All Prayers

The complete list of the collection's prayers, hymns, vows and inscriptions — from the Homeric hymns of the seventh century BC to votive inscriptions from the Roman provinces. Every text carries the original in Greek or Latin, a translation, an exact reference to the edition, and a commentary.

1. 001

   Prayer to Poseidon

   ARION (PRESERVED BY AELIAN) · AELIAN, ON ANIMALS · 12.45

   Highest of the gods, lord of the sea, Poseidon of the golden trident, earth-shaker in the swelling brine, around thee the finny monsters in a ring swim and dance, with nimble flingings of their feet leaping lightly, snub-nosed hounds with bristling neck, swift runners, music-loving dolphins, sea-nurslings of the Nereid maids divine, whom Amphitrite bore, even they that carried me, a wanderer on the Sikelian main, to the headland of Tainarion in Pelops' land, mounting me upon their humped backs as they clove the furrow of Nereus' plain, a path untrodden, when deceitful men had cast me from their sea-faring hollow ship into the purple swell of sea.

   Greek · hymn

   Poseidon, Amphitrite, the Nereids

   GratitudePraise
   archaic Greek (preserved by Aelian, 2nd-3rd c. AD)

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2. 002

   Prayer to the ancestors

   LABRYS POLYTHEISTIC COMMUNITY · HELLENIC POLYTHEISM: HOUSEHOLD WORSHIP · Triakas — Prayer to the Ancestors

   I honour the Venerable Ancestors with my prayers. O' Glorious Founding Fathers, I invoke your illustrious name. It is through you that we have seen our Sacred earth, it is you who guide us as we follow the road of Honour and Virtue. May we be worthy of the glory of your generations. To hold unfadingly your living memory with great Fortitude! I pour libations in memory of you, strengthening, with this wine, our sacred bond! May you always be a support and a solid foundation to our household, O' Immortal Ancestral Souls!

   Greek · ritual

   GratitudeInvocationDedication
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3. 003

   Prayer to Gaia

   LABRYS POLYTHEISTIC COMMUNITY · HELLENIC POLYTHEISM: HOUSEHOLD WORSHIP · Eniausia — first anniversary — Prayer to Gaia

   Goddess Gaia, mother of all Gods and mortals. All-nurturing, all-giving, all-fulfilling, seat of the undying world. Immortal, venerable, multi-formed maiden, many flowered Goddess of the happy fate. O' Goddess Gaia, we have come to give thanks, for the hospitality you extend to the body of [name of deceased].

   Greek · ritual

   Gaia

   GratitudeInvocation
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4. 004

   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,

   Greek · personal

   Zeus

   GratitudePetition
   15th c. AD

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5. 005

   Prayer to Silvanus

   TITUS POMPONIUS VICTOR · CIL · XII.103

   Silvanus, high guardian of other gardens as well, we offer you this holy ash tree on the forest's edge with songs of thanks. We dedicate this for our fields and Alpine mountain, and may it be acceptable as a shrine for yourself. While I discharge the law and perform Caesar's duties should your shrine favorably safeguard and prosper me and mine, men returned to Rome, and grant safekeeping of the Italian land we cherish, then to you I will indeed dedicate a thousand great trees.

   Roman · personal

   Silvanus

   DedicationPetitionGratitude
   Imperial

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6. 006

   Prayer to Earth and the Penates

   VIRGIL · AENEID · 7.120-122

   Hail, O Mother Tellus, for whom I am destined, and you, too, faithful Gods of Troy, hail O Penates. This is our home; this, our homeland.

   Roman · literary

   Earth, the Penates

   InvocationGratitude
   Augustan

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7. 007

   Prayer to Ceres

   M. HORATIUS PISCINUS · HARVEST PRAYER TO CERES (MODERN RECONSTRUCTION)

   O most holy Ceres, nurturing Mother, whose sacred womb gave birth to both Gods and men; You, Vervactor, who first yoked the oxen and placed the ploughshare to virgin soil; You, Reparator, who first prepared furrows in fallow land; You, Imporcitor, who first made wide our furrows; You, Insitor, who first cast Your bounty on the earth and taught the seed to grow; Obarator, Sarritor, Subruncinator, and You, Sterculinia, who first cared for crops; You, Flora, who make the grain to bear fruit; You, Messitor, who first set scythe to grain stalks; You, Convector, who first spread grain on the sacred harvest floor; You, Noduterentor, who first showed us how to thresh, and You, most holy Ceres, whose very breath separates the white chaff from the golden grain; You, Conditor and Tutilina, who guard the grain in storage; You, Promitor, who first milled the grain and distributed its flour for our daily bread; You, eternal savior, Ceres, lavishing Your bounty upon me and mine, to You, flaxen-haired Ceres, gladly I give thanks and praise, and, from the little I have, to You I willingly make an offering. Accept these, the first fruits of my fields. May my offering incline You more towards me. May You ever nourish me and mine with Your bounty, O most holy and nurturing Mother, gentle Ceres.

   Roman · ritual

   Ceres, Flora, Earth

   InvocationGratitudeDedicationPraise
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8. 008

   Prayer to Mars

   SILIUS ITALICUS · PUNICA · 10.553-554

   Father Mars, You who were not at all deaf to my vows, these men, survivors of the battle, dedicate to You the choicest armour of our victory trophies.

   Roman · public

   Mars

   GratitudeDedication
   late 1st c. AD

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9. 009

   Prayer to Jupiter

   CATO · DE AGRICULTURA · 132

   Jupiter Dapalis, it is a tradition in my family that a cup of wine be offered to You in thanksgiving for the sacred feast. For this reason may You accept this feast offering. Jupiter Dapalis, may You be strengthened by this feast, may You be warmed by this small portion of our wine that I offer.

   Roman · ritual

   Jupiter

   DedicationGratitude
   2nd c. BC

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10. 010

    Prayer to Perfidia

    PLAUTUS · ASINARIA · 545-546

    Praise and thanks we ought justly to give to the great god of treachery, Mercurius, for surely there is no end in sight to our own slanderous ways, our deceitfulness or our slyness.

    Roman · literary

    Perfidia

    GratitudePraise
    2nd c. BC

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11. 011

    Prayer to Minerva

    CICERO · DE DOMO SUA AD PONTIFICES · 144

    O Minerva, You have always come to my aid with Your counsels, witness to the existence of my works.

    Roman · personal

    Minerva

    GratitudeInvocation
    1st c. BC

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12. 012

    Prayer to Neptune

    PLAUTUS · RUDENS · 906-910

    Thanks be to Neptune my patron, who dwells in the fish-teeming salt sea, for speeding me homeward from his sacred abode, well laden and in a good hour.

    Roman · literary

    Neptune

    Gratitude
    2nd c. BC

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13. 013

    Prayer to Neptune

    PLAUTUS · TRINUMMUS · 819-830

    O Neptunus, brother of Jove and Nereus, heartily and gladly I give you praise and grateful thanks. And to you, Neptunus, before all other gods I offer and accord you the highest thanks. I give you praise, for you know how to treat men fairly; this befits the gods.

    Roman · literary

    Neptune

    GratitudePraise
    2nd c. BC

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14. 014

    Prayer to Hercules

    ANONYMOUS · CIL · VI.312

    Invincible Alcides, I pray to You joyfully bringing deserved gifts after duly performing Your sacred rites.

    Roman · personal

    Hercules

    DedicationGratitude
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15. 015

    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.

    Roman · literary

    Diana

    GratitudePraise
    Augustan

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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.

    Roman · personal

    Diana

    GratitudePetition
    Augustan

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17. 017

    Prayer to Apollo

    ANONYMOUS · CARMINA LATINA EPIGRAPHICA · 2.1841

    Phoebus Tirynthia, I pray, please accept this offering on my behalf. This gift I offer in thanks to You for the good health and strength that I have had.

    Roman · personal

    Apollo

    GratitudeDedication
    late 2nd c. AD

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