The Intoxication of the Senses!
Hymn To Bacchus
The Fumigation from Storax. (Amber, Liquid amber)
Bacchus I call, loud-sounding and divine,
Fanatic God, a two-fold shape is thine:
Thy various names and attributes I sing,
O, first-born, thrice begotten, Bacchic king:
Rural, ineffable, two-formed, obscure,
Two-horned, with ivy crowned, euion, pure:
Bull-faced, and martial, bearer of the vine,
Endued with counsel prudent and divine:
Triennial, whom the leaves of vines adorn,
Of Jove and Proserpine, occultly born.
Immortal daemon, hear my suppliant voice,
Give me in blameless plenty to rejoice;
And listen gracious to my mystic prayer,
Surrounded with thy choir of nurses fair.
Translated by Thomas Taylor.