Semitic magic, its origins and development / by R. Campbell Thompson.

  • Reginald Campbell Thompson
Date:
1908
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Semitic magic, its origins and development / by R. Campbell Thompson. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    260/362 (page 188)
    PARALLEL IN ASSYRIAN. a torch of eru(-tamarisk), the marrow of the palm, (and) birbirrida-corn.* 1 Thou shalt overlay the floor2 of the whole house with bitumen, plaister, and oil of cedar; at each door [of god 3] thou shalt set a censer (burning) cypress and cedar. That man he shall sprinkle with water,4 and the man who dwelleth ... 5 nothing approach the man.” Then follows this spell:— “ Incantation :— Break the bonds of her who hath bewitched me, Bring to nought the mutterings of her who hath cast spells on me, Turn her sorcery to wind, Her mutterings to air ; All that she hath done or wrought in magic May the wind carry away ! May it bring her days to ruin and a broken heart, May it bring down her years to wretchedness and woe ! May she die, but let me recover ; May her sorcery, her magic, her spells be loosed, V By command of Ea, Sarnas, Marduk, And the Princess Belit-ili. Perform the Incantation. Prayer when sorcery appeareth in a man’s house. Thou shalt wash in water ...6 (and) offer7 a black ox. Repeat this incantation seven times and the sorcery will be loosed.” 8 1 Cf. v. 52, “ And he shall cleanse the house with the blood of the bird, and with the running water, and with the living bird, and with the cedar wood, and with the hyssop and with the scarlet.” 2 Sippu. 3 Why this ilu is in I cannot explain, unless the text should read bdban Ia'an. 4 Or, “ That man shall sprinkle water.” Cf. v. 51, “ and sprinkle the house seven times.” 5 I cannot translate su-um en-na ud-da al til-la satisfactorily. It may mean “ . . . until the day of his recovery.” 6 ki-dah-hi tu-sa-mah ? 7 tu-gar-rib ? or tu-sa-kal 1 8 W.A.L, iv, 59, 1.