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All Prayers

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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

    Hymn to Poseidon

    ANONYMOUS (HOMERIC CORPUS) · HOMERIC HYMNS · 22

    I begin to sing about Poseidon, the great god, mover of the earth and fruitless sea, god of the deep who is also lord of Helikon and wide Aigai. O Shaker of the Earth, to be a tamer of horses and a saviour of ships! Hail Poseidon Holder of the Earth, dark-haired lord! O blessed one, be kindly in heart and help those who voyage in ships!

    Greek · hymn
    Poseidon
    InvocationPetition
    archaic Greek (7th-6th c. BC)
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  3. 003

    Hymn to Poseidon

    ANONYMOUS (ORPHIC CORPUS) · ORPHIC HYMNS · 17

    Hear, Poseidon, ruler of the sea profound, whose liquid grasp begirds the solid ground; who, at the bottom of the stormy main, dark and deep-bosomed holdest thy watery reign. Thy awful hand the brazen trident bears, and sea's utmost bound thy will reveres. Thee I invoke, whose steeds the foam divide, from whose dark locks the briny waters glide; whose voice, loud sounding through the roaring deep, drives all its billows in a raging heap; when fiercely riding through the boiling sea, thy hoarse command the trembling waves obey. Earth-shaking, dark-haired God, the liquid plains, the third division, fate to thee ordains. 'Tis thine, cerulean daimon, to survey, well-pleased, the monsters of the ocean play. Confirm earth's basis, and with prosperous gales waft ships along, and swell the spacious sails; add gentle peace, and fair-haired health beside, and pour abundance in a blameless tide.

    Greek · hymn
    Poseidon
    InvocationPetition
    Hellenistic to Roman imperial (3rd c. BC – 2nd c. AD)
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  4. 004

    Prayer to Jupiter

    VIRGIL · AENEID · 5.687-693

    Jupiter Almighty, if You do not yet detest every Trojan to a man, if You still regard our pious acts of old, Father, grant that the flames will now avoid our fleet, and may You pull the diminished people of Troy away from destruction. Or else, if I so deserve, then send forth Your thunderbolt from above and cast those who remain into death, and by Your power rightly bury them.

    Roman · literary
    Jupiter
    Petition
    Augustan
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  5. 005

    Prayer to Neptune

    OVID · METAMORPHOSES · 8.595-598

    O Neptune, who reigns over the realm of wandering waves, Bearer of the Trident, come to our aid, I pray, and undo her father's savagery. Neptune, grant her a safe haven, or else allow her to become a place herself, to live forever as one of Your nymphs.

    Roman · literary
    Neptune
    PetitionInvocation
    Augustan
    →
  6. 006

    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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  7. 007

    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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  8. 008

    Prayer to Neptune

    SILIUS ITALICUS · PUNICA · 15.159-162

    Neptune, divine Lord of the Trident, on whose high seas we begin to cross, if my preparations are made justly, grant our fleet to sail safely, Father, and do not scorn to aid our labors. The war I now draw across the sea is a just war.

    Roman · literary
    Neptune
    Petition
    1st c. AD
    →
  9. 009

    Prayer to Neptune

    STATIUS · SILVAE · 3.2.1-12

    O Neptune, grand and rare is the pledge we make to You, and in what we commend into the depths of the sea. Father of the mighty Deep, grant that the benign stars, the Spartan brothers, Castor and Pollux, sit upon the horns of the yard arm. Let your light illuminate sea and sky. Drive off your sister Helen's stormy star, I pray, and expel it from all the heavens.

    Roman · literary
    Neptune
    PetitionDedication
    1st c. AD
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  10. 010

    Prayer to Juno

    VALERIUS FLACCUS · ARGONAUTICA · 1.80-90

    Almighty Queen of Heaven, remember when Jupiter made the skies grow wild with black clouds and sheets of rain; remember when Thundering Jupiter commanded Your return to the marriage bed, and how You, frightened with sudden capture and at being left destitute following Your rape, sought only how to flee; remember how it was I who carried You upon my shoulders across the storm swollen Enipeus. Grant, Juno, that I may arrive safely to Scythia where the Phasis flows.

    Roman · literary
    Juno
    Petition
    1st c. AD
    →
  11. 011

    Prayer to Diana

    VIRGIL · AENEID · 1.329-330

    Whoever you may be, whether Diana or a Nymph, may You favor us and lighten our labors.

    Roman · literary
    Diana
    PetitionInvocation
    →
  12. 012

    Prayer to Apollo

    VALERIUS FLACCUS · ARGONAUTICA · 1.5-7

    Advise me, Phoebus Apollo, if ever You inspired the Sibyl of Cumae to see visions waft from a kettle in Your sacred house, if ever a chaplet of fresh laurel dignified a worthy brow, and O You whose great fame opened many a sea.

    Roman · literary
    Apollo
    PetitionInvocation
    1st c. AD
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  13. 013

    Prayer to Apollo

    VALERIUS FLACCUS · ARGONAUTICA · 5.17-20

    Turn to us now, Mighty Archer, I pray that finally now, Apollo, You will come to our aid! Father, revive the life of this man. If You approve of what we do, then stir back to life he who is of the utmost importance for the success of our venture; and so from this one does the fate of all hands depends.

    Roman · literary
    Apollo
    PetitionInvocation
    1st c. AD
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