To Fortune. The Fumigation from Frankincense.
Approach strong Fortune, with propitious mind
And rich abundance, to my pray'r inclin'd
Placid and gentle Trivia, mighty nam'd,
Imperial Dian, born of Pluto fam'd;
Mankind's unconquer'd, endless praise is thine,
Sepulch'ral, widely-wand'ring pow'r divine!
In thee, our various mortal life is found,
And some from thee in copious wealth abound;
While others mourn thy hand averse to bless,
In all the bitterness of deep distress,
Be present, Goddess, to thy vot'ry kind,
And give abundance with benignant mind,
To the Dæmon, or Genius. 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.
To Leucothea. The Fumigation from Aromatics.
I Call Leucothea, of great Cadmus born,
And Bacchus' nurse, whom ivy leaves adorn
Hear, pow'rful Goddess, in the mighty deep
Wide and profound, thy station doom'd to keep:
In waves rejoicing, guardian of mankind
For ships from thee alone deliv'rance find
Amidst the fury of th' unstable main,
When art no more avail, and strength is vain;
When rushing billows with tempestuous ire
O'erwhelm the mariner in ruin dire,
Thou hear'st, with pity touch'd, his suppliant pray'r,
Resolv'd his life to succour and to spare,
Be ever present, Goddess! in distress,
Waft ships along with prosperous success
Thy mystics thro' the stormy sea defend,
And safe conduct them to their destin'd end,
To Palæmon. The Fumigation from Manna.
O Nurs'd with Dionysius, doom'd to keep
Thy dwelling in the widely-spreading deep;
With joyful aspect to my pray'r incline;
Propitious come, and bless the rites divine:
Thro' earth and sea thy ministers attend,
And from old Ocean's stormy waves defend:
For ships their safety ever owe to thee,
Who wand'rest with them thro' the raging sea,
Come, guardian pow'r, whom mortal tribes desire,
And far avert the deep's destructive ire,
To the Muses. The Fumigation from Frankincense.
Daughters of Jove, dire-sounding and divine,
Renown'd, Pierian, sweetly speaking Nine;
To those whose breasts your sacred furies fire
Much-form'd, the objects of supreme desire:
Sources of blameless virtue to mankind.
Who form to excellence the youthful mind
Who nurse the soul, and give her to descry
The paths of right with Reason's steady eye,
Commanding queens who lead to sacred light
The intellect refin'd from Error's night;
And to mankind each holy rite disclose,
For mystic knowledge from your nature flows.
Clio; and Erato, who charms the sight,
With thee Euterpe minist'ring delight:
Thalia flourishing, Polymina fam'd,
Melpomene from skill in music nam'd:
Terpischore, Urania heav'nly bright,
With thee who gav'st me to behold the light,
Come, venerable, various, pow'rs divine,
With fav'ring aspect on your mystics shine;
Bring glorious, ardent, lovely, fam'd desire,
And warm my bosom with your sacred fire.
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