Water in Greco-Roman evil magic
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17561/at.26.8092Keywords:
Curse tablets, Underworld, Water, Ancient magic, WellsAbstract
Water is normally associated with life, however, in Greek mythology it is also linked to death: Hades was bathed by rivers and lakes, which separated the world of the living and that of the dead. The wells connected both, the rivers and seas were inhabited by divinities that could drag you to death. They were, then, a channel of communication with the infernal gods that the magicians took advantage of to send them messages in the form of curses. In this paper we analyze Greek and Latin curse tablets to understand the connection between water and malefic magic. This can be literal, because the sheets of lead were thrown into the water, or metaphorical, because the texts mention water with performative function
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Abreviaturas
DT = Audollent, Auguste. 1904: Defixionum tabellae. París (Francia), Fontemoing.
DTA = Wünsch, Richard. 1897: Inscriptiones Graecae, III, 3, Appendix continens Defixionum tabellas in Attica regione repertas. Berolini (Alemania), Georgium Reimerum.
DTM = Blänsdorf, Jürgen; Lambert, Yves Lambert; Witteyer, Marion (eds.). 2012: Die defixionum tabellae des Mainzer Isis- und Mater Magna-Heiligtums. Mainz (Alemania), Mainzer Archaologische Schriften.
NGCT = Jordan, David. 2000: “New Greek Curse Tablets (1985–2000)”. GRBS 41(1), 5-46.
PGM = Preisendanz, Karl; Henrichs, A. 1973–1974: Papyri Graecae Magicae. Die griechischen Zauberpapyri. I–II. Stuttgart (Alemania).
SEG = Supplementum Epigraphicum Graecum https://scholarlyeditions.brill.com/sego/
SGD = Jordan, David. 1985: “A Survey of Greek Defixiones”. GRBS 26,2, 151-197.
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