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By John Petropoulos

Magic has continuously been a frequent phenomenon in Greek Society, ranging from Homer’s Circe (the first ‘evil witch’ in western background) and lengthening to the pervasive trust within the ‘evil eye’ within the twenty-first century Greece. certainly, magic is among the such a lot old and sturdy between social and spiritual phenomena recognized to classical and different students, and it may be traced over a span of a few 3 millennia in assets within the Greek language in addition to in a magnificent diversity of visible and different media. for example, curse tablets
from fourth-century B.C. Athens, the medico-magical gemstones of past due antiquity, early Christian amulets, and numerous exorcism prayers from the medieval and later periods.
Organised chronologically, the interesting landscape provided through this publication courses the reader during the old, medieval, sleek or even modern classes, highlighting the traditions, ideologies and strategies of magic in every one interval of Greek heritage. It brings jointly the most recent insights from a number of specialists from numerous disciplines: classicists, artwork historians, archaeologists, felony historians and social anthropologists among others.

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17 Waegeman 1987. 18 Good summary: Fowden 1986. 19 Bonner 1950: 1–7. 20 Fauth 1970: 1–42. B. Petropoulos Even if those who deal in amulets contrive relentlessly, saying, ‘We do nothing more than summon God’ … this matter is still idolatry. St John Chrysostom, Homily VIII on Colossians Mark’s account of the Woman afflicted with the Issue of Blood (Mark 5: 25–34) shows Jesus working a miracle without even realizing it: the woman comes up behind Christ in a large crowd and, by simply touching his garment, is healed after twelve years of medical ordeal.

Thoeris, do be careful! Otherwise you might be (mis)taken for a Christian! They drink the blood and eat the flesh of their god, you know. T H O E R I S : I can also go out onto the roof at night, undress, untie my hair, perfume my body, while praying: ‘You are the perfume with which Isis anointed herself when she went to the embrace of Osiris, her husband and brother, giving her grace and charm on that day. ’ I am to pray to the perfume, lifting my hands to the stars, waving them back and forth: ‘I pray not for beauty, not for fame, not for money.

An oracle priest wrote each question twice (in a negative and a positive formulation) on a piece of papyrus, snipped the papyrus in two and deposited both questions near the statue of the god addressed in the question. ’ Berol. 21712 (3rd – 4th c. CE) To my lord Soknopaios, the great god, and the gods in the same temple, Etrenio asks: if it is not granted me that my wife Ammonous return to me of her own accord, but I have to go hunt her and bring her back, then give this chit to me. Berol. 21713 (3rd – 4th c.

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