In honour of Hermes
- Hermes Agoræos
- Hermes Tricephalos
- Hermes Psychopompos
- Hermes Hermeneutes
- Spirit of the market-place
- Guardian of travellers
- Shepherd to the next life
- Giver of man’s tongues
A hymn to Hermes
Hermes, draw near, and to my pray'r incline, Angel
of Zeus, and Maia's
Son divine;
Studious of conteſts, Ruler of mankind, with heart almighty,
and a prudent mind.
Celeſtial Meſsenger, of various ſkill, Whoſe pow’rful
arts could watchful Argos kill:
With winged feet, ’tis Thine through air to
courſe, O Friend of man, and Prophet of diſcourſe:
Great Life-ſupporter, to
rejoice is Thine, in arts gymnaſtic, and in fraud divine:
With pow’r endued
all language to explain, of care the Looſ’ner, and the Source of gain.
Whoſe
hand contains of blameleſs peace the rod, Corucian, bleſsed, profitable God;
Of
various ſpeech, whose aid in works we find, and in neceſsities to mortals
kind:
Dire weapon of the tongue, which men revere, be preſent,
Hermes, and Thy ſuppliant hear;
Aſsiſt my
works, conclude my life with peace, give graceful ſpeech, and memory’s increaſe.