Final answer:
The prayer of Polyphemus, a theme related to invoking supernatural consequences, is reflected in the narratives’ use of prayer, offerings, and curses that impact characters' fates. Throughout various literary excerpts, from prayers for eternal life to divine curses, we observe the manifest effects of such supplications.
Step-by-step explanation:
The prayer of Polyphemus in the works alluded to, which range from classical Greek literature to Roman satire, essentially invokes a dire outcome for particular characters or transgressors. In the narrative excerpts provided, diverse acts and invocations echo the theme of invoking divine or supernatural intervention—whether it be Thecla praying for eternal life for Falconilla at Tryphæna's request, offerings and prayers made to deities in a Greek tragedy, or pleadings and curses in Horace's satirical poems.
Throughout these instances, a common thread emerges: the idea that prayers or invocations—be they earnest, vengeful, or manipulative—have tangible effects on the characters' fates. Despite the varying contexts and details, the underlying mechanism of the 'prayer' or 'curse' initiating a consequence appears to adhere to the broader theme of supplication found in Polyphemus' prayer, hinting that the extraordinary requests made to the divine or fateful do come to pass, albeit in diverse forms and outcomes.