Prayer to Hephaestus
Hephaestus
Strong, mighty Hephaistos, bearing splendid light, unwearied fire, with flaming torrents bright: strong-handed, deathless, and of art divine, pure element, a portion of the world is thine: all-taming artist, all-diffusive power, 'tis thine, supreme, all substance to devour: aither, sun, moon, and stars, light pure and clear, for these thy lucid parts to men appear. To thee all dwellings, cities, tribes belong, diffused through mortal bodies, rich and strong. Hear, blessed power, to holy rites incline, and all propitious on the incense shine: suppress the rage of fire's unwearied frame, and still preserve our nature's vital flame.
Fons · Source
AuthorAnonymous (Orphic corpus)
WorkOrphic Hymns
Section66 (to Hephaestus)
PeriodHellenistic to Roman imperial (3rd c. BC – 2nd c. AD)
OccasionOrphic hymn to Hephaestus with fumigation of frankincense and manna — invocation of fire as cosmic element diffused through stars and mortal bodies
Classificatio · Taxonomy
Culturegreek
Formhymn
DeitiesHephaestus
Functionsinvocation · petition
Spherecivic