Orphic Hymn 9

To The Moon

THE FUMIGATION FROM AROMATICS. Hear, Goddess queen, diffusing silver light, Bull-horn’d, and wand’ring thro’ the gloom of Night. With stars surrounded, and With circuit wide Night’s torch extending, through the heav’ns you ride: Female and male, with silv’ry rays you shine, And now full-orb’d, now tending to decline. Mother of ages, fruit-producing Moon, Whose amber orb makes Night’s reflected noon: Lover of horses, splendid queen of night, All-seeing pow’r, bedeck’d with starry light, Lover of vigilance, the foe of strife, In peace rejoicing, and a prudent life: Fair lamp of Night, its ornament and friend, Who giv’st to Nature’s works their destin’d end. Queen of the stars, all-wise Diana, hail! Deck’d with a graceful robe and ample veil. Come, blessed Goddess, prudent, starry, bright, Come, moony-lamp, with chaste and splendid light, Shine on these sacred rites with prosp’rous rays, And pleas’d accept thy suppliants’ mystic praise.