Magic 2: THE SOURCES

Sources 1. Literary Descriptions 2. Inscriptions 3. Visual Material (rare) 4. Papyri 5. Curse Tablets

1. Literary Descriptions Theocritus, Vergil, Apuleius

Theocritus Idyll 2  Where are my bay-leaves? Come, Thestylis; where are my love- charms? Come crown me the bowl with the crimson flower an ’ wool;  ( … )  Where are my bay-leaves? Come, Thestylis; where are my love- charms? Come crown me the bowl with the crimson flower an ’ wool;  ( … )

 So shine me fair, sweet Moon; for to thee, still Goddess, is my song, to thee and that Hecat infernal who makes e’en the whelps to shiver on her goings to and fro where these tombs be and the red blood lies. All hail to thee, dread and awful Hecat! I prithee so bear me company that this medicine of my making prove potent as any of Circe’s or Medea’s or Perimed’s of the golden hair.Wryneck, wryneck, draw him hither.

2. Inscriptions

Greek inscr. Form Nubia

Visual Material

4. Papyri Small pieces of papyrus transmitting the formulae for charms and spells, including binding spells, defixiones, which correspond to the lead curse tablets Long texts including collections of recipes for healing, exorcism, and divination rituals.

5. Tabulae defixionum