Magic, Science And Religion In The Hellenistic World
Exploring the relationship between magic, science and religion in the Hellenistic period from an academic standpoint, this book may prove useful to students studying History of Magic. The book contains recipes for ancient potions which were a form of universal medicine, as well as studies from muggle scholars on the close connection between magic and religious practices. THIS BOOK IS A WORK IN PROGRESS
Last Updated
05/31/21
Chapters
3
Reads
2,192
Hellenistic Potions
Chapter 3
In the Hellenistic period, most potions were used alongside incantations to help increase their effectiveness. An example of this is found in this Invisibility potion found on a Greek Magical Papyrus
will grant invisibility until sunset
Take the fat or an eye of a night-owl and a ball of dung rolled by a beetle. Grind these together with oil of an unripe olive until a smooth paste is formed. smear the mixture over your entire body and say the words-
"BORKE' PHOIOUR IO'ZIZIA APARXEOUCH THYTHE LAILAM AAAAAA IIIII OOOO IEO' IEO' IEO' IEO' IEO' IEO' IEO' NAUNAX AI AI AEO' AEO' E'AO"
Moisten the mixture and say in addition
"AEO' O'AE EIE' E'AO' IO' IO' O' PHRIXRIXO' EO'A"
Due to the increased popularity of everyday potions in the Hellenistic era, priestly wizards made attempts to prevent muggles from performing more dangerous potions. By renaming everyday ingredients the wizards not only made potion making potions harder for muggles to attempt but also drew attention away from the rarer magical ingredients used in potion making. The explanations of some of these renamed ingredients have been collected from various secret copies of recipes.
A Snake's Ball of Thread - Soapstone
Bone of an Ibis - Buckthorn
Lion Semen - Human Semen
Blood of Hephaestus - Wormwood
Semen of Hermes - Dill
Blood of Ares - Purslane
