Aidonian's blog

TO JUPITER [ZEUS]

These are Orphic hymns, but the Roman versions of it. Which is ok. Its still to the same deity, in my opion. Like I did with other Orphic hymns to other deities, I will do the same here.

The Fumigation from Storax.
O Jove much-honor’d, Jove [Zeus] supremely great, to thee our holy rites we consecrate,
Our pray’rs and expiations, king divine, for all things round thy head exalted shine.
The earth is thine, and mountains swelling high, the sea profound, and all within the sky.
Saturnian [Kronion] king, descending from above, magnanimous, commanding, sceptred Jove [Zeus];
All-parent, principle and end of all, whose pow’r almighty, shakes this earthly ball;
Ev’n Nature trembles at thy mighty nod, loud-sounding, arm’d with light’ning, thund’ring God.
Source of abundance, purifying king, O various-form’d from whom all natures spring;
Propitious hear my pray’r, give blameless health, with peace divine, and necessary wealth.

I actually love these Orphic hymns to Zeus, Plouton and others, more than the Homeric hymns. That is strictly personal of course. Here the hymn describes who Zeus or Jupiter is, His relationship with the world, with mankind,how the worshippers saw Him. It is clear that He was considered very powerful, which is one of the reasons He is also equated with Yawheh because They share similarities with eachother. Zeus is alot of things, King of Kings, Father to Mortals and Gods, Bringer of Rain, Ruler of Fate, of the Universe, who further organised the universe. His symbol is the lightning, so its clear that it was one of the most important aspects of Zeus.

TO THUNDRING JOVE [ZEUS KERAUNOS]

The Fumigation from Storax.
O Father Jove [Zeus], who shak’st with fiery light the world deep-sounding from thy lofty height:
From thee, proceeds th’ ætherial lightning’s blaze, flashing around intolerable rays.
Thy sacred thunders shake the blest abodes, the shining regions of th’ immortal Gods:
Thy pow’r divine, the flaming lightning shrouds, with dark investiture, in fluid clouds.
‘Tis thine to brandish thunders strong and dire, to scatter storms, and dreadful darts of fire;
With roaring flames involving all around, and bolts of thunder of tremendous sound.
Thy rapid dart can raise the hair upright, and shake the heart of man with wild afright.
Sudden, unconquer’d, holy, thund’ring God, ‘with noise unbounded, flying all abroad;
With all-devouring force, entire and strong, horrid, untam’d, thou roll’st the flames along.
Rapid, ætherial bolt, descending fire, the earth all-parent, trembles at thy ire;
The sea all-shining; and each beast that hears the sound terrific, with dread horror fears:
When Nature’s face is bright with flashing fire, and in the heavens resound thy thunders dire.
Thy thunders white, the azure garments tear, and burst the veil of all surrounding air.
O Jove [Zeus], all-blessed, may thy wrath severe, hurl’d in the bosom of the deep appear,
And on the tops of mountains be reveal’d, for thy strong arm is not from us conceal’d.
Propitious to these sacred rites incline, and crown my wishes with a life divine:
Add royal health, and gentle peace beside, with equal reason, for my constant guide.

[19] XIX. To JOVE, as the AUTHOR of LIGHTNING [ZEUS ASTRAPAIOS]

The Fumigation from Frankincense and Manna.
I Call the mighty, holy, splendid light, aerial, dreadful-sounding, fiery-bright;
Flaming, aerial-light, with angry voice, lightning thro’ lucid clouds with horrid noise.
Untam’d, to whom resentments dire belong, pure, holy pow’r, all-parent, great and strong:
Come, and benevolent these rites attend, and grant my days a peaceful, blessed end.

I think it was because of the associated and equation with Yawheh, that many polytheists turn away first of Zeus because He reminds them of the Christian- Jewish god. If you delve into who Zeus is, you see he is very differently from the Christian-Jewish deity. Usually when I pray to Zeus Kosmetes, I use these three hymns to start my prayer and offering incense Storax to Him.