Rather than relying on just one name, magicians could call out a whole list of names for gods or spirits they wished to command, for example in this common love spell: (Greek magical papyri, no.12, 238-245 (cited Assman 204)Īs conjurers and magicians faced increasing competition from new and foreign gods, spells grew in complexity. The demons, hearing it, are terrified – the name BARBAREICH ARSEMPHEMPHROOTHOU – and because of hearing it the sun, the earth, are overturned Hades, hearing, is shaken rivers, sea, lakes, springs, hearing, are frozen Rocks, hearing it, are split. (Witt 193)Īs these names grew more and more complex, they became magical formulas or codes, imbued with tremendous powers. To know the true name and to utter it aloud was as important for the conjurer in addressing either the disease directly or its agents as it had been for Isis herself in her dealings with Re. Magical practitioners, likewise, believed that by using the true name of Re, they could, like Isis, conquer the world. The spell itself, as spoken by ‘the great lady, the mistress of the gods’, possessed its own efficacy, for by it Isis had acquired the name of the Almighty – his most important talisman – and so had made herself mistress of the earth. She promised to remove the poison if he revealed his name to her. So how can these powerful names be discovered? In one story, Isis tricked the great god Re into giving up his name by making a snake out of his own spit and clay, which bit him. It is quite possible that in the very early stages, Yahweh was God’s secret name and was used to influence or even control Him. Often, an entity had two names, one widely-known and one secret. If you knew the real name of an entity, you had power over it. This powerful, remote secrecy of God is not unknown to the Jewish tradition:Įvery taboo has a reason. He is ba-like, hidden of name like his secrecy. People fall down immediately for fear that his name will be uttered knowingly or unknowingly. He is too secretive for his majesty to be revealed he is too great to be inquired after, too powerful to be known.
None of the gods knows his true form his image is not unfolded in books nothing certain is testified about him. He is more remote than heaven, he is deeper than the underworld. …Amun, who keep himself concealed from them, who hides himself from the gods, no one knowing his nature. In the following Egyptian hymn, one of these names is
These names were considered to be both powerful and secret they were difficult to discover and kept from the public. These magical names were commonly invoked to improve romance, business, or health aid in legal matters or political conflicts or seek revenge or justice. Simply by discovering this name you would have the power to control them to force them to do your bidding. Integral to this practice was the belief that each spirit or god had a secret, magical name. Glover, 16-17)īesides divination, the most common magical practice consisted in ‘demonology’ – which meant calling on ‘daimons’ (which were not evil, but rather various kinds of spiritual beings) or gods or goddesses to obtain your desired result. Nor if they foretell, do they fail to give us ways to learn what they foretell nor, if they give us such ways, is there no divination therefore, there is divination. Therefore no gods, no foretelling but there are gods therefore they foretell. But neither do they not love men, for they are benefactors and friends to mankind nor are they ignorant of what they themselves appoint and ordain nor is it of no importance to us to know the future – for we shall be more careful if we do nor do they count it alien to their majesty, for there is nothing nobler than kindness nor are they unable to foreknow. If there are gods and they do not declare the future to men then either they do not love men or they are ignorant of what is to happen or they think it of no importance to men to know it or they do not think it consistent with their majesty to tell men or the gods themselves are unable to indicate it. A formal argument, attributed by Cicero to the Stoics in his treatise on divination, is a rigorous example of classical logic: Glover 16)įamous oracles such those at Delphi were esteemed and consulted by Emperors and the state before making big decisions in policy, or generals before beginning a war. “I see no race of men,” wrote Cicero, “however polished and educated, however brutal and barbarous, which does not believe that warnings of future events are given and may be understood and announced by certain persons.” (qtd. Another trend that is necessary to understand in the formation of Christianity is the widespread use of magic – most exceptionally divination.
0 kommentar(er)
