Prayer to Aristaios
Statue: Antinous as Aristaeus, Artist Unknown
Sing, O Muse, of gentle Aristaios,
Most useful God of the country,
Nomios and Argeus,
Friend of bees and companion of the Melissai,
Protector of flocks and pastures,
Cheesemaker and hive-keeper,
Nurturer of the olive and vine.
Your many great deeds are renowned
Throughout the isles of the broad
Aegean, Ionian, and Adriatic.
Educated by Chiron, you learned
Gifts of prophecy and healing
From the graceful Mousai.
Son of bright Apollon and bold Kyrene,
Husband of Autonoe
And father to poor, doomed Actaeon.
As dogs vanquished your son,
So do you vanquish the Sun's dog days.
Remember us now,
O exhilarating God,
At this time when Sirius
Rises in the sky,
Bringing pestilential heat
And mind-fogging mania.
As you did for the people of Ceos,
Bring the refreshing Etesian winds
To our lands scorched by summer's drought.
At Zeus' command
Harness the reticent breezes
And pour them onto our meadows and pastures.
Bring the Thunderer's thirst-quenching rain
To our fields and plants and flowers.
Relieve blessed Gaia and her copious children
From the swelter of plague-bringing humidity.
As you have for ages unnumbered,
Show merciful kindness to us
In our time of need,
O benevolent alleviator of strife.
Waft upon us pure streams
Of cool, languid comfort once again,
O Mighty One.
--- by Kyle Kepulis
