic Community · Hellenic Polytheism: Household Worship · Wedding Ceremony — Prayer to Zeus and Hera

    I invoke the Great, the Pure, the Imperishable, the Much-honoured, Father of the Blessed gods and of men; Greatest Zeus and Hera, Queen of all, Blessed wife of Zeus, Mistress of Matrimony, well-disposed Mother. Come to us and grant to the newly-weds, health and nurturing peace, a life of mirth and well-being — a life of mutual dedication.

    GreekPetitionInvocation
  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

    Plethon's hymn

    George Gemistos Plethon · Twenty-second Hymn

    Let me not cease, O' Blissful Gods, to owe You gratitude, for all the good things I receive,

    GreekGratitudePetition
  7. 007

    Hymn to Hera

    Anonymous (Homeric corpus) · Homeric Hymns · 12

    I sing of golden-throned Hera whom Rhea bare. Queen of the Immortals is she, surpassing all in beauty: she is the sister and wife of loud-thundering Zeus — the glorious one whom all the blessed throughout high Olympos reverence and honour even as Zeus who delights in thunder.

    GreekInvocationPraise
  8. 008

    Hymn to Hermes

    Anonymous (Homeric corpus) · Homeric Hymns · 4

    Mousa, sing of Hermes, the son of Zeus and Maia, lord of Kyllene and Arkadia rich in flocks, the luck-bringing, messenger of the gods whom Maia bare, the rich-tressed Nymphe, when she was joined in love with Zeus... Zeus commanded that glorious Hermes should be lord over all birds of omen and grim-eyed lions, and boars with gleaming tusks, and over dogs and all flocks that the wide earth nourishes, and over all sheep; also that he only should be the appointed messenger to Hades, who, though he takes no gift, shall give him no mean prize... He consorts with all mortals and immortals: a little he profits, but continually throughout the dark night he cozens the tribes of mortal men. And so, farewell, Son of Zeus and Maia; but I will remember you and another song also.

    GreekInvocationPraise
  9. 009

    Hymn to Hermes

    Anonymous (Homeric corpus) · Homeric Hymns · 18

    I sing of Hermes Kyllenios, Argeiphontes, lord of Kyllene and Arkadia rich in flocks, luck-bringing messenger of the deathless gods. He was born of Maia, the daughter of Atlas, when she had made love with Zeus — a shy goddess she. Ever she avoided the throng of the blessed gods and lived in a shadowy cave, and there Kronion used to lie with the rich-tressed Nymphe at dead of night, while white-armed Hera lay bound in sweet sleep: and neither deathless god nor mortal man knew it. And so hail to you, Son of Zeus and Maia; with you I have begun: now I will turn to another song! Hail, Hermes, giver of grace, guide, and giver of good things!

    GreekInvocationPraise
  10. 010

    Hymn to Hera and Zeus

    Anonymous (Orphic corpus) · Orphic Hymns · 16

    O royal Hera, of majestic mien, aerial-formed, divine, Zeus' blessed queen, throned in the bosom of cerulean air, the race of mortals is thy constant care. The cooling gales thy power alone inspires, which nourish life, which every life desires. Mother of showers and winds, from thee alone, producing all things, mortal life is known: all natures share thy temperament divine, and universal sway alone is thine, with sounding blasts of wind, the swelling sea and rolling rivers roar when shook by thee. Come, blessed Goddess, famed almighty queen, with aspect kind, rejoicing and serene.

    GreekInvocationPetition
  11. 011

    Hymn to Hermes

    Anonymous (Orphic corpus) · Orphic Hymns · 28

    Hermes, draw near, and to my prayer incline, messenger of Zeus, and Maia's son divine; prefect of contests, ruler of mankind, with heart almighty, and a prudent mind. Celestial messenger of various skill, whose powerful arts could watchful Argos kill. With winged feet 'tis thine through air to course, O friend of man, and prophet of discourse; great life-supporter, to rejoice is thine in arts gymnastic, and in fraud divine. With power endued all language to explain, of care the loosener, and the source of gain. Whose hand contains of blameless peace the rod, Korykion, blessed, profitable God. Of various speech, whose aid in works we find, and in necessities to mortal kind. Dire weapon of the tongue, which men revere, be present, Hermes, and thy suppliant hear; assist my works, conclude my life with peace, give graceful speech, and memory's increase.

    GreekInvocationPetition
  12. 012

    Prayer to Zeus

    LABRYS Polytheistic Community · Hellenic Polytheism: Household Worship · Noumenia — Hymn to Zeus

    O' Zeus, Father Zeus, You are the power in the heavens, You who judges the deeds of men to be lawful or devious, and dispenses justice upon hubristic beasts. Come, O' Blessed Ktesios and Erkeios, benevolent, comforting and bearing wealth with Agathodaimon.

    GreekInvocationPetition
Invoked alongside
Hermes5Hera4Maia4Aphrodite1Apollo1Ares1Artemis1Asclepius1Athena1Cronus1Demeter1Dionysus1Gaia1Hades1Helios1Hephaestus1Hestia1Persephone1Poseidon1Rhea1the Moirai1
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