Underflow: Prayers for Olympus

Bold-hearted Ares, bright-helmed son of thundering Zeus
and noble Hera, well-honored god of war,
any battle will you face, any foe will you fight,
without fear and without hestitation. Ares,
god of warriors, ally of those who risk their lives
on the field, to you do soldiers offer their prayers.
You know each one’s name, O Ares, you know their lives,
you know their worth. Great Ares, I pray to you,
watch over ____________ who heeded your call,
who practices your art, whose name you know well,
for s/he is one of your own who does you honor
with each day s/he serves. Ares, I pray to you.

(Source: underflow.dreamwidth.org)

Athena of the steel-grey eyes and steady gaze,
goddess who sees the battlefield entire, who knows
each soldier on the field, who whispers 
in each general’s ear, who hears each one who sits
at home and waits for word with hope and dread
and desperate prayers, I call to you. Athena,
a world at war is a fearful place, a place
of pain and woe, a place where all we understand
turns strange and terrifying, where all we know
of life and love is cherished all the more. Athena,
goddess who knows well of war and all it creates,
hear my prayers, hear the words of one whose faith
in you is full: I trust in your wisdom, goddess,
I trust in your righteousness. Athena, I trust in you.

(Source: underflow.dreamwidth.org)

Beloved Hekate, defender of the weak,
protector of those who fear the might of the wicked,
for whom each step into the dark is filled with dread,
I pray to you, I ask your favor. Hekate,
who knows well of all things we mortals most fear,
who knows well how best to drive away all ill,
I ask your blessing. Goddess, preserve my home
and my family from evil, guard us well
against all that would do us harm. Goddess, hold back
the dangers of the dark, grant me wisdom and courage
that I may face my fears and my foes with open eyes.

(Source: underflow.dreamwidth.org)

Great Zeus, Father Zeus, master of Olympos,
bearer of the thunderbolt whose might it is
that draws together the darkening clouds, 
well-honored one, kind-hearted god to whom we turn
when we are far from home and family, I call to you.
Zeus, I am alone; I stand in the sphere of strangers.
Friend of the foreigner, friend of the visitor,
friend of those who must rely on the good will
of those unknown, the kindness of the host
to the outsider, I pray to you, lead me
to a place of welcome, bring me safely home again.

(Source: underflow.dreamwidth.org)

Swift-footed Hermes, friend of the traveler,
friend of those who find themselves far from their homes,
by will or by chance, I pray to you. Hermes,
who moves between the realms with authority and ease,
who leads men and women on their last, longest journey,
who stands at the crossroad, who watches the byways,
in you I place my trust, for by your might I know
that when I stumble I will rise again, that when
I choose my way I will choose aright. Hermes,
as I make my way through the world, whether I wander
or whether I walk my path with care, be with me.

(Source: underflow.dreamwidth.org)

Gracious Hestia, gentle-hearted one, soul of the home,
I call to you. In times of old, dear goddess,
all first offerings were yours, so great was your might,
so great your import, so great the need for your blessing.
Noble daughter of Kronos and broad-bosomed Rhea,
honored sister of thundering Zeus, eternal maid
who sits at the center, all honor I offer you.
I thank you for the solid walls I dwell within,
I thank you for the warm and welcoming hearth,
I thank you for the bread I break with friends and kin.
Hestia, constant tender of Olympos’ bright flame,
friend of those who keep and kindle their own hearthfire,
I thank you for making my home a sanctuary
of comfort and peace, of security and strength.

(Source: underflow.dreamwidth.org)

Hermes of the ready wit and the lightning smile,
wing-footed one who carries the words of the gods,
compassionate one who guides the newly-dead
to the hall of Hades and fair Persephone, 
quick-thinking one who takes interest in the world
and works of mankind, whose hand we see in a run
of luck and a clever scheme, I call to you.
Hermes, bearer of the herald’s staff, your gifts are great.
You guard our homes with constancy and care, 
you grant to us a portion of your own craft and wile,
you join with us when we revel and are merry,
you stand with us when we are far from home, alone.
You are ever with us, O Hermes; O god 
who holds in hand the good of men, I honor you.

(Source: underflow.dreamwidth.org)

I praise Mother Gaia, who brought to life 
all who live upon the earth, creator of gods,
of mortal men and beasts. Gaia, all your children
are dear to you, all will you defend from abuse
and oppression. Gaia, you are mighty,
you are kind, you provide for us what we most need—
the food that sustains us, the air that we breathe—
and yet you are firm, you show us the simple truth
of our existence, the slightness of our lives:
the grass grown tall between the cracks in the road,
the moss that clings to brick and stone, the vine that climbs
the walls of men until they crumble, all these are yours.
Gaia, most ancient and most revered goddess,
you are our source of life and reason for right living.
In all ways I honor you, for all gifts I thank you.

(Source: underflow.dreamwidth.org)

Beautiful Eros, ever-young, ever-fair,
your eyes, so dark, so ancient, pierce the soul
as your golden darts pierce the heart. Light-hearted god,
teacher of harsh lessons, giver of precious gifts,
through you do we find our best selves, through you do we show
our worst faces; if ever we are good and decent,
if ever we are greedy and cruel, it will be 
for the sake of love and desire. In your realm,
sharp-shafted Eros, do we show ourselves true. 
Before you, O Eros, we are all weak, and all strong.

(Source: underflow.dreamwidth.org)

I call to you, kind Hekate, watchful daughter
of far-seeing Asteria, torch-bearing goddess,
night-wanderer, pale and fair as the moonflower.
Hekate of the three ways, goddess of the crossroad,
keen-eyed one, you see clearly what others overlook.
Hekate of the three realms, goddess who holds
a stake in all the worlds, all within are yours to stir.
Gentle of touch and firm of hand, Hekate,
leader of the ghostly train, the barking of dogs
marks your passage, the shining of stars lights your path.
Hekate who is the companion of those who who walk
the bounds of light and dark, I praise and honor you.

(Source: underflow.dreamwidth.org)

I call to Hermes, god of the marketplace,
god of the the deal, from whose hands fall shining coins.
I call to Hestia, goddess of the home,
goddess of good management, who knows the ways of thrift.
Grant me a keen eye to spot a bargain, I pray; 
grant that I know false economy from true.
Grant me the craft to repair what is broken,
grant me the sufficiency to save for what may come.
Grant me the wisdom to live with care, O gods,
the discipline and skill to live within my means;
grant me the wit to know my needs and my desires,
grant me the judgment to know the difference.

(Source: underflow.dreamwidth.org)

Beautiful, black-eyed Nyx, cloaked in darkness,
older than old, daughter of misty Chaos,
mother of great and mighty spirits, I call to you.
Ever-present one, you live in the shadows; 
we know you in the dusk, in the comfort of the night.
Broad-winged Nyx, you clasp the hand of bright Hemera 
each eve and morn, you greet her with love and sorrow
for only in those moments may you embrace your child.
Goddess, awesome one, in your realm are we all
unblemished, in your realm do lovers’ promises
ring true, in your realm are all things possible,
if only until daybreak. Nyx, I honor you.

(Source: underflow.dreamwidth.org)

Dionysos, god whose arrival is swift 
and certain, enduring friend of women and men
whose welcome is warm, bringer of light, we see you
in shadows. Dionysos, granter of great blessings,
your presence is a heady wine. Kind-hearted god,
to each you give as is fitting, each vessel you fill
only as we can bear, and yet with even a sip
we are drunk upon you, and our faith is affirmed.
Awesome god, by our own will we drink deeply,
with you we become lost, we wander, we are found.

(Source: underflow.dreamwidth.org)

Demeter of the furrowed field, bearer of sheaves,
bearer of sorrow, I pray to you. Goddess,
dear to you is the deep earth, the seed within the soil,
the heavy-headed grain; dearer still your daughter,
for whose sake you would turn away from all whose lives
are bound to your gifts. In this as in all things,
O goddess, do we honor your necessity;
we know well, Demeter, what we owe to your might
and good will. Goddess of harvests, you sustain 
our bodies; mother of mysteries, you ennoble
our spirits, you ready us for sweet Elysium.
Gracious Demeter, I pray for your favor.

(Source: underflow.dreamwidth.org)

Bright-helmed Ares, strong of arm and stern of visage,
firm of stance, unyielding of will, ever ready
to face any foe, to hold the line against
all who may come, to battle until the end.
Ares, son of noble Zeus and wise Hera,
cherished by golden Aphrodite, honored
by those who call on you for strength and courage,
in the north were you much honored in times of old,
in Thrace and Thessaly were you held in esteem
by those whose lives were harsh, whose world was stony,
whose comforts were hard-won. Ares who answers
the prayers of the despairing, I honor you.

(Source: underflow.dreamwidth.org)