(92) And the gods of the battle cried out for their weapons

(5) And Latona, arguing her case with Athene, on account of the latter being incensed at her for having brought forth in the temple, says: "Man-slaying spoils Torn from the dead you love to see. And these To you are not unclean. But you regard My parturition here a horrid thing, Though other creatures in the temple do No harm by bringing forth their young."

(66) From Him leap forth the Amilicti, the all-relentless thunders, and the whirlwind receiving Bosoms of the all-splendid Strength of Hecaté Father-begotten; and He who encircleth the Brilliance of Fire; And the Strong Spirit of the Poles, all fiery beyond.

(4) The sorrowful departure of the Gods from men takes place; bad angels only stay, who mingled with humanity will lay their hands on them, and drive the wretched folk to every ill of recklessness,—to wars, and robberies, deceits, and all those things that are opposed to the soul’s nature. Then shall the Earth no longer hold together; the Sea no longer shall be sailed upon; nor shall the Heaven continue with the Courses of the Stars, nor the Star-course in Heaven. The voice of every God shall cease in the [Great] Silence that no one can break; the fruits of Earth shall rot; nay, Earth no longer shall bring forth; and Air itself shall faint in that sad listlessness. XXVI

The FUMIGATION from FRANKINCENSE. Magnanimous, unconquer'd, boistrous Mars, In darts rejoicing, and in bloody wars Fierce and untam'd, whose mighty pow'r can make The strongest walls from their foundations shake: Mortal destroying king, defil'd with gore, Pleas'd with war's dreadful and tumultuous roar: Thee, human blood, and swords, and spears delight, And the dire ruin of mad savage fight. Stay, furious contests, and avenging strife, Whose works with woe, embitter human life; To lovely Venus, and to Bacchus yield, To Ceres give the weapons of the field; Encourage peace, to gentle works inclin'd, And give abundance, with benignant mind. Footnotes 196:* This deity, according to Proclus, in Repub. p. 388. perpetually discerns and nourishes, and constantly excites the contrarieties of the universe, that the world may exist perfect and entire from its parts. But he requires the assistance of Venus, that he may insert order and harmony into things contrary and discordant. Next: LXV: To Vulcan Sacred Texts | Classics « Previous: The Initiations of Orpheus: LXIII: To Law Index Next: The Initiations of Orpheus: LXV: To Vulcan » Fierce and untam'd, whose mighty pow'r can make The strongest walls from their foundations shake: Mortal destroying king, defil'd with gore, Pleas'd with war's dreadful and tumultuous roar: Thee, human blood, and swords, and spears delight, And the dire ruin of mad savage fight. Stay, furious contests, and avenging strife, Whose works with woe, embitter human life; To lovely Venus, and to Bacchus yield, To Ceres give the weapons of the field; Encourage peace, to gentle works inclin'd, And give abundance, with benignant mind.

(48) and hostile (to the gods) was the counsel Mu[mmu gave

(95) ''Among the gods who are her sons, inasmuch as he hath given her support

(32) Already, then, the aegis of the poetic Jove is described as "Dreadful, crowned all around by Terror, And on it Strife and Prowess, and chilling Rout; On it, too, the Gorgon's head, dread monster, Terrible, dire, the sign of Ægis-bearing Jove."

(88) "And He, from good, to mortals planteth ill, And cruel war, and tearful woes," according to Orpheus.

(3) As they say that Artemis was enraged at the Aetolians on account of OEneus.

(90) "O Zeus, thine is the power of heaven, and thou Inflict'st on men things violent and wrong."

The FUMIGATION from FRANKINCENSE. O Mighty Titans, who from heav'n and earth Derive your noble and illustrious birth, Our fathers fires, in Tartarus profound Who dwell, deep merg'd beneath the solid ground: Fountains and principles, from whom began Th' afflicted, miserable, race of man: Who not alone in earth's retreats abide, But in the ocean and the air reside; Since ev'ry species from your nature flows, Which all prolific, nothing barren knows: Avert your rage, if from th' infernal seats One of your tribe should visit our retreats.

(9) Then were created the gods in the midst of [heaven

(7) The business of Akôman is this, that he gave vile thoughts and discord to the creatures.

The FUMIGATION from AROMATICS. VOCIFEROUS Bacchanalian Furies, hear! Ye, I invoke, dread pow'rs, whom all revere; Nightly, profound, in secret who retire, Tisiphone, Alecto, and Megara dire: Deep in a cavern merg'd, involv'd in night, Near where Styx flows impervious to the sight; Ever attendant on mysterious rites, Furious and fierce, whom Fate's dread law delights; Revenge and sorrows dire to you belong, Hid in a savage veil, severe and strong, Terrific virgins, who forever dwell Endu'd with various forms, in deepest hell; Aerial, and unseen by human kind, And swiftly coursing, rapid as the mind. In vain the Sun with wing'd refulgence bright, In vain the Moon, far darting milder light, Wisdom and Virtue may attempt in vain; And pleasing, Art, our transport to obtain Unless with these you readily conspire, And far avert your all-destructive ire. The boundless tribes of mortals you descry, And justly rule with Right's impartial eye. Come, snaky-hair'd, Fates many-form'd, divine, Suppress your rage, and to our rites incline.