Lykeia
Muses grant me voice to sing, nymphs taking up the dance
Dancing among their midst is slim ankled Artemis.
The lyre thrums the melody, from Apollon’s golden hand,
Exotic, wild, is her dance, with her fair limbed nymph band.
Dancing through the flowered meadows scented sweet,
Dancing along the rushing deep voiced river and melodic spring.
Hail to you fair-formed Artemis of the shafts and the bow,
Strong armed daughter of kindly Leto, beloved child of father Zeus.
The far ranging mountain boasts to be your happy hollow,
The waterways delight to bathe your hunt heated flesh,
The many-voiced forest whispers of your pursuit and hunt.
Far-racing goddess, let loose your shining arrows!
Your horn blasts a-kin to the raging of the long-horned bull,
Hear the hounds raise their voices to it’s low voiced song.
They strike upon the wind, fleeting shadows in the wood,
And there upon the wooded paths the nymphs do race to the hunt.
Flowing tresses ripple, the shout of laughing voices,
But none fairer than thee, Artemis of the shining brow.
Night nor day can still your far-tredding restless hunt,
Prey falls before you under sun, and the burning torch.
Before your golden bow all beasts flee and quake,
And tender women on childbed call out silent by your dart.
Subdued is the tawny lion, predator turned prey!
Struck down is the stag, so too the doe within the forest glade.
Bloody, slaying goddess, merciful are your sun-lit arms,
As beasts of wild fall beneath your quick slaughter hand,
With gentle ministration, you guard and perserve the soft eyed young.
Though the mother doe falls before you, let not our beloved breast be peirced,
But yet take us with your swift flying arrow when our end is at hand.
Hail to you deadly, merciful Agrotera of the bow and unerring dart!
neosalexandria 