ritual · Greek

Prayer to Artemis and the Moirai

I call You, O' royal Artemis, illustrious daughter of Zeus, modest maid, of the brave heart, nurturer, protectress of young children, and Moirae, friendly children of Nyx, come to me who prays, You who are clad in purple, You are the authorities of good order, perfect eye of Zeus. Lakhesis, Klotho and Atropos, only You see the whole of mortal life. Hear my prayers, accept these holy libations, grant a bright and thriving life, full of merriment.

Commentarius · Commentary

A modern LABRYS text (see greek-agathodaimon-001), the bride's prayer — while the bridegroom prays to Apollo (greek-apollon-wedding-001). The rite is divided by sex, and that division is ancient in shape.

The choice of deities for the bride is right and exact. Artemis is addressed because it is from her that a girl is departing: on marrying, girls dedicated to her their toys, their girdle and their cut hair, and the bride is taking leave of her patroness. Hence too the epithet "girdle-loosener" in the Orphic hymn to the same goddess (orphic-artemis-001).

The Moirai are called because marriage is the point at which what follows is determined. For the same reason Pindar seats Eileithyia beside the Fates: where a new life begins, portions are handed out (pindar-eileithyia-001).

"Friendly children of Night" is the Hesiodic genealogy: in Hesiod the Moirai are born of Night. "Robed in purple", "the perfect eye of Zeus" come from the Orphic hymn to the Fates; here too, as in the other texts of this book, ancient formulae are taken apart and reassembled.

Lachesis, Clotho and Atropos are named — "you alone see the whole of a mortal life". The bride asks not for happiness but that those who decide it should know what they are deciding.

Fons · Source

AuthorLABRYS Polytheistic Community

WorkHellenic Polytheism: Household Worship

SectionWedding Ceremony — Prayer to Artemis and the Moirae

Occasionwedding ceremony — bride's prayer

Classificatio · Taxonomy

CultureGreek

Formritual

DeitiesArtemis, the Moirai

FunctionsPetition · Invocation

SphereFamily