Caracas Chronicles

(The following is the Homeric Hymn to Ares, Greek god of war. The ancients had a form of ritual, called “apothropaic”, in which you called by good names gods and godesses that were to fear. Ares is one case. It comes from circa 485 A. D., and the translation is Charles Boer´s, considered by many as the best in English. Please read it carefully, specially the final lines. Let the gods and godesses and every possible force bless us!)



Ares, superior force,

Ares, chariot rider,

Ares, wears gold helmet,

Ares has mighty heart,

Ares, shield-bearer,

Ares, guardian of city,

Ares has armor of bronze,

Ares has powerful arms,

Ares never gets tired,

Ares, hard with spear,

Ares, rampart of Olympus,

Ares, father of Victory

who herself delights in war,

Ares, helper of Justice,

Ares overcomes other side,

Ares leader of most just men,

Ares carries staff of manhood,

Ares turns his fiery bright cycle

among the seven-signed tracks

of the aether, where flaming chargers

bear him forever

over the third orbit!

Hear me,

helper of mankind,

dispenser of youth’s sweet courage,

beam down from up there

your gentle light

on our lives,

and your martial power,

so that I can shake off

cruel cowardice

from my head,

and diminish that deceptive rush

of my spirit, and restrain

that shrill voice in my heart

that provokes me

to enter the chilling din of battle.

You, happy god,

give me courage,

let me linger

in the safe laws of peace,

and thus escape

from battles with enemies

and the fate of a violent death.