Hellenistic-style Prayers to the Four Elements: Fire, Air, Water, Earth

 

On this page, there are four prayers for the traditional four elements of fire, air, water, and earth. Each prayer has a few components. They mention the Aristotelian element qualities, one or more deities associated with the element from two traditions, some descriptive words, the associated Greek letter, the associated platonic solid, the associated cardinal direction from later times, a portion of a quote about the element from Philolaus, and a simple request. Each of the prayers is written in iambic hexameter. It is said that iambic hexameter works much better for the English language than dactylic hexameter, which was often used in ancient Greek. Because each piece has a lyrical form and a request, they are similar to both a hymn and a prayer, a similarity to the Orphic hymns. We can look to ancient Greek religion for our definitions of prayers and hymns. Hymns are “a devotional tribute or offering to the divine in a lyrical form(a poem set to music.”¹ Prayers have a combination of three elements, either an invocation, a reminder of previous offerings, and a request.² I call each of these hymn-prayer combinations prayers. They are Hellenistic in a way, since they largely derive from associations that come from that era and best fit that historical and cultural milieu.³ So, the Hellenistic-style prayers in this article fit the esoteric western tradition and can be a handy tool for traditional rituals. The four prayers are shared with the public so they can be included in a variety of rituals, be they ceremonial magic, astrological magic, or a mixture of Roman pagan, Hellenistic, or even Hellenic type rituals. 

 

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Hellenistic-style Prayer to Fire

Photias, mighty royal fire rise, upwards to the sky

hot and dry, qualities of burn, Hephaistios

active, optimistic, moving, and ascending

of pi, ancient Greek alphabetic letter same

Aries engenders every fiery nature

platonic solid, tetrahedron, perfect, mud

south, the ceremonial magicians say

fire, I see your activity and function

give your blessings mighty fire spirits

now, go back, daemon, this invocation is done

 

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Hellenistic-style Prayer to Air

Aeras, grand, powerful air move, scatter where

wet and hot, qualities of, Homer’s proud Hera 

outward, free-flowing, roaming to the possible

of rho, ancient Greek alphabetic letter, full

Dionysus sways moist and warm generation

platonic solid, octahedron, perfect, mud

east, the ceremonial magicians say

Of Athena, intellect, communication

Aeras, I see your activity and function

give your blessings mighty airy spirits

now, go back, daemon, this invocation is done

 

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Hellenistic-style Prayer to Water

Nero, fluid, strong water, go, run to land 

cold and wet, qualities of, big Oceanus

passive, receptive, cautious, descending, below

of delta, ancient Greek alphabetic letter

Chronos gives being to the cold and moist essence

platonic solid, icosahedron, perfect

west, the ceremonial magicians say

water, I see your activity and function

give your blessings mighty water spirits

now, go back, daemon, this invocation is done

 

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Hellenistic-style Prayer to Earth

Oh Gi, alone, distinct earth, element that stays 

dry and cold, qualities of, Demeter goddess

rigid, stable, passive, unyielding, supportive

of gamma, ancient Greek alphabetic letter

Hades controls all terrestrial life, here, right, left

platonic solid, cube, perfect, matter, mud

north, the ceremonial magicians say

Gi, earth, I see your activity and function

give your blessings mighty earthy spirits

now, go back, daemon, this invocation is done

 

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Click here for a set of infographics of this hymn for personal use.

 

Notes

1. Panopoulos Christos Pandion, Panagiotis Panagiotropoulos, Erymanthos Armyros, and Lesley Madytinou. Hellenic Polytheism: Household Worship, Trans. Rathamnathys Madytinos, (Athens: Labrys, 2014) 68.
2. Pulleyn, Simon, Prayer in Greek Religion, (Clarendon: Oxford, 1997)132.
3. The correspondences are largely from the books by Barry and Obert. Barry has compiled many correspondences from various ancient authors. Barry, Kieren, “The Greek Qabalah,”  (New York, Samuel Weiser, 1999), 202-214; Obert, Charlie, “The Classical Seven Planets,” (Almuten Press, June 22, 2020), Kindle version. The Four Elements.

 

Bibliography

1. Panopoulos Christos Pandion, Panagiotis Panagiotropoulos, Erymanthos Armyros, and Lesley Madytinou. Hellenic Polytheism: Household Worship. Trans. Rathamnathys Madytinos. Athens: Labrys. 2014. 
2. Pulleyn, Simon. Prayer in Greek Religion. Clarendon: Oxford, 1997.
3. Barry, Kieren, “The Greek Qabalah,”  New York, Samuel Weiser, 1999.
4. Obert, Charlie, “The Classical Seven Planets,” Almuten Press, June 22, 2020.

 

Photo Credits

1. Salt crystals. Photo by Andre Karwath aka Aka.
2. Smoke rising before the sun god Harpocrates. Photo by Midjourney.  Prompt: altar and incense smoke rising before Harpocrates the sun god. @david.k9