Incense: Aromatic Herbs
Pure duahgtrs of the great, chthonic Zeus,
And of lovely, fair-tressed maiden, Persephone.
You keep a watch over the lives of impious mortals,
And, in charge of Necessity, you punish the unjust.
Black-skinned queens, your eyes flash forth awesome and flesh-eating darts of light.
Everlasting, of visage repugnant and frightful, sovereign,
Paralyzing the limbs with madness, hideous, nocturnal, fateful,
Snake-haired and terrible maidens of the night,
It is you I summon to bring me holiness of mind.
Incense: Aromatic Herbs
To whom august Persephone gave birth by the mouth of the Kokytos,
Upon the sacred bed of Kronian Zeus.
He lied to Plouton and through treachery mated with Pesephone,
Whose skin when she was pregnant he mangled in anger.
She drives mortals to madness with her airy phantoms,
As she appears in weird shapes and forms,
Now plain to the eye, now shadowy, now shining in the darkness,
And all this in hostile encounters in the gloom of night.
But, goddess and queen of those below, I beseech you,
To banish the soul's frenzy to the ends of the earth,
And show a kindly and holy face to the initiates.
Incense: Frankincense
Gentle goddess of the roads, for wealth and possessions,
As Artemis who guides, renowned, sprung from the loins of Eubouleus.
Your wish is irresitible.
Funereal and delusive, you are the theme of men's songs.
In you lies the great variety of men's livelihood.
To some you grant a wealth of blessings and possessions,
While to others, against whom you habor anger, you give evil poverty.
But, O goddess, I beseech you to come in kindness to my life,
And with abundance grant me happiness and riches.
Incense: Frankincense
Who gives birth and livelihood to mortals.
Great Zeus, delusive and vengeful king of all,
Who is giver of wealth when he enters the house, laden with goods,
And who in turn ruins the livelihood of toiling mortals.
You possess the keys to joy and sorrow as well.
So, O pure and blessed one, drive painful cares away,
Cares that are life-destroying throughout the earth,
And bring a glorious, sweet and noble end to life.
Incense: Aromatic Herbs
Mighty nurturer of fair-wreathed Dionysos.
Hearken, O goddess, mistress of the deep-bosomed sea,
You who delight in waves and are to mortals the greatest savior.
On you depends the unsteady impetus of seafaring ships,
And you alone save men from wretched death at sea,
Men to whom you swiftly come as welcome savior.
But, O divine lady, come to the aid of well-benched ships and kindly save them,
Bringing upon the sea a fair tail wind to the initiates.
Incense: Powdered Frankincense
Who dwells in the sea's pure, turbulent depths,
I call upon you, O Palaimon to come to these sacred rites,with kindness in your heart,
And joy on your youthful face, and to save your initiates on land and at sea.
When in winter, storms come upon ships that ever rove the seas,
You alone appear incarnate to save the men,
And stay harsh anger over the briny swell.
