03.04.2013 Views

The Mystical Hymns of Orpheus - Platonic Philosophy

The Mystical Hymns of Orpheus - Platonic Philosophy

The Mystical Hymns of Orpheus - Platonic Philosophy

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

Create successful ePaper yourself

Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.

OF ORPHEUS.<br />

xxv.<br />

TO PROTEUS 49.<br />

PROTEUS I call, whom Fate decrees to keep<br />

<strong>The</strong> keys which lock the chambers <strong>of</strong> the deep;<br />

First-born, by whose illustrious pow'r alone<br />

All Nature's principles were clearly shown.<br />

Pure sacred matter to transmute is thine,<br />

And decorate with forms all-various and divine.<br />

All-honour'd, prudent, whose sagacious mind<br />

Knows all that was and is <strong>of</strong> ev'ry kind,<br />

With all that shall be in succeeding time,<br />

So vast thy wisdom, wondrous and sublime :<br />

For all things Nature first to thee consign'd,<br />

And in thy essence omniform confin'd.<br />

0 father, to thy mystics' rites attend,<br />

And grant a blessed life a prosp'rous end.<br />

'9 Proteus, says Proclus, in Plat. Repub. p. 97, though<br />

inferior to the primary Gods, is immortal ; and though not<br />

a deity, is a certain angelic intellect <strong>of</strong> the order <strong>of</strong> Nep-<br />

tune, comprehending in himself all the forms <strong>of</strong> things<br />

generated in the universe.

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!