Iliad one prayer to cupid

At this, the sire embraced the maid again,

So sadly lost, so lately sought in vain.

Then near the altar of the darting king,

Disposed in rank their hecatomb they bring;

With water purify their hands, and take

The sacred offering of the salted cake;

While thus with arms devoutly raised in air,

And solemn voice, the priest directs his prayer:

"God of the silver bow, thy ear incline,

Whose power incircles Cilla the divine;

Whose sacred eye thy Tenedos surveys,

And gilds fair Chrysa with distinguish'd rays!

If, fired to vengeance at thy priest's request,

Thy direful darts inflict the raging pest:

Once more attend! avert the wasteful woe,

And smile propitious, and unbend thy bow."

n  Here the ritual is shown to be a cleansing carthesis of the way of the kazdoms and the divinely fair.  The hands are washed and the altar used in the portable temple brought by the sage and his people.  Here cupid is beseeched to rectify the wounds and hearts of those who have lost true love.  A request for redemption is prayed for. This is to make everyone involved happy, well the good ones.
from :http://www.gutenberg.org/files/6130/6130-h/6130-h.html#toc5