Religion

Hymn LVI: To Adonis

by Orpheus (Orphic Hymns) hymns c. 2nd–3rd c. AD (ascribed to the legendary Orpheus)

Translated by Thomas Taylor (1824) · From The Mystical Hymns of Orpheus (1824)

Religion

Much nam'd, and best of demons, hear my pray'r,
The desert loving, deck'd with tender hair ;
Joy to diffuse, by all desir'd, is thine,
Much form'd, Eubulus, aliment divine.
Female and male, all-charming to the sight,
Adonis, ever flourishing and bright ;
At stated periods doom'd to set and rise
With splendid lamp, the glory of the skies.
Two horn'd and lovely, reverenc'd with tears,
Of splendid form, adorn'd with copious hairs.
Rejoicing in the chase, all-graceful pow'r,
Sweet plant of Venus, Love's delightful flow'r :
Descended from the secret bed divine
Of Pluto's queen, the fair-hair'd Proserpine.
'Tis thine to sink in Tartarus profound,
And shine again thro' heav'ns illustrious round ;
Come, timely pow'r, with providential care,
And to thy mystics earth's productions bear.

✦ ✦ ✦

The fumigation from aromatics.

MLA

Orpheus (Orphic Hymns). “Hymn LVI: To Adonis.” Translated by Thomas Taylor. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/orpheus/56/.

Chicago

Orpheus (Orphic Hymns). “Hymn LVI: To Adonis.” Translated by Thomas Taylor. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/orpheus/56/.

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