Orphic Hymn 85

To Sleep

THE FUMIGATION FROM A POPPY. Sleep, king of Gods, and men of mortal birth, Sov’reign of all, sustain’d by mother Earth; For thy dominion is supreme alone, O’er all extended, and by all things known. ‘Tis thine all bodies with benignant mind In other bands than those of brass to bind. Tamer of cares, to weary toil repose, And from whom sacred solace in affliction flows. Thy pleasing gentle chains preserve the soul, And e’en the dreadful cares of death control; For Death, and Lethe with oblivious stream, Mankind thy genuine brothers justly deem. With fav’ring aspect to my ptay’r incline, And save thy mystics in their works divine.