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The Mystical Hymns of Orpheus - Platonic Philosophy

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OF ORPHEUS.<br />

LXXIII.<br />

TO THE DIIEMON108.<br />

THE FUMIGATION FROM FRANKINCENSE.<br />

THEE, mighty ruling D~mon dread, I call,<br />

Mild Jove, life-giving, and the source <strong>of</strong> all :<br />

Great Jove, much wand'ring, terrible and strong,<br />

To whom revenge and tortures dire belong.<br />

Mankind from thee in plenteous wealth abound,<br />

When in their dwellings joyful thou art found;<br />

Or pass thro' life afflicted and distress'd,<br />

<strong>The</strong> needful means <strong>of</strong> bliss by thee suppress'd.<br />

'Tis thine alone, endu'd with boundless might,<br />

To keep the keys <strong>of</strong> sorrow and delight.<br />

0 holy blessed father, hear my pray'r,<br />

Disperse the seeds <strong>of</strong> life-consuming care,<br />

With fav'ring mind the sacred rites attend,<br />

And grant to life a glorious blessed end.<br />

lo8 According to the Egyptians, as we are informed by<br />

Macrobius (in Saturnal, lib. i. cap. 19), "the Gods that pre-<br />

side over man at the time <strong>of</strong> his birth are these four, the<br />

Damon, Fortune, Love, and ~Vecessity." He adds " that by<br />

the two former they signified the Sun and Moon ; because<br />

the Sun, who is the source <strong>of</strong> spirit, heat, and light, is the<br />

generator and guardian <strong>of</strong> human life ; and on this account<br />

he is believed to be the dzmon, that is, God <strong>of</strong> him who is<br />

born. But by Fortune they indicated the Moon, because

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