good fortune, and spake, saying, "Be of good courage, Sir, dear art thou
to me, and I am Dionysus of the noisy rites whom Cadmeian Semele bare to
the love of Zeus." Hail, thou child of beautiful Semele, none that is
mindless of thee can fashion sweet minstrelsy.



VII. TO ARES


Ares, thou that excellest in might, thou lord of the chariot of war, God
of the golden helm, thou mighty of heart, thou shield-bearer, thou safety
of cities, thou that smitest in mail; strong of hand and unwearied
valiant spearman, bulwark of Olympus, father of victory, champion of
Themis; thou tyrannous to them that oppose thee with force; thou leader
of just men, thou master of manlihood, thou that whirlest thy flaming
sphere among the courses of the seven stars of the sky, where thy fiery
steeds ever bear thee above the third orbit of heaven; do thou listen to
me, helper of mortals, Giver of the bright bloom of youth. Shed thou
down a mild light from above upon this life of mine, and my martial
strength, so that I may be of avail to drive away bitter cowardice from
my head, and to curb the deceitful rush of my soul, and to restrain the
sharp stress of anger which spurs me on to take part in the dread din of
battle. But give me heart, O blessed one, to abide in the painless
measures of peace, avoiding the battle-cry of foes and the compelling
fates of death.



VIII. TO ARTEMIS