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| System of the Magicians; Incantations of Demons; Secret Magical Rites.
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Chapter
XXVIII.233
| 233
Hippolytus, having exposed the system of sidereal influence over men,
proceeds to detail the magical rites and operations of the
sorcerers. This arrangement is in conformity with the technical
divisions of astrology into (1) judiciary, (2) natural. The
former related to the prediction of future events, and the latter of
the phenomena of nature, being thus akin to the art of magic. | —System of
the Magicians; Incantations of Demons; Secret Magical Rites.
… And (the sorcerer), taking (a paper),
directs the inquirer234
| 234 The
text here and at the end of the last chapter is somewhat imperfect. |
to write down with water whatever questions he may desire to have asked
from the demons. Then, folding up the paper, and delivering it to
the attendant, he sends him away to commit it to the flames, that the
ascending smoke may waft the letters to demons. While, however,
the attendant is executing this order, (the sorcerer) first removes
equal portions of the paper, and on some more parts of it he pretends
that demons write in Hebrew characters. Then burning an incense
of the Egyptian magicians, termed Cyphi, he takes these (portions of
paper) away, and places them near the incense. But (that paper)
which the inquirer happens to have written (upon), having placed on the
coals, he has burned. Then (the sorcerer), appearing to be borne
away under divine influence, (and) hurrying into a corner (of the
house), utters a loud and harsh cry, and unintelligible to
all,…and orders all those present to enter, crying out (at the
same time), and invoking Phryn, or some other demon. But after
passing into the house, and when those that were present stood side by
side, the sorcerer, flinging the attendant upon a bed,235
| 235 Or
“cushion” (Cruice), or “couch,” or “a
recess.” | utters to him several words, partly in the
Greek, and partly, as it were, the Hebrew language, (embodying) the
customary incantations employed by the magicians. (The
attendant), however, goes away236
| 236 Or
“goes up,” or “commences,” or “enters in
before the others, bearing the oblation” (Cruice). |
to make the inquiry. And within (the house), into a vessel full
of water (the sorcerer) infusing copperas mixture, and melting the
drug, having with it sprinkled the paper that forsooth had (the
characters upon it) obliterated, he forces the latent and concealed
letters to come once more into light; and by these he ascertains what
the inquirer has written down. And if one write with copperas
mixture likewise, and having ground a gall nut, use its vapour as a
fumigator, the concealed letters would become plain. And if one
write with milk, (and) then scorch the paper, and scraping it, sprinkle
and rub (what is thus scraped off) upon the letters traced with the
milk, these will become plain. And urine likewise, and sauce of
brine, and juice of euphorbia, and of a fig, produce a similar
result. But when (the sorcerer) has ascertained the question in
this mode, he makes provision for the manner in which he ought to give
the reply. And next he orders those that are present to enter,
holding laurel branches and shaking them, and uttering cries, and
invoking the demon Phryn. For also it becomes these to invoke
him;237
and it is worthy
that they make this request from demons, which they do not wish of
themselves to put forward, having lost their minds. The confused
noise, however, and the tumult, prevent them directing attention to
those things which it is supposed (the sorcerer) does in secret.
But what these are, the present is a fair opportunity for us to
declare.
Considerable darkness, then, prevails. For
the (sorcerer) affirms that it is impossible for mortal nature to
behold divine things, for that to hold converse (with these mysteries)
is sufficient. Making, however, the attendant lie down (upon the
couch), head foremost, and placing by each side two of those little
tablets, upon which had been inscribed in, forsooth, Hebrew characters,
as it were names of demons, he says that (a demon) will deposit the
rest in their ears. But this (statement) is requisite, in order
that some instrument may be placed beside the ears of the attendant, by
which it is possible that he signify everything which he chooses.
First, however, he produces a sound that the (attendant) youth may be
terrified; and secondly, he makes a humming noise; then, thirdly, he
speaks238
| 238 The
Abbe Cruice considers that this passage, as attributing all this
jugglery to the artifice of sorcerers, militates against the authorship
of Origen, who ascribes (Περὶ
᾽Αρχῶν, lib. iii. p. 144, ed.
Benedict.) the same results not to the frauds of magicians, but to
demons. | through the
instrument what he wishes the youth to say, and remains in expectation
of the issue of the affair; next, he makes those present remain still,
and directs the (attendant) to signify, what he has heard from the
demons. But the instrument that is placed beside his ears is a
natural instrument, viz., the windpipe of long-necked cranes, or
storks, or swans. And if none of these is at hand, there are also
some different artificial instruments (employed); for certain pipes of
brass, ten in number, (and) fitting into one another, terminating in a
narrow point, are adapted (for the purpose), and through these is
spoken into the ear whatsoever the (magician) wishes. And the
youth hearing these (words) with terror as uttered by demons, when
ordered, speaks them out. If any one, however, putting around a
stick a moist hide, and having dried it and drawn it together, close it
up, and by removing the rod fashion the hide into the form of a pipe,
he attains a similar end. Should any of these, however, be not at
hand, he takes a book, and, opening it inside, stretches it out as far
as he think requisite, (and
thus) achieves the same result.
But if he knows beforehand that one is present who
is about to ask a question, he is the more ready for all
(contingencies). If, however, he may also previously ascertain
the question, he writes (it) with the drug, and, as being prepared, he
is considered239
more skilful, on
account of having clearly written out what is (about) being
asked. If, however, he is ignorant of the question, he forms
conjectures, and puts forth something capable of a doubtful and varied
interpretation, in order that the oracular response, being originally
unintelligible, may serve for numerous purposes, and in the issue of
events the prediction may be considered correspondent with what
actually occurs. Next, having filled a vessel with water, he puts
down (into it) the paper, as if uninscribed, at the same time infusing
along with it copperas mixture. For in this way the paper written
upon floats240
upwards (to the
surface), bearing the response. Accordingly there ensue
frequently to the attendant formidable fancies, for also he strikes
blows plentifully on the terrified (bystanders). For, casting
incense into the fire, he again operates after the following
method. Covering a lump of what are called “fossil
salts” with Etruscan wax, and dividing the piece itself of
incense into two parts, he throws in a grain of salt; and again joining
(the piece) together, and placing it on the burning coals, he leaves it
there. And when this is consumed, the salts, bounding upwards,
create the impression of, as it were, a strange vision taking
place. And the dark-blue dye which has been deposited in the
incense produces a blood-red flame, as we have already declared.
But (the sorcerer) makes a scarlet liquid, by mixing wax with alkanet,
and, as I said, depositing the wax in the incense. And he makes
the coals241
| 241 On
the margin of the ms., we find the words,
“concerning coals,” “concerning magical signs,”
“concerning sheep.” | be moved, placing
underneath powdered alum; and when this is dissolved and swells up like
bubbles, the coals are moved.E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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