Pallas Athena

Alone, originating from the roots of noble Zeus,

divine and found in shaded regions of the wilderness.

O Pallas, of the logos, clear and bright,

through which we discover the effable and ineffable.

Magnificent Soul celebrated on the rocky height,

alluring through olive groves and the shadows of mountains.

In arms take pleasure, and breathe into mortal souls, dire madness.

Unveiled, pure, of trembling intellect.

Gorgons fall into ruin in the presence of the unmarried roots of divine Self.

Mother of arts and vigorous intellect,

perceived as fury by the poor, but purifying [classical] philosophy by the noble.

Female, together with male, the art of conflict is yours. 

O profound, dragoness/serpent/vigilant one, of divine breath,

The Phlegraioi Gigantes awaken to antagonise,

your forceful horses push ahead with fearful destruction.

Emanating from the head of Zeus, and of brightly shining appearance,

purifier of harmful acts, wholly victorious Goddess.

Hear self, O Goddess, when I ask through Self,

with supplicating voice both night and day,

and in self's present hour provide harmony, the art of health, a propitious era,

and unceasing help from your divine attendants,

O, much called upon, bringer of art, blue-grey eyed/gleaming-eyed purity.

Orpheus, Initiation through Pallas, Revised by The Editor of ClassicalPhilosophy.org, Chichester, England, 2025.

For this initiation, I have turned to paraphrase, seeking once more to recapture the spiritual path; yet in doing so, the original hexameter and later rhyme have fallen away. The dramatic intensity of a Homeric narrative style has also been softened, as these changes better capture the essence of the original Orphic initiations.

The editor of Classical Philosophy.org