Sunday, February 6, 2011

A nod to the God of Wine

He was also the God of ecstasy and ritual madness, and for a myriad of reasons (all of which are debated), was involved in the Mysteries of Eleusis.  After a day of ritual, I thought a nod to him would be appropriate. I'll delve more into his lore at another time including his parentage, role in the Mysteries, as the origin of Jesus mythology, and the Bacchantes.

TO DIONYSOS (incense: storax)
I call upon loud-roaring and reveling Dionysos,
primeval, two-natured, thrice-born, Bacchic lord,
savage, ineffable, secretive, two-horned and two-shaped.
Ivy-covered, bull-faced, warlike, howling, pure,
you take raw flesh, you have triennial feasts, wrapt in foliage, decked
with grape clusters.
Resourceful Eubouleus, immortal god sired by Zeus
when he mated with Persephone in unspeakable union.
Hearken to my voice, O blessed one, and with your fair-girdled nurses
breathe on me in a spirit of perfect kindness.

No comments:

Post a Comment