To Zeus
by Michael Hornum, 1997
Hail to You, O Zeus, glorious Father of Gods and mortals,
Far-seeing Kronides, friend of strangers and helper of all who are in need,
Mighty king, who rules this world with justice, reason, and moderation,
You are the paradigm for all earthly rule, whether of oneself or of others.
You delight in the brilliant azure glow of the cloudless sky,
And in the blackening storm, whence issues the flash of Your thunderbolt.
The snow-capped peaks of mist-enshrouded Olympos are Your throne,
And the broad, rustling oak and high-soaring golden eagle the visible expressions of Your majesty.
Just as You give life by pouring forth Your sweet rain upon the thirsty earth,
So too do You shower empty matter with life-giving soul, producing all bodies.
Through You, the spiritual world of Forms brings structure to the world of space and time,
And through Your Divine generosity, flows the selfless giving of the One.