(16) Tat: Father, I wish to hear; I long to know these things. Hermes: Be still, my son; hear the Praise-giving now that keeps [the soul] in tune, Hymn of Re-birth - a hymn I would not have thought fit so readily to tell, had'st thou not reached the end of all. Wherefore this is not taught, but is kept hid in silence. Thus then, my son, stand in a place uncovered to the sky, facing the southern wind, about the sinking of the setting sun, and make thy worship; so in like manner too when he doth rise, with face to the east wind. Now, son, be still! The Secret Hymnody

(17) Let every nature of the World receive the utterance of my hymn! Open thou Earth! Let every bolt of the Abyss be drawn for me. Stir not, ye Trees! I am about to hymn creation's Lord, both All and One. Ye Heavens open and ye Winds stay still; [and] let God's deathless Sphere receive my word (logos)! For I will sing the praise of Him who founded all; who fixed the Earth, and hung up Heaven, and gave command that Ocean should afford sweet water [to the Earth], to both those parts that are inhabited and those that are not, for the support and use of every man; who made the Fire to shine for gods and men for every act. Let us together all give praise to Him, sublime above the Heavens, of every nature Lord! 'Tis He who is the Eye of Mind; may He accept the praise of these my Powers!

The FUMIGATION from MYRRH. O Mighty first-begotten, hear my pray'r, 1 Two-fold, egg-born, and wand'ring thro' the air, Bull-roarer, glorying in thy golden wings, 3 From whom the race of Gods and mortals springs. Ericapæus, celebrated pow'r, Ineffable, occult, all shining flow'r. From eyes obscure thou wip'st the gloom of night, All-spreading splendour, pure and holy light Hence Phanes call'd, the glory of the sky, On waving pinions thro' the world you fly. Priapus, dark-ey'd splendour, thee I sing, Genial, all-prudent, ever-blessed king, With joyful aspect on our rights divine And holy sacrifice propitious shine.

The FUMIGATION from MANNA. HEAR me, O Goddess! whose emerging ray Leads on the broad refulgence of the day; Blushing Aurora, whose celestial light Beams on the world with red'ning splendours bright: Angel of Titan, whom with constant round, Thy orient beams recall from night profound: Labour of ev'ry kind to lead is thine, Of mortal life the minister divine. Mankind in thee eternally delight, And none presumes to shun thy beauteous sight. Soon as thy splendours break the bands of rest, And eyes unclose with pleasing sleep oppress'd; Men, reptiles, birds, and beasts, with gen'ral voice, And all the nations of the deep, rejoice; For all the culture of our life is thine. Come, blessed pow'r! and to these rites incline: Thy holy light increase, and unconfin'd Diffuse its radiance on thy mystic's mind. Next: LXXVIII: To Themis Sacred Texts | Classics « Previous: The Initiations of Orpheus: LXXVI: To Mnemosyne, or the G... Index Next: The Initiations of Orpheus: LXXVIII: To Themis » Sacred Texts | Classics

(15) Tat: I would, O father, hear the Praise-giving with hymn which thou didst say thou heardest then when thou wert at the Eight [the Ogdoad] of Powers Hermes: Just as the Shepherd did foretell [I should], my son, [when I came to] the Eight. Well dost thou haste to "strike thy tent" , for thou hast been made pure. The Shepherd, Mind of all masterhood, hath not passed on to me more than hath been written down, for full well did he know that I should of myself be able to learn all, and hear what I should wish, and see all things. He left to me the making of fair things; wherefore the Powers within me. e'en as they are in all, break into song.

(19) Thy Reason (Logos) sings through me Thy praises. Take back through me the All into [Thy] Reason - [my] reasonable oblation! Thus cry the Powers in me. They sing Thy praise, Thou All; they do Thy Will. From Thee Thy Will; to Thee the All. Receive from all their reasonable oblation. The All that is in us, O Life, preserve; O Light illumine it; O God in-spirit it. It it Thy Mind that plays the shepherd to Thy Word, O Thou Creator, Bestower of the Spirit [upon all].

(20) [For] Thou art God, Thy Man thus cries to Thee through Fire, through Air, through Earth, through Water, [and] through Spirit, through Thy creatures. 'Tis from Thy Aeon I have found praise-giving; and in thy Will, the object of my search, have I found rest. Tat: By thy good pleasure have I seen this praise-giving being sung, O father; I have set it in my Cosmos too. Hermes: Say in the Cosmos that thy mind alone can see, my son. Tat: Yea, father, in the Cosmos that the mind alone can see; for I have been made able by thy Hymn, and by thy Praise-giving my mind hath been illumined. But further I myself as well would from my natural mind send praise-giving to God.

The FUMIGATION from FRANKINCENSE and MANNA. HEAR golden Titan, whose eternal eye With broad survey, illumines all the sky. Self-born, unwearied in diffusing light, And to all eyes the mirrour of delight: Lord of the seasons, with thy fiery car And leaping coursers, beaming light from far: With thy right hand the source of morning light, 7 And with thy left the father of the night. Agile and vig'rous, venerable Sun, Fiery and bright around the heav'ns you run. Foe to the wicked, but the good man's guide, O'er all his steps propitious you preside: With various founding, golden lyre, 'tis mine To fill the world with harmony divine. Father of ages, guide of prosp'rous deeds, The world's commander, borne by lucid steeds, Immortal Jove, all-searching, bearing light, 17 Source of existence, pure and fiery bright Bearer of fruit, almighty lord of years, Agil and warm, whom ev'ry pow'r reveres. Great eye of Nature and the starry skies, Doom'd with immortal flames to set and rise Dispensing justice, lover of the stream, The world's great despot, and o'er all supreme. Faithful defender, and the eye of right, Of steeds the ruler, and of life the light: With founding whip four fiery steeds you guide, When in the car of day you glorious ride. Propitious on these mystic labours shine, And bless thy suppliants with a life divine.

(1) "'1. I will declare: Thou art the higher Light, for that hast saved me and led me unto thee, and thou hast not let the emanations of Self-willed, which are hostile unto me, take my light. "'2. O Light of lights, I sing praises unto thee; thou hast saved me. "'3. O Light, thou hast led up my power out of the chaos; thou hast saved me from them which have gone down into the darkness.' "These words again hath Pistis Sophia uttered, Now, therefore, whose mind hath become understanding, comprehending the words which Pistis Sophia hath uttered, let him come forward and set forth their solution."

(2) "'1. I will give thanks unto thee, O Light, for thou art a saviour; thou art a deliverer for all time. "'2. I will utter this song to the Light, for it hath saved me and saved me out of the hand of the rulers, my foes. "'3. And thou hast preserved me in all the regions, thou hast saved me out of the height and the depth of the chaos and out of the æons of the rulers of the sphere. "'4. And when I was come out of the Height, I wandered round in regions in which is no light, and I could not return to the thirteenth æon, my dwelling-place. "'5. For there was no light in me nor power. My power was utterly weakened (?). "'6. And the Light saved me in all my afflictions. I sang praises unto the Light, and it hearkened unto me, when I was constrained. "'7. It guided me in the creation of the æons to lead me up into the thirteenth æon, my dwelling-place. "'8. I will give thanks unto thee, O Light, that thou hast saved me, and for thy wondrous works unto the race of men. "'9. When I failed of my power, thou hast given me power; and when I failed of my light, thou didst fill me with purified light. "'10. I was in the darkness and in the shadow of the chaos, bound with the mighty fetters of the chaos, and no light was in me. "'11. For I have provoked the commandment of the Light and have transgressed, and I have made wroth the commandment of the Light, because I had gone out of my region. "'12. And when I had gone down, I failed of my light and became without light, and no one had helped me. "'13. And in my affliction I sang praises unto the Light, and it saved me out of my afflictions. "'14. And it hath also broken asunder all my bonds and led me up out of the darkness and the affliction of the chaos. "'15. I will give thanks unto thee, O Light, that thou hast saved me and that thy wondrous works have been wrought in the race of men. "'16. And thou hast shattered the upper gates of the darkness and the mighty bolts of the chaos. "'17. And thou didst let me depart out of the region in which I had transgressed, and my light was taken, because I have transgressed. "'18. And I ceased from my mysteries and went down to the gates of the chaos. "'19. And when I was constrained, I sang praises to the Light. It saved me out of all my afflictions. "'20. Thou sentest thy stream; it gave me power and saved me out of all my afflictions. "'21. I will give thanks unto thee, O Light, that thou hast saved me, and for thy wondrous works in the race of men.' "This then is the song which Pistis Sophia hath uttered in the midst of the four-and-twenty invisibles, desiring that they should know all the wondrous works which I had done for her, and desiring that they should know that I have gone to the world of men and have given them the mysteries of the Height. Now, therefore, who is exalted in his thought, let him come forward and say the solution of the song which Pistis Sophia hath uttered."

(20) Oh goddess Aucherit, who concealest that is within thee, but raisest up forms, like Chepera, grant that I may come forth and see the orb of the sun, and walk forth in the presence of the great god, who is Shu and abideth for eternity

(21) Hermes: But not unheedfully, my son. Tat: Aye. What I behold in mind, that do I say. To thee, thou Parent of my Bringing into Birth, as unto God I, Tat, send reasonable offerings. o God and Father, thou art the Lord, thou art the Mind. Receive from me oblations reasonable as thou would'st wish; for by thy Will all things have been perfected. Hermes: Send thou oblation, son, acceptable to God, the Sire of all; but add, my son, too, "through the Word" (Logos). Tat: I give thee, father, thanks for showing me to sing such hymns.

PLUTO, magnanimous, whose realms profound Are fix'd beneath the firm and solid ground, In the Tartarian plains remote from fight, And wrapt forever in the depths of night; Terrestrial Jove, thy sacred ear incline, And, pleas'd, accept thy mystic's hymn divine. Earth's keys to thee, illustrious king belong, 7 Its secret gates unlocking, deep and strong. 'Tis thine, abundant annual fruits to bear, For needy mortals are thy constant care. To thee, great king, Avernus is assign'd, The seat of Gods, and basis of mankind. Thy throne is fix'd in Hade's dismal plains, Distant, unknown to rest, where darkness reigns; Where, destitute of breath, pale spectres dwell, In endless, dire, inexorable hell; And in dread Acheron, whose depths obscure, Earth's stable roots eternally secure. O mighty dæmon, whose decision dread, The future fate determines of the dead, With captive Proserpine, thro' grassy plains, Drawn in a four-yok'd car with loosen'd reins, Rapt o'er the deep, impell'd by love, you flew 'Till Eleusina's city rose to view; There, in a wond'rous cave obscure and deep, The sacred maid secure from search you keep, The cave of Atthis, whose wide gates display An entrance to the kingdoms void of day. Of unapparent works, thou art alone The dispensator, visible and known. O pow'r all-ruling, holy, honor'd light, Thee sacred poets and their hymns delight: Propitious to thy mystic's works incline, Rejoicing come, for holy rites are thine.

The FUMIGATION from FRANKINCENSE. THEE, mighty-ruling, Dæmon dread, I call, Mild Jove, life-giving, and the source of all: Great Jove, much-wand'ring, terrible and strong, To whom revenge and tortures dire belong. Mankind from thee, in plenteous wealth abound, When in their dwellings joyful thou art found; Or pass thro' life afflicted and distress'd, The needful means of bliss by thee supprest. 'Tis thine alone endu'd with boundless might, To keep the keys of sorrow and delight. O holy, blessed father, hear my pray'r, Disperse the seeds of life-consuming care; With fav'ring mind the sacred rites attend, And grant my days a glorious, blessed end. Next: LXXIII: To Leucothea Sacred Texts | Classics « Previous: The Initiations of Orpheus: LXXI. To Fortune Index Next: The Initiations of Orpheus: LXXIII: To Leucothea » Sacred Texts | Classics

INITIATIONS ATTEND Musæus to my sacred song, And learn what rites to sacrifice belong. Jove I invoke, the earth, and solar light, The moon's pure splendor, and the stars of night; Thee Neptune, ruler of the sea profound, Dark-hair'd, whose waves begirt the solid ground; Ceres abundant, and of lovely mien, And Proserpine infernal Pluto's queen The huntress Dian, and bright Phœbus rays, Far-darting God, the theme of Delphic praise; And Bacchus, honour'd by the heav'nly choir, And raging Mars, and Vulcan god of fire; The mighty pow'r who rose from foam to light, And Pluto potent in the realms of night; With Hebe young, and Hercules the strong, And you to whom the cares of births belong: Justice and Piety august I call, And much-fam'd nymphs, and Pan the god of all. To Juno sacred, and to Mem'ry fair, And the chaste Muses I address my pray'r; The various year, the Graces, and the Hours, Fair-hair'd Latona, and Dione's pow'rs; Armed Curetes, household Gods I call, With those who spring from Jove the king of all: Th' Idæan Gods, the angel of the skies, And righteous Themis, with sagacious eyes; With ancient night, and day-light I implore, And Faith, and Justice dealing right adore; Saturn and Rhea, and great Thetis too, Hid in a veil of bright celestial blue: I call great Ocean, and the beauteous train Of nymphs, who dwell in chambers of the main; Atlas the strong, and ever in its prime, Vig'rous Eternity, and endless Time; The Stygian pool, and placid Gods beside, And various Genii, that o'er men preside; Illustrious Providence, the noble train Of dæmon forms, who fill th' ætherial plain; Or live in air, in water, earth, or fire, Or deep beneath the solid ground retire. Bacchus and Semele the friends of all, And white Leucothea of the sea I call; Palæmon bounteous, and Adrastria great, And sweet-tongu'd Victory, with success elate; Great Esculapius, skill'd to cure disease, And dread Minerva, whom fierce battles please; Thunders and winds in mighty columns pent, With dreadful roaring struggling hard for vent; Attis, the mother of the pow'rs on high, And fair Adonis, never doom'd to die, End and beginning he is all to all, These with propitious aid I gently call; And to my holy sacrifice invite, The pow'r who reigns in deepest hell and night; I call Einodian Hecate, lovely dame, Of earthly, wat'ry, and celestial frame, Sepulchral, in a saffron veil array'd, Pleas'd with dark ghosts that wander thro' the shade; Persian, unconquerable huntress hail! 59 The world's key-bearer never doom'd to fail On the rough rock to wander thee delights, Leader and nurse be present to our rites Propitious grant our just desires success, Accept our homage, and the incense bless.

(3) "'1. In faith have I had faith in the Light; and it remembered me and hearkened to my song. "'2. It hath led my power up out of the chaos and the nether darkness of the whole matter and it hath led me up. It hath removed. me to a higher and surer æon, lofty and firm; it hath changed my place on the way which leadeth to my region. "'3. And it hath given unto me a new mystery, which is not that of my æon, and given unto me a song of the Light. Now, therefore, O Light, all the rulers will see what thou hast done unto me, and be afraid and have faith in the Light.' This song then Pistis Sophia uttered, rejoicing that she had been led up out of the chaos and brought to regions which are below the thirteenth æon. Now, therefore, let him whom his mind stirreth, so that he understandeth the solution of the thought of the song which Pistis Sophia hath uttered, come forward and say it." Andrew came forward and said: "My Lord, this is concerning what thy light-power hath prophesied aforetime through David:

The FUMIGATION from STORAX. HERMES I call, whom Fate decrees to dwell In the dire path which leads to deepest hell O Bacchic Hermes, progeny divine Of Dionysius, parent of the vine, And of celestial Venus Paphian queen, Dark eye-lash'd Goddess of a lovely mien: Who constant wand'rest thro' the sacred feats Where hell's dread empress, Proserpine, retreats; To wretched souls the leader of thc way When Fate decrees, to regions void of day: Thine is the wand which causes sleep to fly, Or lulls to slumb'rous rest the weary eye; For Proserpine thro' Tart'rus dark and wide Gave thee forever flowing souls to guide. Come, blessed pow'r the sacrifice attend, And grant our mystic works a happy end. Next: LVII: To Cupid, or Love Sacred Texts | Classics « Previous: The Initiations of Orpheus: LV: To Adonis Index Next: The Initiations of Orpheus: LVII: To Cupid, or Love » Sacred Texts | Classics

(138) For the Goddess bringeth forth the Vast Sun, and the lucent Moon.

The FUMIGATION from MANNA. BLEST Pæan, come, propitious to my pray'r, Illustrious pow'r, whom Memphian tribes revere, Slayer of Tityus, and the God of health, Lycorian Phœbus, fruitful source of wealth . Spermatic, golden-lyr'd, the field from thee Receives it's constant, rich fertility. Titanic, Grunian, Smynthian, thee I sing, 7 Python-destroying, hallow'd, Delphian king: Rural, light-bearer, and the Muse's head, Noble and lovely, arm'd with arrows dread: Far-darting, Bacchian, two-fold, and divine, 11 Pow'r far diffused, and course oblique is thine. O, Delian king, whose light-producing eye Views all within, and all beneath the sky: Whose locks are gold, whose oracles are sure, Who, omens good reveal'st, and precepts pure: Hear me entreating for the human kind, Hear, and be present with benignant mind; For thou survey'st this boundless æther all, And ev'ry part of this terrestrial ball Abundant, blessed; and thy piercing sight, Extends beneath the gloomy, silent night; Beyond the darkness, starry-ey'd, profound, The stable roots, deep fix'd by thee are found. The world's wide bounds, all-flourishing are thine, Thyself all the source and end divine: 'Tis thine all Nature's music to inspire, With various-sounding, harmonising lyre; Now the last string thou tun'ft to sweet accord, 29 Divinely warbling now the highest chord; Th' immortal golden lyre, now touch'd by thee, Responsive yields a Dorian melody. All Nature's tribes to thee their diff'rence owe, And changing seasons from thy music flow Hence, mix'd by thee in equal parts, advance Summer and Winter in alternate dance; This claims the highest, that the lowest string, The Dorian measure tunes the lovely spring . Hence by mankind, Pan-royal, two-horn'd nam'd, 39 Emitting whistling winds thro' Syrinx fam'd; Since to thy care, the figur'd seal's consign'd, 41 Which stamps the world with forms of ev'ry kind. Hear me, blest pow'r, and in these rites rejoice, And save thy mystics with a suppliant voice.

The FUMIGATION from FRANKINCENSE. HERMES, draw near, and to my pray'r incline, Angel of Jove, and Maia's son divine; Studious of contests, ruler of mankind, With heart almighty, and a prudent mind. Celestial messenger, of various skill, Whose pow'rful arts could watchful Argus kill: With winged feet, 'tis thine thro' 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 pow'r endu'd all language to explain, Of care the loos'ner, and the source of gain. Whose hand contains of blameless peace the rod, Corucian, blessed, profitable God; Of various speech, whose aid in works we find, And in necessities to mortals 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 me memory's increase. Next: XXVIII: To Proserpine Sacred Texts | Classics « Previous: The Initiations of Orpheus: XXVI: To The Mother of the Gods Index Next: The Initiations of Orpheus: XXVIII: To Proserpine » Sacred Texts | Classics