Prayers to Apollo
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Anthologia Latina 2.250.12
Come, O God, kind patron, come! May you favor us in your presence.
Anthologia Latina 2.1841
Phoebus Tirynthia, I pray, please accept this offering on my behalf. This gift I offer in thanks to You for the good health and strength that I have had.
Arnobius Adversus Nationes III 43
Come, Dii Penates, come Apollo and Neptune and all You Gods, and by Your powers may You mercifully turn aside this ill disease that violently twists, scorches and burns our city with fever.
Claudius Claudianus In Olybii et Probini fratres Consules Panegyricus 1-7
O Sol, whose light embraces the world, you orbit inexhaustible, forever returning, your face glowing on each day, your horses harnessed as a team to drive your chariot, with manes braided pleasantly they rise high, passing over rose-red clouds as you rein their frothing fires. Already yet another year begins, measured by the footsteps of brothers, who as new consuls gladly offer their prayers and vows.
Claudius Claudianus In Olybii et Probini fratres Consules Panegyricus 71-2
To you I pray, Apollo of Mount Parnassus, that you may inspire the pythia with so important knowledge, as to whom between us, O God, you will reward with authority.
Corpus Inscriptiones Latinae 141-46; [92-99]: Acta Sacroum Saeculares
Apollo, as it is prescribed for you in those books – and for this reason may every good fortune attend the Roman people, the Quirites – let sacrifice be made to you with nine popana, and nine cakes, and nine phthoes. I beg and pray [that you may increase the sovereign power and majesty of the Roman people, the Quirites, in war and peace; as you have always watched over us among the Latins. Forever may you grant safety, victory and health to the Roman people, the Quirites. May you bestow your favor on the Roman people, the Quirites, and on the legions of the Roman people, the Quirites. May you preserve the health and welfare of the people of Rome, the Quirites, and may you always remain willingly favorable and propitious to the people of Rome, the Quirites, to the college of the quindecimviri, to me, to my house and household. May you accept [this] sacrifice of nine female lambs and nine she-goats, to be burnt whole for you in sacrifice. For these reasons may you be honored and strengthened with the sacrifice of this female lamb, and become favorable and propitious to the Roman people, the Quirites, to the college of the quindecimviri, to myself, to my house, and to my household.] Apollo, just as I have offered popana and prayed to you with proper prayer, for this same reason be honored with these sacrificial cakes. Become favorable and propitious. [Apollo, just as I have offered phthoes cakes and prayed to you with proper prayer, for this same reason be honored with these sacrificial cakes. Become favorable and propitious.
Horace Carmina 1.31.1-4; 17-20
What may a poet ask in his prayers of You, Apollo? What can he say as he pours a libation of new wine to You? May Apollo grant that I enjoy good health and a sound mind, and, I pray, when I grow old, may He grant me a strife-free life, a clear mind and a lyre beside me with which to sing His praises.
Livy 5.21.2-3:
Pythian Apollo, inspired by You and Your guiding influence I go forth to destroy the city of Veii. A tenth part of its spoils I devote to You. Likewise for You, Juno Regina, who in Veii now dwells, I pray, that after our victory You will follow us to the our City, that soon will become Your City as well, where a holy precinct worthy of Your dignity will be built to receive You.
Martial Epigrammata 4.45.1-2
An offering I gladly give You, Phoebus, a box of fragrant incense, from Palatinus Parthenius on behalf of his son.
Martial Epigrammata 9.42
May Myrina's richness ever You hold, Apollo, thus always the swan song, too, may You enjoy, may the well versed sisters ever serve You, the Delphic Pythia ever reveal any of Your oracles, may the Palatia ever love and revere You. Were You ever to ask, and Caesar grant, that he should invest Stella with consular powers, then gladly would I by vow become indebted to You.
Ovid Remedia Amoris 75-6
From the very outset I pray to You, Apollo, inventor of music and of all the healing arts, come to my aid and this undertaking; bless it with Your laurel.
Ovid Remedia Amoris 704
Come, health-bearing Apollo, come favoring my undertaking.
Pacuvius Medus fr. 2
Sol, I call to You that You may guide me on my search for my parents.
Petronius Arbiter 94 PLM
God of Delphi, I have dedicated to You a temple made of fine Sicilian marble, spoken allowed Your praises while accompanied by the sweet sounds of the calamus reeds. If ever You hear our prayers, Apollo, and if indeed You are divine, tell me now, by what means does a man without money seek to find it?
Plautus Aulularia 394-96
Apollo, please, help me, and with your arrows slay these treasure- laden thieves. As you have done before, swiftly come to my aid and draw your bow.
Plautus Mercator 678-80
Apollo, I beseech you, graciously grant peace, prosperity, safety and sound health to our family, and spare my son by your gracious favour.
Sammonicus Praefatio Liber Medicinalis
Phoebus Apollo, bearer of health, for You we compose our song, and favorably promote Your discoveries. With Your healing arts, You lead life back when it is withdrawn from us and recall us from joining the Manes in Heaven. You who formerly dwelt in the temples of Aegea, Pergamum, and Epidaurum, and who drove off the Python from Your peaceful house at Delphi, sought a temple at Rome to Your glory, by expelling the foul presence of illness. Come to me now as each time You have fondly strengthen me when often You were called, and may You be present in all that is set out in this book.
Seneca Hercules Furens 592
Your pardon I do desire, Apollo, if you see in my actions what is forbidden; for it was by the will of another that I revealed hidden things of the earth.
Statius Achilleis 1.9-10
Grant me, O Phoebus, new fonts of inspiration and weave fortune's garland as a crown upon my head.
Statius Thebaid 1.643-5
Not am I sent by anyone, O Apollo of Thymbra, nor as a suppliant do I approach your shrine, conscious of my pious duties and the demands made of me by virtue has led me your way.
Statius Thebaid 1.694-96; 716-18
Pour wine on the altar's fire as we sing our vows again and again to Leto's son, the Preserver of our forefathers.
"Father Phoebus, whether it is the snowy slopes of Lycia or the thorny slopes of Patara that perpetually keep you busy, or if it pleases you to merge your golden hair in Castalia's chaste moisture, … come now, remembering our hospitality, and bless once more the fertile fields of Juno."
Statius Thebaid 4.694-51
Tell us, O Phoebus, who would have bent their rage, who might cause their delay, and in midcourse turn them astray.
Statius Thebaid 6.296-300
Tell us, O Phoebus, the famous names of their master, tell us the names of the horses themselves. Never before were such swift footed steeds, well bred and noble, drawn up for battle, just as dense flocks of birds may swiftly clash together or Aeolus decree furious winds to contest on a single shore.
Statius Thebaid 7.786-88
Now my last words before I depart, if any gratitude I owe to your prophet, O Phoebus, I commend my home and family shrines to You, and leave to You the punishment of my faithless wife and my beautiful son's impassioned furor.
Statius Thebaid 8.91-94
O great Surveyor of all men, (Apollo), You who know the causes and principles of our actions, and who is a Father to me and Savior as well, I pray, lessen Your resolve against me and still Your angry heart, do not think me worthy of Your wrath one who is but a man and who fears Your laws.
Statius Thebaid 10.337-45
To You, Phoebus Apollo, go these spoils, prizes of the night, taken from distinguished nobles, not yet washed clean of their blood. I trust that truly I have offered You an acceptable sacrifice. I, Your faithful priest and defender of Your sacred tripod against uncivilized enemies, commit these to You. If I have not disgraced Your traditional rites and strictly kept Your rule, come often to me, think me worthy to often enter into my thoughts and seize my mind. Although now crude honors are offered You, - these broken arms stained with blood of honorable men, - if ever, Paean, You will grant the return of my native home and the temples I long for, God of Lycia, remember my vows, and however many rich gifts and as many bulls as I have promised, demand they be fulfilled.
Tibullus 2.5.1-4; 122-3
Give your favour, Phoebus, to a new priest who enters your temple. Be gracious, and with songs and lyre, come! When your fingers pluck the chords, and you give voice to song, I pray you may inspire my words into your praises. May your hair be ever flowing, Phoebus; may your sister be forever chaste.
Tibullus 3.10.1-10; 25-6
Draw near, Apollo, and expel the illness from this tender girl, come, draw near. Phoebus of flowing hair unshorn, hear me and hasten. If, Phoebus, You apply Your healing hand to her, You will not regret saving her. Allow not that she should waste away emaciated, or that her color should wane pallor, or that her limbs should lose their strength, and do not wait until her white limbs turn to a hideous color. Whatsoever this illness may be, whatever sorrow we may fear it will bring, carry it off with the waters of a swift running stream to the seas. Holy one, come! And bring with You all Your delicacies, all Your songs, and all else that will soothe the sick. Then the Gods will raise a pious tumult of Your praises and desire They too had Your healing arts.
Tibullus 4.4.1 ff.
Come, Phoebus, with Your golden hair loosely floating, soothe her torture, restore her fair complexion. Come quickly, we pray, we implore, use Your happy skills, such charms as You never spared before. Grant that her frail fame shall not waste away with consumption, or her eyes grow languid, and her bloom fade. Come now with Your favoring aid.
Valerius Flaccus Argonautica 1.5-7
Advise me, Phoebus Apollo, if ever You inspired the Sibyl of Cumae to see visions waft from a kettle in Your sacred house, if ever a chaplet of fresh laurel dignified a worthy brow, and O You whose great fame opened many a sea.
Valerius Flaccus Argonautica 5.17-20
Turn to us now, Mighty Archer, I pray that finally now, Apollo, You will come to our aid! Father, revive the life of this man. If You approve of what we do, then stir back to life he who is of the utmost importance for the success of our venture; and so from this one does the fate of all hands depends.
Valerius Flaccus Argonautica 5.244-49
The king, startled by his dreams, awoke, arose from his bed and addressed his father, the God of the sun, whose car would soon appear on the eastern shore. "Father Apollo, I pray to You, all-seeing guardian God, be gracious to me and protect me, watching over my kingdom. Be ever vigilant and warn me what strangers or what subjects of mine conspire against me. Whatever treacherous plots there may be, keep me alert and prepared."
Virgil Aeneid 3.85-9
Grant us our own, Lord of Thymbra, grant the tired and worn, and their children, a city behind defensive walls in a tamed land. Safeguard a new Troy, built by those Trojan sons who escaped the Greeks and severe Achilles. Who now must I follow? Where do you urge me to go? Grant, Father, a sign, and flow into our souls.
Virgil Aeneid 6.55-77
O Phoebus Apollo, who always pitied Troy of its grave hardship, you who guided the hand of Paris and his Dardanan missile to the body of Aeacus' son, You who led me to penetrate all the seas that wash upon mighty shores, and deep within the remote Massylian tribes and fields that lie against Syrtian sands, until at last we came upon the fleeting shores of Italy. Let Troy's ill fortune have followed us thus far (and no further). You also may justly spare the families of Pergamus, all you gods and goddesses who stood against Troy and the greater glory of the Dardanians. And You, most holy Diviner of future events, I ask only for what fate has allotted me, grant that the sons of Teucria with their wandering gods and storm tossed spirits of Troy may settle in Latium. Then to Apollo and Hecate I shall erect a temple in marble and establish feast days celebrated in Apollo's name. For You a great sanctuary also awaits in our new realm, for indeed I shall place within it Your divining lots and record the arcane words Your oracles have spoken to our people, Gracious One, and I will select and consecrate virtuous men to care for them. Do not commit your songs only to the leaves, that they may swirl about as the sport of whirling winds, but sing them, I pray, with your own lips for us.
Virgil Aeneid 10.875-76
Great Father of the Gods may it so come to pass; thus, Apollo, come, make it begin.
Virgil Aeneid 11.785-93
Apollo Soranus, Highest of the Gods, Holy Guardian of Mount Soracte, we who are foremost among Your worshippers, for You we set to flame the piled pine-wood, and Your worshippers, piously trusting our faith in You among the fires, press our step across the glowing embers. Grant, Father Almighty, that by our arms we may erase this disgrace. No plunder did I seek, no trophy to win from virgins, or any spoils; my fame shall follow from my feats. But while this dire plague strikes me with illness, inglorious I must return to the cities of our fathers.
