Orphic Hymn 12

To Hercules

Hear, strenuous Hercules, untam’d and strong, To whom grand works and powerful hands belong, Titan untam’d, rejoicing and benign, Of various forms, eternal and divine. Father of Time, the theme of gen’ral praise, Ineffable, adored in various ways, Magnanimous, in divination skill’d, And in th’ athletic labours of the field. ‘Tis thine, strong archer, all things to devour, Supreme, all-helping, all-producing pow’r. To thee mankind as their deliv’rer pray, Whose arm can chase the savage tribes away. Unweary’d, earth’s best blossom, offspring fair, To whom calm peace and peaceful works are dear. Self-born, with primogenial fires you shine, And various names, and strength of heart are thine: Thy mighty head supports the morning light, And bears, untam’d, the silent gloomy night; From east to west, endu’d with strength divine, Twelve glorious labours to absolve is thine; Supremely skill’d, thou reign’st in heav’n’s abodes, Thyself a God, amidst th’ immortal Gods. With arms unshaken, infinite, divine, Come, blessed pow’r, and to our rites incline; The mitigations of disease convey, And drive disastrous maladies away. Come, shake the branch with thy almighty arm, Dismiss thy darts, and noxious fate disarm.