XXXIX. TO CERES. The FUMIGATION from STORAX. O Universal mother, Ceres fam'd August, the source of wealth, and various nam'd: 2 Great nurse, all-bounteous, blessed and divine, Who joy'st in peace, to nourish corn is thine: Goddess of seed, of fruits abundant, fair, 5 Harvest and threshing, are thy constant care; Who dwell'st in Eleusina's seats retir'd, Lovely, delightful queen, by all desir'd. Nurse of all mortals, whose benignant mind, First ploughing oxen to the yoke confin'd; 10 And gave to men, what nature's wants require, With plenteous means of bliss which all desire. In verdure flourishing in honor bright, Assessor of great Bacchus, bearing light: p. 172 Rejoicing in the reapers sickles, kind, 15 Whose nature lucid, earthly, pure, we find. Prolific, venerable, Nurse divine, Thy daughter loving, holy Proserpine: A car with dragons yok'd, 'tis thine to guide, 19 And orgies singing round thy throne to ride: 20 Only-begotten, much-producing queen, All flowers are thine and fruits of lovely green. Bright Goddess, come, with Summer's rich increase Swelling and pregnant, leading smiling Peace; Come, with fair Concord and imperial Health, 25 And join with these a needful store of wealth.
Pronoia — the doctrine that the divine actively orders the unfolding of the cosmos and human affairs toward intelligible ends, against pure chance or blind necessity.
The text emphasizes the goddess's active care in providing corn, wealth, and health to meet human needs.
Iamblichean ritual practice that engages the gods directly through consecrated material symbols and actions, on the premise that divine power descends into properly prepared matter — distinct from philosophical contemplation alone.
The passage describes ritual actions like fumigation and orgies intended to engage the deity through material symbols.