The Thriae
From their home they fly now here, now there, feeding on honeycomb and bringing all things to pass. And when they are inspired through eating yellow honey, they are willing to speak the truth; but if they be deprived of the god's sweet food, then they speak falsely, as they swarm in and out together.
Homeric Hymn IV
Farming...
Faith is our earth in which we take root.
Hope is the water through which we are nourished.
Love is the wind through which we grow.
Knowledge is the light through which we ripen.
From the Gospel of Philip, Nag Hammadi Library
Charm for a Swarm of Bees
A marginal charm from a 11th Century manuscript
Against bees swarming: take earth, throw it with your right hand under your right foot and say:
I catch it under my foot, I have reclaimed it.
Lo, earth prevails over all creatures,
and over malice and over jealousy
and over the tongue of the powerful person
And from above, cast the soil over the bees when they swarm, and say:
Settle ye, war-women, sink to the ground!
Never should you, wild, to the wood fly
Be ye respectful of my welfare
as is every man of food and water
The Lorsch Charm
9th Century Old English Bee Charm
Christ, the bees are swarming:
Now fly you, beasts mine, hither again, with holy peace
in God's protection home to come safe.
Settle, settle, bees! So bids you Holy Mary.
Permission not have you, to the forest not fly you.
Nor you me should elude, nor you me should evade.
Sit very still, fulfill God's will!