Ayudante Doctora (Lecturer/Assistant Professor) at the University Complutense of Madrid (Spain). With a solid background in papyrology and classical philology, she received her PhD with a dissertation on Greco-Egyptian papyri of magical content in 2017. In 2018-2020 she was Postdoctoral Fellow in the ERC AlchemEast Project for the History of Alchemy (University of Bologna, Italy), after which she was awarded a Talento-CM Postdoctoral Fellowship (2020-2022) to return to Spain and join the Department of Classical Philology at the University Complutense of Madrid, where she currently conducts her teaching and research work. Her research revolves around the ritual and cultural formation of the practitioners of Greco-Egyptian magic, reason why her publications touch on a variety of fields such as magic and religion, literature, alchemy and papyrology from an interdisciplinar perspective.
Cantando a los dioses. Himnos a los dioses desde el antiguo Oriente hasta el Oriente grecorromano, 2024
*[ENG below]* El examen de los manuales de prácticas mágicas greco-egipcias que han llegado hasta... more *[ENG below]* El examen de los manuales de prácticas mágicas greco-egipcias que han llegado hasta nosotros muestra que, al menos en lo relativo a este tipo de magia, los recursos retóricos y rituales de estas prácticas, en realidad, no diferían en gran medida de aquellos empleados en la religión de la época, compartiendo con esta muchos de sus aspectos fundamentales: los actos constitutivos del ritual, similares requerimientos de aptitud y pureza, etc. De hecho, algunos himnos y plegarias mágicos resultan indistinguibles en forma y tono de sus equivalentes literario-religiosos, como puedan ser, por ejemplo, los himnos órficos. Este rasgo es particularmente llamativo en relación con un conjunto específico y muy bien delimitado de composiciones: los himnos mágicos de la esfera apolínea. Este estudio analiza sus características y profundiza en los mecanismos empleados para usar la expresión ritual normativa como un recurso mágico.
--
[ENG] An examination of the Greco-Egyptian magical handbooks that have come down to us shows that, at least as far as Greco-Egyptian magic is concerned, the rhetorical and ritual means of these practices did not differ greatly from those employed in the contemporary religious field. Magic and religion shared many of their fundamental aspects: the constitutive acts, similar requirements of aptitude and purity, etc. Indeed, some magical hymns and prayers are indistinguishable in form and tone from their literary-religious equivalents, such as, for example, Orphic hymns. This feature is particularly striking in relation to a specific and well-defined set of compositions: the magical hymns of the Apollonian sphere. This study analyses their characteristics and delves into the mechanisms employed to use normative ritual expression as a magical resource.
El nuevo yambo de las mujeres. Igualdad en estudios del mundo antiguo. , 2023
***[Este PDF contiene SOLO LA INTRODUCCIÓN del artículo. Cualquier interesado puede contactarme p... more ***[Este PDF contiene SOLO LA INTRODUCCIÓN del artículo. Cualquier interesado puede contactarme para obtener una versión de pruebas de imprenta : miblan02@ucm.es // first pages only; any interested person can write to me to get an offprint: miblan02@ucm.es ]***
RESUMEN: Las mujeres practicantes de magia no dejaron testimonios directos de su actividad en el mundo grecolatino, por lo que, en términos generales, estas últimas sólo pueden estudiarse a través de testimonios textuales escritos por varones. No se trata, por lo tanto, de personas reales, sino de su representación en los textos y esta imagen estará siempre sujeta a un discurso condicionado por los distintos factores inherentes al mismo. Este estudio explora algunas figuras mágicas femeninas de especial relevancia en orden cronológico, desde la poesía homérica hasta la literatura de época Imperial romana. En cada uno de ellos se analizarán de forma somera las nociones de norma y desviación sobre las que los autores de estas fuentes construyeron su discurso, tanto en relación con la magia como con el género femenino, lo que nos ayudará a comprender mejor las representaciones que vamos a analizar y su complejidad dentro de su discurso sociocultural. Al mismo tiempo, intentaré demostrar la importancia de la aplicación de una perspectiva de género a su estudio, ya que, en la construcción de estas representaciones, también influyeron arraigados estereotipos que conectan directamente con la ideología griega y romana sobre sobre la normativa moral que rige la conducta de cada género, la diferencia entre varones y mujeres, las relaciones sociales y la distribución del poder entre ellos.
**this is just an abtract. THE FULL ARTICLE IS AVAILABLE IN OPEN ACCESS on the journal's website ... more **this is just an abtract. THE FULL ARTICLE IS AVAILABLE IN OPEN ACCESS on the journal's website at the following link: https://e-revistas.uc3m.es/index.php/ARYS/article/view/6794 **
The Letter of Isis to Horus is a brief (and precious) piece of Greco-Egyptian alchemy. Beyond the technical interest of the processes it describes, its prologue is noteworthy for its intricate and surprising mixture of Greek, Hebrew, and Egyptian elements. In it, alchemy is presented as a secret knowledge of divine origin, which the goddess Isis
received from an angel who fell in love with her. This preface is, therefore, a key element in the study of the discursive mechanisms and arguments through which early alchemical tradition attempted to bestow authority on its writings and to justify the “Holy Art” label that is often conferred on this discipline. This article analyses these mechanisms and arguments according to the patterns around which this narrative was articulated.
In Greco-roman literature, Daphne's mythical character is transformed into new contexts. ... more In Greco-roman literature, Daphne's mythical character is transformed into new contexts. This paper focuses on literary tradition and construction of Daphne's oracular role and his reception in greek magical papyri.
Traces of Ink. Experiences of Philology and Replication, 2021
The ritual instructions in many of magical handbooks mention a large number
of inks, sometimes ev... more The ritual instructions in many of magical handbooks mention a large number of inks, sometimes even including specific indications for their preparation. When examining descriptions of their composition, a peculiar substance, frequently employed, stands out: blood. By analysing the complex transmission of the magical texts and their codification using Decknamen (code names), this paper explores the possibility that not all the substances used in the magical inks called “blood” were, in fact, blood.
Ancient Magic: Then and Now, J. E. Sanzo, A. Mastrocinque, M. Scapini (eds.), Nordhausen, Verlag Traugott Bautz., 2020
The idea of a charm as a poem has been a widespread common belief; a lot of ancient societies sha... more The idea of a charm as a poem has been a widespread common belief; a lot of ancient societies shared the thought that poetry had special properties beyond its artistic features, so it is not surprising that Greco-Egyptian magicians found in poetry a great way to reinforce their spells.
These metrical sections from magical texts composed in Roman Imperial period were named “magical hymns” by K.Preisendanz but since he proposed this controversial name, it has been widely discussed: obviously, not all are hymnal and not all came from a magical background. Because of this, the aim of this paper is to delve into the problems that arise from the analysis of these compositions as a group, first regarding the demarcation of the study subject (which texts have been considered “magical hymns”? Should we include or exclude any text nowadays?), and second concerning their characterization (what are “magical hymns ” like? Is it possible to give a general definition?). As a result of this exam, my intention is to examine the current validity of Preisendanz’s denomination in the light of the historical evolution of our understanding of ancient Greek hymnal gender and ancient Greek magic.
Cuadernos de Filología Clásica. Estudios griegos e indoeuropeos, 2020
**Open access article/articulo de libre acceso**
[ESPAÑOL] Los llamados Hermeneumata compilados ... more **Open access article/articulo de libre acceso**
[ESPAÑOL] Los llamados Hermeneumata compilados en PGM/PDM XII (= GEMF 15) transmiten una lista de entradas del tipo “semen de Helio” o “sangre de serpiente” que son equiparadas con distintas sustancias de origen animal, vegetal o mineral de nombre perfectamente reconocible desde el griego. Según el prólogo del propio texto, se trataría de una lista “decodificada” de los nombres secretos (Decknamen) empleados por los sacerdotes egipcios para ocultar la verdadera naturaleza de los ingredientes de sus rituales. Este estudio cuestiona dicha interpretación y, mediante el análisis de diversas entradas, apoya una distinta: que se trate de una lista léxica cuya primera columna recoge calcos lingüísticos de la jerga médico-farmacológica egipcia. El examen de los distintos casos servirá, además, para poner de relieve la problemática textual de este pasaje (sustituciones léxicas, confluencia de entradas y errores de copia). [ENGLISH] This paper explores the so-called Hermeneumata of PGM/PDM XII (= GEMF 15), a list of names such as “Helios’ semen” or “snake’s blood” that are equated to different substances with plain Greek names. The prologue of the list claims that these are “decodified” code names (Decknamen) employed by Egyptian priests to hide the true nature of the substances used in their rituals. This analysis questions such an interpretation. By analysing several of these terms in relation to their alleged “meaning”, I confirm Jacco Dieleman’s hypothesis: this is a list of pharmacological expressions from Egyptian tradition and their synonym in Greek. The analysis allows me also to expose the textual problems of this list (i.e. lexical substitutions, convergence of entries and scribal errors).
The multidisciplinary approach to different dyeing techniques of the papyri of Leiden (P.Leid. X) and Stockholm (P.Holm.) is entangled with Greco-Egyptian alchemy; yet, it is not an impediment for the recipes – or the processes described in them – to originate from an artisanal environment. In this regard, the lexical study of these recipes is the key to understanding the technical backgrounds of Greco-Egyptian alchemy. With this aim, this paper analyses the verb ὀδοντίζω (odontizō), which appears in a number of ink recipes of the Leiden and Stockholm papyri with a very technical meaning. The comparison to some Latin sources will help us to better understand its meaning and will lead us to explore the technical field from whence the recipes in which this verb appears came: ancient book production.The multidisciplinary approach to different dyeing techniques of the papyri of Leiden (P.Leid. X) and Stockholm (P.Holm.) is entangled with Greco-Egyptian alchemy; yet, it is not an impediment for the recipes – or the processes described in them – to originate from an artisanal environment. In this regard, the lexical study of these recipes is the key to understanding the technical backgrounds of Greco-Egyptian alchemy. With this aim, this paper analyses the verb ὀδοντίζω (odontizō), which appears in a number of ink recipes of the Leiden and Stockholm papyri with a very technical meaning. The comparison to some Latin sources will help us to better understand its meaning and will lead us to explore the technical field from whence the recipes in which this verb appears came: ancient book production.
Suárez de la Torre, E.-Canzobre, I.-Mañas, C. (coeds.), Ablanathanalba. Magia, cultura y sociedad en el Mundo Antiguo, Barcelona, Clásicos Dykinson, 2020
Although the links between Greco-Egyptian alchemy and Greco-Egyptian
ritual practitioners have re... more Although the links between Greco-Egyptian alchemy and Greco-Egyptian ritual practitioners have recently received some attention from scholars, very little has been said on the exact relationship of the alchemical processes and Greco-Egyptian magic. To close this gap, this paper explores the alchemical recipes transmitted in the magical handbooks, in particular, PGM XII 193-201. The paper provides a new edition of the text and a thorough analysis of the recipes transmitted in that passage.
Il corpo e la comunità dei parlanti: parole dovute, abusate, pretermesse. Casi che interrogano dall’antichità al presente, edited by Blanco Cesteros, M.- Pedrucci, 2018
"Denominar lo innombrable. La denominación de los órganos sexuales en los textos de magia [Naming... more "Denominar lo innombrable. La denominación de los órganos sexuales en los textos de magia [Naming the unmentionable. The name of the sexual organs in magical texts] " is a lexical study that lists and analyzes the vocabulary used to refer to sexual organs in the Greek magical papyri in order to expose how ritual practitioners and their clients dealt with this delicate vocabulary in the explicit framework of magic.
M. Blanco Cesteros (2018) “Denominar lo innombrable. La denominación de los órganos sexuales en los textos de magia”, en Blanco Cesteros, M.- Pedrucci, G. (eds.), Il corpo e la comunità dei parlanti: parole dovute, abusate, pretermesse. Casi che interrogano dall’antichità al presente, , Roma, Scienze e Lettere (Collana Sacra Publica et Privata, vol. 8). ISBN 978-88-6687-143-9, pp. 89-112.
Cuadernos de Filología Clásica. Estudios griegos e indoeuropeos, 2018
Resumen. En la religión greco-romana, los dioses podían escuchar o no la plegaria, acudir o no al... more Resumen. En la religión greco-romana, los dioses podían escuchar o no la plegaria, acudir o no al ritual, pero generalmente su colaboración estaba garantizada si el ritual se realizaba correctamente, libre de impurezas que lo invalidaran y los dioses eran apropiadamente invocados. Sin embargo, en el contexto de la práctica mágica, donde el agente ritual –el mago o la persona que realiza el rito mágico– actuaba movido por intereses egoístas fuera de un contexto religiosamente sancionado, la colaboración divina no estaba garantizada. Entonces, ¿cómo se lograba esta? En este artículo mi propósito es realizar un elenco de los recursos retóricos y estrategias persuasivas utilizadas en el diálogo con los dioses por los practicantes de magia con el fin de ilustrar el rico abanico de procedimientos empleados en el lógos mágico para lograr el apoyo divino. Abstract. In the Greco–Roman religion, gods could listen or not a prayer, attend or not the ritual, but usually there were not problems if the ritual was made correctly, without impurity that could invalidate it and the worshiper invoked gods appropriately. However, in a magical praxis in which the magical practitioner acted for selfish aims outside from normalized religious boundaries, the collaboration of the gods was not guaranteed. Thus, how do magicians got the divine cooperation? My aim in this paper will be to illustrate the rich variety of rhetorical resources and persuasive strategies used in the dialogue with gods by magical practitioners in order to obtain the divine help.
en Katharos: Concepts of Purity and Rituals of Purification in the Ancient Greek World (Kernos, Suppl. 32). Peels, S. – Carbon, J.M. (eds.) Liège, 2018
In magical practice, as well as in religious ritual, purity and purification are essential, in g... more In magical practice, as well as in religious ritual, purity and purification are essential, in good measure because these resources are effective in religion. However, not always they are used as ritual condition or state. In PGM I 290 the magician says that purity “bring the god into de greatest desire toward you” and, in fact, it seems indispensable in rites that the magician want come into contact with the divinity. But, in the other side, the opposite of purity, pollution, also can be utilized in curses with the objective of invoke the ἄγος -the spontaneous and automatic punishment of this transgression-. The magicians provoke the gods against the victims accuse them of religious crimes, even inventing them. In this paper we want study this interested usage of purity and ritual pollution as ritual instrument in greek magical papyri to makes ones desiderable or hateful for the gods.
The study of ancient magical female practitioners takes us, unavoidably, into the intersection of... more The study of ancient magical female practitioners takes us, unavoidably, into the intersection of gender studies, ancient socio-political discourse and the problem of defining magic in the ancient world. Due to the scarcity of non-literary testimonies about women experts in sorcery, the information about ancient witches has to be inferred from indirect sources, that is, from literature. However, many scholars have rejected the validity of literary portrayals of sorceresses because of the undisputable interference that their gender and magic as a discourse of alterity has on the literary construction of these characters . Obviously, the real women who practiced magic could not "bring down the moon" as the ancient authors claimed but wasthere a real basis behind the ancient stereotypes? Were there actually women who practiced magic for a living? What were the sorceresses of the Greco-Roman world really like? Following an area of research conducted by scholars who accept the existence of a substantial number of magical purveyors of both sexes who offered ritual services of various kinds in the ancient world, my aim in this article is to analyse the literary depiction of ancient witches in contrast with the information offered from direct sources in order to clarify the image of these ancient women. On this occasion, in accordance with the nature of the volume in which this article is published, I will especially focus on those passages in which women appears involved not in the practice of magic, but in the transmission of magical lore in ancient literature with a special mention to the only testimony of PGM in which a woman appears as addresse of the magical knowledge (PGM IV 478-482).
Cantando a los dioses. Himnos a los dioses desde el antiguo Oriente hasta el Oriente grecorromano, 2024
*[ENG below]* El examen de los manuales de prácticas mágicas greco-egipcias que han llegado hasta... more *[ENG below]* El examen de los manuales de prácticas mágicas greco-egipcias que han llegado hasta nosotros muestra que, al menos en lo relativo a este tipo de magia, los recursos retóricos y rituales de estas prácticas, en realidad, no diferían en gran medida de aquellos empleados en la religión de la época, compartiendo con esta muchos de sus aspectos fundamentales: los actos constitutivos del ritual, similares requerimientos de aptitud y pureza, etc. De hecho, algunos himnos y plegarias mágicos resultan indistinguibles en forma y tono de sus equivalentes literario-religiosos, como puedan ser, por ejemplo, los himnos órficos. Este rasgo es particularmente llamativo en relación con un conjunto específico y muy bien delimitado de composiciones: los himnos mágicos de la esfera apolínea. Este estudio analiza sus características y profundiza en los mecanismos empleados para usar la expresión ritual normativa como un recurso mágico.
--
[ENG] An examination of the Greco-Egyptian magical handbooks that have come down to us shows that, at least as far as Greco-Egyptian magic is concerned, the rhetorical and ritual means of these practices did not differ greatly from those employed in the contemporary religious field. Magic and religion shared many of their fundamental aspects: the constitutive acts, similar requirements of aptitude and purity, etc. Indeed, some magical hymns and prayers are indistinguishable in form and tone from their literary-religious equivalents, such as, for example, Orphic hymns. This feature is particularly striking in relation to a specific and well-defined set of compositions: the magical hymns of the Apollonian sphere. This study analyses their characteristics and delves into the mechanisms employed to use normative ritual expression as a magical resource.
El nuevo yambo de las mujeres. Igualdad en estudios del mundo antiguo. , 2023
***[Este PDF contiene SOLO LA INTRODUCCIÓN del artículo. Cualquier interesado puede contactarme p... more ***[Este PDF contiene SOLO LA INTRODUCCIÓN del artículo. Cualquier interesado puede contactarme para obtener una versión de pruebas de imprenta : miblan02@ucm.es // first pages only; any interested person can write to me to get an offprint: miblan02@ucm.es ]***
RESUMEN: Las mujeres practicantes de magia no dejaron testimonios directos de su actividad en el mundo grecolatino, por lo que, en términos generales, estas últimas sólo pueden estudiarse a través de testimonios textuales escritos por varones. No se trata, por lo tanto, de personas reales, sino de su representación en los textos y esta imagen estará siempre sujeta a un discurso condicionado por los distintos factores inherentes al mismo. Este estudio explora algunas figuras mágicas femeninas de especial relevancia en orden cronológico, desde la poesía homérica hasta la literatura de época Imperial romana. En cada uno de ellos se analizarán de forma somera las nociones de norma y desviación sobre las que los autores de estas fuentes construyeron su discurso, tanto en relación con la magia como con el género femenino, lo que nos ayudará a comprender mejor las representaciones que vamos a analizar y su complejidad dentro de su discurso sociocultural. Al mismo tiempo, intentaré demostrar la importancia de la aplicación de una perspectiva de género a su estudio, ya que, en la construcción de estas representaciones, también influyeron arraigados estereotipos que conectan directamente con la ideología griega y romana sobre sobre la normativa moral que rige la conducta de cada género, la diferencia entre varones y mujeres, las relaciones sociales y la distribución del poder entre ellos.
**this is just an abtract. THE FULL ARTICLE IS AVAILABLE IN OPEN ACCESS on the journal's website ... more **this is just an abtract. THE FULL ARTICLE IS AVAILABLE IN OPEN ACCESS on the journal's website at the following link: https://e-revistas.uc3m.es/index.php/ARYS/article/view/6794 **
The Letter of Isis to Horus is a brief (and precious) piece of Greco-Egyptian alchemy. Beyond the technical interest of the processes it describes, its prologue is noteworthy for its intricate and surprising mixture of Greek, Hebrew, and Egyptian elements. In it, alchemy is presented as a secret knowledge of divine origin, which the goddess Isis
received from an angel who fell in love with her. This preface is, therefore, a key element in the study of the discursive mechanisms and arguments through which early alchemical tradition attempted to bestow authority on its writings and to justify the “Holy Art” label that is often conferred on this discipline. This article analyses these mechanisms and arguments according to the patterns around which this narrative was articulated.
In Greco-roman literature, Daphne's mythical character is transformed into new contexts. ... more In Greco-roman literature, Daphne's mythical character is transformed into new contexts. This paper focuses on literary tradition and construction of Daphne's oracular role and his reception in greek magical papyri.
Traces of Ink. Experiences of Philology and Replication, 2021
The ritual instructions in many of magical handbooks mention a large number
of inks, sometimes ev... more The ritual instructions in many of magical handbooks mention a large number of inks, sometimes even including specific indications for their preparation. When examining descriptions of their composition, a peculiar substance, frequently employed, stands out: blood. By analysing the complex transmission of the magical texts and their codification using Decknamen (code names), this paper explores the possibility that not all the substances used in the magical inks called “blood” were, in fact, blood.
Ancient Magic: Then and Now, J. E. Sanzo, A. Mastrocinque, M. Scapini (eds.), Nordhausen, Verlag Traugott Bautz., 2020
The idea of a charm as a poem has been a widespread common belief; a lot of ancient societies sha... more The idea of a charm as a poem has been a widespread common belief; a lot of ancient societies shared the thought that poetry had special properties beyond its artistic features, so it is not surprising that Greco-Egyptian magicians found in poetry a great way to reinforce their spells.
These metrical sections from magical texts composed in Roman Imperial period were named “magical hymns” by K.Preisendanz but since he proposed this controversial name, it has been widely discussed: obviously, not all are hymnal and not all came from a magical background. Because of this, the aim of this paper is to delve into the problems that arise from the analysis of these compositions as a group, first regarding the demarcation of the study subject (which texts have been considered “magical hymns”? Should we include or exclude any text nowadays?), and second concerning their characterization (what are “magical hymns ” like? Is it possible to give a general definition?). As a result of this exam, my intention is to examine the current validity of Preisendanz’s denomination in the light of the historical evolution of our understanding of ancient Greek hymnal gender and ancient Greek magic.
Cuadernos de Filología Clásica. Estudios griegos e indoeuropeos, 2020
**Open access article/articulo de libre acceso**
[ESPAÑOL] Los llamados Hermeneumata compilados ... more **Open access article/articulo de libre acceso**
[ESPAÑOL] Los llamados Hermeneumata compilados en PGM/PDM XII (= GEMF 15) transmiten una lista de entradas del tipo “semen de Helio” o “sangre de serpiente” que son equiparadas con distintas sustancias de origen animal, vegetal o mineral de nombre perfectamente reconocible desde el griego. Según el prólogo del propio texto, se trataría de una lista “decodificada” de los nombres secretos (Decknamen) empleados por los sacerdotes egipcios para ocultar la verdadera naturaleza de los ingredientes de sus rituales. Este estudio cuestiona dicha interpretación y, mediante el análisis de diversas entradas, apoya una distinta: que se trate de una lista léxica cuya primera columna recoge calcos lingüísticos de la jerga médico-farmacológica egipcia. El examen de los distintos casos servirá, además, para poner de relieve la problemática textual de este pasaje (sustituciones léxicas, confluencia de entradas y errores de copia). [ENGLISH] This paper explores the so-called Hermeneumata of PGM/PDM XII (= GEMF 15), a list of names such as “Helios’ semen” or “snake’s blood” that are equated to different substances with plain Greek names. The prologue of the list claims that these are “decodified” code names (Decknamen) employed by Egyptian priests to hide the true nature of the substances used in their rituals. This analysis questions such an interpretation. By analysing several of these terms in relation to their alleged “meaning”, I confirm Jacco Dieleman’s hypothesis: this is a list of pharmacological expressions from Egyptian tradition and their synonym in Greek. The analysis allows me also to expose the textual problems of this list (i.e. lexical substitutions, convergence of entries and scribal errors).
The multidisciplinary approach to different dyeing techniques of the papyri of Leiden (P.Leid. X) and Stockholm (P.Holm.) is entangled with Greco-Egyptian alchemy; yet, it is not an impediment for the recipes – or the processes described in them – to originate from an artisanal environment. In this regard, the lexical study of these recipes is the key to understanding the technical backgrounds of Greco-Egyptian alchemy. With this aim, this paper analyses the verb ὀδοντίζω (odontizō), which appears in a number of ink recipes of the Leiden and Stockholm papyri with a very technical meaning. The comparison to some Latin sources will help us to better understand its meaning and will lead us to explore the technical field from whence the recipes in which this verb appears came: ancient book production.The multidisciplinary approach to different dyeing techniques of the papyri of Leiden (P.Leid. X) and Stockholm (P.Holm.) is entangled with Greco-Egyptian alchemy; yet, it is not an impediment for the recipes – or the processes described in them – to originate from an artisanal environment. In this regard, the lexical study of these recipes is the key to understanding the technical backgrounds of Greco-Egyptian alchemy. With this aim, this paper analyses the verb ὀδοντίζω (odontizō), which appears in a number of ink recipes of the Leiden and Stockholm papyri with a very technical meaning. The comparison to some Latin sources will help us to better understand its meaning and will lead us to explore the technical field from whence the recipes in which this verb appears came: ancient book production.
Suárez de la Torre, E.-Canzobre, I.-Mañas, C. (coeds.), Ablanathanalba. Magia, cultura y sociedad en el Mundo Antiguo, Barcelona, Clásicos Dykinson, 2020
Although the links between Greco-Egyptian alchemy and Greco-Egyptian
ritual practitioners have re... more Although the links between Greco-Egyptian alchemy and Greco-Egyptian ritual practitioners have recently received some attention from scholars, very little has been said on the exact relationship of the alchemical processes and Greco-Egyptian magic. To close this gap, this paper explores the alchemical recipes transmitted in the magical handbooks, in particular, PGM XII 193-201. The paper provides a new edition of the text and a thorough analysis of the recipes transmitted in that passage.
Il corpo e la comunità dei parlanti: parole dovute, abusate, pretermesse. Casi che interrogano dall’antichità al presente, edited by Blanco Cesteros, M.- Pedrucci, 2018
"Denominar lo innombrable. La denominación de los órganos sexuales en los textos de magia [Naming... more "Denominar lo innombrable. La denominación de los órganos sexuales en los textos de magia [Naming the unmentionable. The name of the sexual organs in magical texts] " is a lexical study that lists and analyzes the vocabulary used to refer to sexual organs in the Greek magical papyri in order to expose how ritual practitioners and their clients dealt with this delicate vocabulary in the explicit framework of magic.
M. Blanco Cesteros (2018) “Denominar lo innombrable. La denominación de los órganos sexuales en los textos de magia”, en Blanco Cesteros, M.- Pedrucci, G. (eds.), Il corpo e la comunità dei parlanti: parole dovute, abusate, pretermesse. Casi che interrogano dall’antichità al presente, , Roma, Scienze e Lettere (Collana Sacra Publica et Privata, vol. 8). ISBN 978-88-6687-143-9, pp. 89-112.
Cuadernos de Filología Clásica. Estudios griegos e indoeuropeos, 2018
Resumen. En la religión greco-romana, los dioses podían escuchar o no la plegaria, acudir o no al... more Resumen. En la religión greco-romana, los dioses podían escuchar o no la plegaria, acudir o no al ritual, pero generalmente su colaboración estaba garantizada si el ritual se realizaba correctamente, libre de impurezas que lo invalidaran y los dioses eran apropiadamente invocados. Sin embargo, en el contexto de la práctica mágica, donde el agente ritual –el mago o la persona que realiza el rito mágico– actuaba movido por intereses egoístas fuera de un contexto religiosamente sancionado, la colaboración divina no estaba garantizada. Entonces, ¿cómo se lograba esta? En este artículo mi propósito es realizar un elenco de los recursos retóricos y estrategias persuasivas utilizadas en el diálogo con los dioses por los practicantes de magia con el fin de ilustrar el rico abanico de procedimientos empleados en el lógos mágico para lograr el apoyo divino. Abstract. In the Greco–Roman religion, gods could listen or not a prayer, attend or not the ritual, but usually there were not problems if the ritual was made correctly, without impurity that could invalidate it and the worshiper invoked gods appropriately. However, in a magical praxis in which the magical practitioner acted for selfish aims outside from normalized religious boundaries, the collaboration of the gods was not guaranteed. Thus, how do magicians got the divine cooperation? My aim in this paper will be to illustrate the rich variety of rhetorical resources and persuasive strategies used in the dialogue with gods by magical practitioners in order to obtain the divine help.
en Katharos: Concepts of Purity and Rituals of Purification in the Ancient Greek World (Kernos, Suppl. 32). Peels, S. – Carbon, J.M. (eds.) Liège, 2018
In magical practice, as well as in religious ritual, purity and purification are essential, in g... more In magical practice, as well as in religious ritual, purity and purification are essential, in good measure because these resources are effective in religion. However, not always they are used as ritual condition or state. In PGM I 290 the magician says that purity “bring the god into de greatest desire toward you” and, in fact, it seems indispensable in rites that the magician want come into contact with the divinity. But, in the other side, the opposite of purity, pollution, also can be utilized in curses with the objective of invoke the ἄγος -the spontaneous and automatic punishment of this transgression-. The magicians provoke the gods against the victims accuse them of religious crimes, even inventing them. In this paper we want study this interested usage of purity and ritual pollution as ritual instrument in greek magical papyri to makes ones desiderable or hateful for the gods.
The study of ancient magical female practitioners takes us, unavoidably, into the intersection of... more The study of ancient magical female practitioners takes us, unavoidably, into the intersection of gender studies, ancient socio-political discourse and the problem of defining magic in the ancient world. Due to the scarcity of non-literary testimonies about women experts in sorcery, the information about ancient witches has to be inferred from indirect sources, that is, from literature. However, many scholars have rejected the validity of literary portrayals of sorceresses because of the undisputable interference that their gender and magic as a discourse of alterity has on the literary construction of these characters . Obviously, the real women who practiced magic could not "bring down the moon" as the ancient authors claimed but wasthere a real basis behind the ancient stereotypes? Were there actually women who practiced magic for a living? What were the sorceresses of the Greco-Roman world really like? Following an area of research conducted by scholars who accept the existence of a substantial number of magical purveyors of both sexes who offered ritual services of various kinds in the ancient world, my aim in this article is to analyse the literary depiction of ancient witches in contrast with the information offered from direct sources in order to clarify the image of these ancient women. On this occasion, in accordance with the nature of the volume in which this article is published, I will especially focus on those passages in which women appears involved not in the practice of magic, but in the transmission of magical lore in ancient literature with a special mention to the only testimony of PGM in which a woman appears as addresse of the magical knowledge (PGM IV 478-482).
Paper presented at the European Association for the Study of the Religions (EASR) Annual Conferen... more Paper presented at the European Association for the Study of the Religions (EASR) Annual Conference, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium, September 18th-21th, 2017
ABSTRACT: In religion, gods can listen or not a prayer, they can choose attend or not the ritual, but, usually, there aren’t problems if the worshipper makes correctly the praxis and gods are invoked appropriately. However, the magician –or the person who do a magic ritual- acts for selfish aims, not allowed by religion, outside from normalized religious boundaries. So, how to get the collaboration of the gods in this context? Usually, the most frequent answer for this question is “with coercion” but, actually, the most part of the spells aren’t coercive. In the same vein of a series of precedent works, in this paper my aim is examine a particular rhetorical resource related with religion in which the magical practitioner presents himself as religious whorsipper (a priest –προφήτης- or a supplicant -ἱκέτης-), sometimes reaching a great sophistication in the mimesis of this role, and the special relation of this kind of prestigious presentation with Apollonian magical prayers.
Rogo vos, oportet credatis, sunt mulieres plussciae, sunt Nocturnae, et quod sursum est, deorsum ... more Rogo vos, oportet credatis, sunt mulieres plussciae, sunt Nocturnae, et quod sursum est, deorsum faciunt. (Petr. 63.9) ; así comienza su relato el personaje Trimalción en el Satiricón. Ovidio nos presenta una anus in mediis residens annosa puellis (Ov. Fast. 2.571). La literatura está llena de ejemplos de mujeres que practican la magia y se la transmiten a otras mujeres, mostrando una imagen de la realidad que choca con la gran ausencia de practicantes femeninos de magia en los testimonios mágicos no literarios. Los llamados papiros mágicos griegos, los "grimorios" del Egipto Tardoantiguo, han demostrado, a través de su comparación con los testimonios literarios, que la construcción del practicante masculino de magia en la Literatura alberga rasgos reales. Si esto es así, ¿podría aplicarse a los practicantes femeninos de magia? ¿Cómo eran estas mujeres, qué clase de magia practicaban y a quién se la enseñaban? Y, sobre todo, ¿por qué, salvo una excepción, no nos han llegado hechizos atribuidos a hechiceras femeninas? A estas, entre otras cuestiones, se intentará dar respuesta a través de este estudio.
paper presented in Coloquio internacional “el Aprendiz de brujo” Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, 10-12 noviembre 2016
Paper presented in Convegno Humboldtiano- Humboldt Kollege “La magia nel mondo antico. Nuove pro... more Paper presented in Convegno Humboldtiano- Humboldt Kollege “La magia nel mondo antico. Nuove prospettive // Die Magie in der antiken Welt. Neue Perpektiven”. Accademia di studi italo-tedeschi –Akademie Duetsch-Italienischer Studien. Merano (Bolzano, Italia), 27-29 Octubre 2016.
In religion, gods can listen or not a prayer, they can choose attend or not the ritual, but, usua... more In religion, gods can listen or not a prayer, they can choose attend or not the ritual, but, usually, there aren’t problems if the worshipper does it correctly, there isn’t any impurity that could invalidate the ritual and the gods are invoked appropriately. However, the magician –or the person who do a magic ritual acts for selfish aims, not allowed by religion, outside from normalized religious boundaries. So, how to get the collaboration of the gods in this context? Usually, the most frequent answer for this question is “with coercion”, but, in fact, the resources of magic to make the gods do what the magician wishes are very rich. In this paper I will try to illustrate not only the possibilities of the coercion in magical practice, but also the rhetorical resources of the magician to obtain the divine help without resorting to force.
Paper presented in Europaeum Classics Colloquium: Poetry, Oratory, Rhetoric, Persuasion: the power of word in ancient times organized by Flather, P. (org.), Oxford. Universitat Pompeu Fabra Barcelona, 5th-7th November 2015
Some remarks of PGM VI (P.Lond.47).
Paper presented in the First Meeting of University of Chicag... more Some remarks of PGM VI (P.Lond.47).
Paper presented in the First Meeting of University of Chicago “Magical Knowledge” Project (sponsored by Neubauer Colleggium) The University of Chicago Center in Paris Paris, 25 de Septiembre de 2015
Paper presented in Coloquio Internacional Los Papiros Mágicos Griegos: entre lo sublime y lo coti... more Paper presented in Coloquio Internacional Los Papiros Mágicos Griegos: entre lo sublime y lo cotidiano. Universitat Pompeu Fabra Barcelona, 23-24 de Octubre de 2014
Resumen El estudio de los papiros mágicos griegos revela que los magos greco-egipcios desarrollaron su propia lingua sacra; las formas en que se invoca a una divinidad, se solicita su atención, se hace la petición, etc. están restringidas a una serie de expresiones fijas que se repiten a lo largo de los papiros. Pero, al contrario que la lengua del ámbito religioso, la dicción formularia de los papiros mágicos griegos ha sido muy poco valorada, aun cuando es una rica fuente de información sobre la mentalidad mágica y el sincretismo entre Grecia y Egipto. En este estudio me he centrado en χαῖρε y las dos funciones formulares que desempeña en el discurso mágico, atendiendo no sólo a sus aspectos estilístico-formales, sino también a su dimensión performativa y a los antecedentes de la misma. El objetivo ha sido obtener una descripción estilístico-funcional de esta fórmula en los textos mágicos e intentar vislumbrar el referente que siguieron los magos greco-egipcios para su empleo, desde un punto de vista tanto formal como ritual.
Summary The study of greek magical papyri show us that graeco-roman magicians developed his own lingua sacra; the way to invoke, attract attention of a god or ask him something is restricted to some fixed expressions, repeated frequently in magical texts. But, in contrast to religious ritual language, magical formulaic words have been very little study, in spite of their interest for magical mentality and the syncretism between graeco-egyptian magic and greek religion. In this paper I will focus on χαῖρε and his formulaic functions in magical texts. I will pay attention in the performative dimension and stylistic and formal features of this formula. The aim of this study is obtain a stylistic, functional, semantic and pragmatic description of χαῖρε in greek magical papyri and try to glimpse the textual and ritual referents for it.
Paper presented in IV Incontro sulle Religioni del Mediterraneo Antico Politeismo: construzione e... more Paper presented in IV Incontro sulle Religioni del Mediterraneo Antico Politeismo: construzione e percezione delle divinità nel Mediterraneo Antico. Museo delle Religioni “Raffaele Pettazzoni” Roma, 10-14 Junio 2014
The Pied Piper, the Plagues of Egypt and the myth of the Pretides' treatment by Melampus are thre... more The Pied Piper, the Plagues of Egypt and the myth of the Pretides' treatment by Melampus are three stories, which, although historically and geographically unrelated, show several interesting
common features. Typological comparison shows that the narrative schemes of some modern European legends and folktales can be found in classical myths and ancient tales, but adapted for a different socio-historical context.
EL EMBARAZO INFAMANTE DE SELENE: LA CONSTRUCCIÓN DE UNA CALUMNIA VEROSÍMIL.
La διαβολή mágica ... more EL EMBARAZO INFAMANTE DE SELENE: LA CONSTRUCCIÓN DE UNA CALUMNIA VEROSÍMIL.
La διαβολή mágica consiste en difamar a la víctima del conjuro ante el dios, para que la divinidad, ofendida e irritada, actúe contra ella de propia voluntad. A fin de asegurar la efectividad de este procedimiento, el mago reclama la ira divina más extrema inculpando a su víctima de terribles delitos de impiedad, sacrilegios y blasfemias.
En el contexto del Himn.Mág. XIX, una de las διαβολαί más complejas y completas que nos han transmitido los Papiros Mágicos Griegos, el mago acusa a su víctima de haber difamado a la diosa Selene afirmando que, cada mes, da a luz un babuino –κυνοκέφαλος- a causa del semen que el dios Pan derramó sobre ella.
En esta breve creación mítica subyacen, entre otros, motivos del folklore universal tales como la potencia fecundadora del semen y los embarazos prodigiosos de diosas vírgenes. Diversas creencias mítico religiosas del Mediterráneo antiguo sobre el dios Pan, Selene y el babuino divino de Egipto confluyen en esta inusual genealogía mágica a través de dichos esquemas narrativos para lograr un motivo mítico verosímil y coherente con la naturaleza de sus protagonistas y el propósito del mago.
The Selene’s disgraceful pregnancy: a plausible calumny
In the Greek magical hymn XIX, the magician accuses his victim of defame goddess Selene saying that, every month, the goddess gives birth a baboon because the god Pan trew her his semen. In this brief mythic creation we can find many motifs associates with Pan, Selene and the divine Egyptian baboon, and others from universal folktale, in an original genealogy, coherent with the rhetorical precepts of διαβολή.
The approach of almost any ancient Greek text brings us before the concept of purity and impurity... more The approach of almost any ancient Greek text brings us before the concept of purity and impurity. Official religion considers ritual purification as a preliminary to pleasing and influencing the deity. Therefore all rituals demand prior purification, because a ritual can be efficient only if its practitioner is clean and therefore worthy of being listened to by the gods.
Purity is not only a requirement of official religion. It plays a prominent role in the field of magic. Indisputably, the notion of purity is so popular because it is considered a safe way to approach the gods and grant their assistance to fulfil the request. However, there is another interesting point relating to the use of purity and impurity in magic we should highlight. This is the use of a person’s impure status to turn the gods against him. In this work we examine some examples of this resource of the magical corpora in which the writer uses insults connected with impurity to appeal to and convince the divine powers to react against an impious person.
The relationship between magic and religion has long been discussed among religious historians an... more The relationship between magic and religion has long been discussed among religious historians and my purpose is not to restart this debate; however, in this work I am going to deal with the syncretism between them, focusing on the poetic-religious sources of Greco-Egyptian magicians. In the composition of metrical lógoi, both the choice of the poetic form, and the use of the Greek language as instrument of communication, lead their authors to find formal and lexical models in Greek poetry. As Graff stated, ‘’the magicians used verses and formulas that came from a common stock of tradition, a stock that both, magicians and no-magicians, could use” (Graff 1991, 196). In this case, we could also add ‘poetic models’ that magicians adapted to this new context.
Into the Greek magical papyri, Daphne has atypical features in relation to her mythical character... more Into the Greek magical papyri, Daphne has atypical features in relation to her mythical character: the nymph which was transformed into a laurel tree to get away from Apollo's sexual harassment. This work focuses on the late literary tradition of Daphne as oracular maiden similar to others apollinean women seers and priestess as Cassandra, the Pythia or the Sybila. My aim is reconstruct the formation and development of this last metamorphosis of Daphne and its reception in the magical tradition.
Reseña / Review Magali DE HARO SÁNCHEZ (ed.), Écrire la magie dans l’antiquité. Actes du colloque... more Reseña / Review Magali DE HARO SÁNCHEZ (ed.), Écrire la magie dans l’antiquité. Actes du colloque international (Liège, 13-15 octobre 2011). Liège, Presses Universitaires de Liège, 2015, 384pp. (ISBN: 978-2-87562-065-1), publised in MHNH (15) 2015, 292-297
** cover and index **
[ENGLISH] The articles collected in this volume explore the different ways... more ** cover and index **
[ENGLISH] The articles collected in this volume explore the different ways in which words interact with our body (and vice versa, the ways in which our body put limits to the words) in many contexts: sexuality, social perception, public expression versus private one, silence, self-definition… What can the terms used in different periods to define the woman say us about their social function? There is a historical taboo under the different expressions used to say that a woman is pregnant? How magic use the power of words to healing? How affect to the personal construction (our habits, our perception of the environment, our necessity to communicate with the others) the lack of oral interexchange within the enclosed monasteries that follows silent rules? Can the words perpetuate certain ways of social violence or change our perception of the past? Anthropologists, philologists and historians deal with these and other topics in the eight studies of this volume.
[ITALIANO] Nella comunità linguaggio e corpo si confrontano con i ritmi del vivere, risanano le mutilazioni, definiscono consuetudini e saperi condivisi. Ma strati e cerchie sono in movimento. È parte della storia identificare il livello del linguaggio, gli usi del silenzio dalla censura alla scaramanzia alla damnatio memoriae, evidenziare se esso si generalizzi in scienza e in arte, se si cristallizzi in stereotipo. In contemporanea è compito della storia evidenziare le manipolazioni del corpo e dei corpi. Dall’antico ad oggi si raccolgono casi in cui contorsioni del linguaggio consuete per determinate situazioni corporali interrogano su fenomeni rilevanti della società.
[ES] "Manía con M de Mujer" es la segunda edición del seminario dedicado a la figura de la mujer ... more [ES] "Manía con M de Mujer" es la segunda edición del seminario dedicado a la figura de la mujer en la Antigüedad que hemos llevado a cabo dentro de las actividades del Departamento de Filología Clásica de la UCM con motivo del Día Internacional de la Mujer (8 de marzo). Este workshop es, por lo tanto, una continuación del seminario (Des)conocidas llevado a cabo el año pasado, en el que hemos querido, en esta ocasión, centrar la temática entorno a un estereotipo históricamente vinculado al género femenino: la locura. Las intervenciones, que mantienen un año más su carácter internacional e interdisciplinar, han versado sobre la locura, la histeria, el discurso de la mujer como un ser de ánimo inestable, voluble y débil y figuras femeninas concretas que pasaron a la historia como locas, ninfómanas o dementes a través del discurso patriarcal que ha filtrado la literatura y la historia. --- [EN] "Mania con M de Mujer" is the second edition of the workshop dedicated to the figure of women in Antiquity that we have carried out as part of the activities of the Department of Classical Philology of the University Complutense of Madrid on the occasion of International Women's Day (March 8). This workshop is, therefore, a continuation of last year's seminar (Un)known. On this occasion, we focused on a stereotype historically linked to the female gender: mental instability. The papers, which once again this year maintained their international and interdisciplinary character, dealt with madness, folly, hysteria, the discourse of women as unstable, fickle and weak-minded, and specific female figures who passed into history as folly, nymphomaniacs or madwomen through the patriarchal discourse that has filtered literature and history.
Although the development of a complex scientific discourse is not necessarily linked to writing, ... more Although the development of a complex scientific discourse is not necessarily linked to writing, it is un-deniable that its written codification played a key role in the transmission of knowledge. In addition to literary texts that reflect on different technai (or arts) and in parallel to them, the technical knowledge found its own form of expression in the recipe. Taking the recipe’s concept as a starting point, this work-shop explores the codification and transmission of technical, medical and ritual knowledge in Antiquity.
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Papers by Miriam Blanco Cesteros
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[ENG] An examination of the Greco-Egyptian magical handbooks that have come down to us shows that, at least as far as Greco-Egyptian magic is concerned, the rhetorical and ritual means of these practices did not differ greatly from those employed in the contemporary religious field. Magic and religion shared many of their fundamental aspects: the constitutive acts, similar requirements of aptitude and purity, etc. Indeed, some magical hymns and prayers are indistinguishable in form and tone from their literary-religious equivalents, such as, for example, Orphic hymns. This feature is particularly striking in relation to a specific and well-defined set of compositions: the magical hymns of the Apollonian sphere. This study analyses their characteristics and delves into the mechanisms employed to use normative ritual expression as a magical resource.
RESUMEN: Las mujeres practicantes de magia no dejaron testimonios directos de su actividad en el mundo grecolatino, por lo que, en términos generales, estas últimas sólo pueden estudiarse a través de testimonios textuales escritos por varones. No se trata, por lo tanto, de personas reales, sino de su representación en los textos y esta imagen estará siempre sujeta a un discurso condicionado por los distintos factores inherentes al mismo. Este estudio explora algunas figuras mágicas femeninas de especial relevancia en orden cronológico, desde la poesía homérica hasta la literatura de época Imperial romana. En cada uno de ellos se analizarán de forma somera las nociones de norma y desviación sobre las que los autores de estas fuentes construyeron su discurso, tanto en relación con la magia como con el género femenino, lo que nos ayudará a comprender mejor las representaciones que vamos a analizar y su complejidad dentro de su discurso sociocultural. Al mismo tiempo, intentaré demostrar la importancia de la aplicación de una perspectiva de género a su estudio, ya que, en la construcción de estas representaciones, también influyeron arraigados estereotipos que conectan directamente con la ideología griega y romana sobre sobre la normativa moral que rige la conducta de cada género, la diferencia entre varones y mujeres, las relaciones sociales y la distribución del poder entre ellos.
The Letter of Isis to Horus is a brief (and precious) piece of Greco-Egyptian alchemy. Beyond the technical interest of the processes it describes, its prologue is noteworthy for its intricate and surprising mixture of Greek, Hebrew, and Egyptian elements. In it, alchemy is presented as a secret knowledge of divine origin, which the goddess Isis
received from an angel who fell in love with her. This preface is, therefore, a key element in the study of the discursive mechanisms and arguments through which early alchemical tradition attempted to bestow authority on its writings and to justify the “Holy Art” label that is often conferred on this discipline. This article analyses these mechanisms and arguments according to the patterns around which this narrative was articulated.
of inks, sometimes even including specific indications for their preparation.
When examining descriptions of their composition, a peculiar substance, frequently employed, stands out: blood. By analysing the complex transmission of the magical texts and their codification using Decknamen (code names), this paper explores the possibility that not all the substances used in the magical inks called “blood” were, in fact, blood.
These metrical sections from magical texts composed in Roman Imperial period were named “magical hymns” by K.Preisendanz but since he proposed this controversial name, it has been widely discussed: obviously, not all are hymnal and not all came from a magical background. Because of this, the aim of this paper is to delve into the problems that arise from the analysis of these compositions as a group, first regarding the demarcation of the study subject (which texts have been considered “magical hymns”? Should we include or exclude any text nowadays?), and second concerning their characterization (what are “magical hymns ” like? Is it possible to give a general definition?). As a result of this exam, my intention is to examine the current validity of Preisendanz’s denomination in the light of the historical evolution of our understanding of ancient Greek hymnal gender and ancient Greek magic.
[ESPAÑOL] Los llamados Hermeneumata compilados en PGM/PDM XII (= GEMF 15) transmiten una lista de entradas del tipo “semen de Helio” o “sangre de serpiente” que son equiparadas con distintas sustancias de origen animal, vegetal o mineral de nombre perfectamente reconocible desde el griego. Según el prólogo del propio texto, se trataría de una lista “decodificada” de los nombres secretos (Decknamen) empleados por los sacerdotes egipcios para ocultar la verdadera naturaleza de los ingredientes de sus rituales. Este estudio cuestiona dicha interpretación y, mediante el análisis de diversas entradas, apoya una distinta: que se trate de una lista léxica cuya primera columna recoge calcos lingüísticos de la jerga médico-farmacológica egipcia. El examen de los distintos casos servirá, además, para poner de relieve la problemática textual de este pasaje (sustituciones léxicas, confluencia de entradas y errores de copia).
[ENGLISH] This paper explores the so-called Hermeneumata of PGM/PDM XII (= GEMF 15), a list of names such as “Helios’ semen” or “snake’s blood” that are equated to different substances with plain Greek names. The prologue of the list claims that these are “decodified” code names (Decknamen) employed by Egyptian priests to hide the true nature of the substances used in their rituals. This analysis questions such an interpretation. By analysing several of these terms in relation to their alleged “meaning”, I confirm Jacco Dieleman’s hypothesis: this is a list of pharmacological expressions from Egyptian tradition and their synonym in Greek. The analysis allows me also to expose the textual problems of this list (i.e. lexical substitutions, convergence of entries and scribal errors).
The multidisciplinary approach to different dyeing techniques of the papyri of Leiden (P.Leid. X) and Stockholm (P.Holm.) is entangled with Greco-Egyptian alchemy; yet, it is not an impediment for the recipes – or the processes described in them – to originate from an artisanal environment. In this regard, the lexical study of these recipes is the key to understanding the technical backgrounds of Greco-Egyptian alchemy. With this aim, this paper analyses the verb ὀδοντίζω (odontizō), which appears in a number of ink recipes of the Leiden and Stockholm papyri with a very technical meaning. The comparison to some Latin sources will help us to better understand its meaning and will lead us to explore the technical field from whence the recipes in which this verb appears came: ancient book production.The multidisciplinary approach to different dyeing techniques of the papyri of Leiden (P.Leid. X) and Stockholm (P.Holm.) is entangled with Greco-Egyptian alchemy; yet, it is not an impediment for the recipes – or the processes described in them – to originate from an artisanal environment. In this regard, the lexical study of these recipes is the key to understanding the technical backgrounds of Greco-Egyptian alchemy. With this aim, this paper analyses the verb ὀδοντίζω (odontizō), which appears in a number of ink recipes of the Leiden and Stockholm papyri with a very technical meaning. The comparison to some Latin sources will help us to better understand its meaning and will lead us to explore the technical field from whence the recipes in which this verb appears came: ancient book production.
ritual practitioners have recently received some attention from scholars, very little has been said on the exact relationship of the alchemical processes and Greco-Egyptian magic. To close this gap, this paper explores the alchemical recipes transmitted in the magical handbooks, in particular, PGM XII 193-201. The paper provides a new edition of the text and a thorough analysis of the recipes transmitted in that passage.
M. Blanco Cesteros (2018) “Denominar lo innombrable. La denominación de los órganos sexuales en los textos de magia”, en Blanco Cesteros, M.- Pedrucci, G. (eds.), Il corpo e la comunità dei parlanti: parole dovute, abusate, pretermesse. Casi che interrogano dall’antichità al presente, , Roma, Scienze e Lettere (Collana Sacra Publica et Privata, vol. 8). ISBN 978-88-6687-143-9, pp. 89-112.
Abstract. In the Greco–Roman religion, gods could listen or not a prayer, attend or not the ritual, but usually there were not problems if the ritual was made correctly, without impurity that could invalidate it and the worshiper invoked gods appropriately. However, in a magical praxis in which the magical practitioner acted for selfish aims outside from normalized religious boundaries, the collaboration of the gods was not guaranteed. Thus, how do magicians got the divine cooperation? My aim in this paper will be to illustrate the rich variety of rhetorical resources and persuasive strategies used in the dialogue with gods by magical practitioners in order to obtain the divine help.
Following an area of research conducted by scholars who accept the existence of a substantial number of magical purveyors of both sexes who offered ritual services of various kinds in the ancient world, my aim in this article is to analyse the literary depiction of ancient witches in contrast with the information offered from direct sources in order to clarify the image of these ancient women. On this occasion, in accordance with the nature of the volume in which this article is published, I will especially focus on those passages in which women appears involved not in the practice of magic, but in the transmission of magical lore in ancient literature with a special mention to the only testimony of PGM in which a woman appears as addresse of the magical knowledge (PGM IV 478-482).
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[ENG] An examination of the Greco-Egyptian magical handbooks that have come down to us shows that, at least as far as Greco-Egyptian magic is concerned, the rhetorical and ritual means of these practices did not differ greatly from those employed in the contemporary religious field. Magic and religion shared many of their fundamental aspects: the constitutive acts, similar requirements of aptitude and purity, etc. Indeed, some magical hymns and prayers are indistinguishable in form and tone from their literary-religious equivalents, such as, for example, Orphic hymns. This feature is particularly striking in relation to a specific and well-defined set of compositions: the magical hymns of the Apollonian sphere. This study analyses their characteristics and delves into the mechanisms employed to use normative ritual expression as a magical resource.
RESUMEN: Las mujeres practicantes de magia no dejaron testimonios directos de su actividad en el mundo grecolatino, por lo que, en términos generales, estas últimas sólo pueden estudiarse a través de testimonios textuales escritos por varones. No se trata, por lo tanto, de personas reales, sino de su representación en los textos y esta imagen estará siempre sujeta a un discurso condicionado por los distintos factores inherentes al mismo. Este estudio explora algunas figuras mágicas femeninas de especial relevancia en orden cronológico, desde la poesía homérica hasta la literatura de época Imperial romana. En cada uno de ellos se analizarán de forma somera las nociones de norma y desviación sobre las que los autores de estas fuentes construyeron su discurso, tanto en relación con la magia como con el género femenino, lo que nos ayudará a comprender mejor las representaciones que vamos a analizar y su complejidad dentro de su discurso sociocultural. Al mismo tiempo, intentaré demostrar la importancia de la aplicación de una perspectiva de género a su estudio, ya que, en la construcción de estas representaciones, también influyeron arraigados estereotipos que conectan directamente con la ideología griega y romana sobre sobre la normativa moral que rige la conducta de cada género, la diferencia entre varones y mujeres, las relaciones sociales y la distribución del poder entre ellos.
The Letter of Isis to Horus is a brief (and precious) piece of Greco-Egyptian alchemy. Beyond the technical interest of the processes it describes, its prologue is noteworthy for its intricate and surprising mixture of Greek, Hebrew, and Egyptian elements. In it, alchemy is presented as a secret knowledge of divine origin, which the goddess Isis
received from an angel who fell in love with her. This preface is, therefore, a key element in the study of the discursive mechanisms and arguments through which early alchemical tradition attempted to bestow authority on its writings and to justify the “Holy Art” label that is often conferred on this discipline. This article analyses these mechanisms and arguments according to the patterns around which this narrative was articulated.
of inks, sometimes even including specific indications for their preparation.
When examining descriptions of their composition, a peculiar substance, frequently employed, stands out: blood. By analysing the complex transmission of the magical texts and their codification using Decknamen (code names), this paper explores the possibility that not all the substances used in the magical inks called “blood” were, in fact, blood.
These metrical sections from magical texts composed in Roman Imperial period were named “magical hymns” by K.Preisendanz but since he proposed this controversial name, it has been widely discussed: obviously, not all are hymnal and not all came from a magical background. Because of this, the aim of this paper is to delve into the problems that arise from the analysis of these compositions as a group, first regarding the demarcation of the study subject (which texts have been considered “magical hymns”? Should we include or exclude any text nowadays?), and second concerning their characterization (what are “magical hymns ” like? Is it possible to give a general definition?). As a result of this exam, my intention is to examine the current validity of Preisendanz’s denomination in the light of the historical evolution of our understanding of ancient Greek hymnal gender and ancient Greek magic.
[ESPAÑOL] Los llamados Hermeneumata compilados en PGM/PDM XII (= GEMF 15) transmiten una lista de entradas del tipo “semen de Helio” o “sangre de serpiente” que son equiparadas con distintas sustancias de origen animal, vegetal o mineral de nombre perfectamente reconocible desde el griego. Según el prólogo del propio texto, se trataría de una lista “decodificada” de los nombres secretos (Decknamen) empleados por los sacerdotes egipcios para ocultar la verdadera naturaleza de los ingredientes de sus rituales. Este estudio cuestiona dicha interpretación y, mediante el análisis de diversas entradas, apoya una distinta: que se trate de una lista léxica cuya primera columna recoge calcos lingüísticos de la jerga médico-farmacológica egipcia. El examen de los distintos casos servirá, además, para poner de relieve la problemática textual de este pasaje (sustituciones léxicas, confluencia de entradas y errores de copia).
[ENGLISH] This paper explores the so-called Hermeneumata of PGM/PDM XII (= GEMF 15), a list of names such as “Helios’ semen” or “snake’s blood” that are equated to different substances with plain Greek names. The prologue of the list claims that these are “decodified” code names (Decknamen) employed by Egyptian priests to hide the true nature of the substances used in their rituals. This analysis questions such an interpretation. By analysing several of these terms in relation to their alleged “meaning”, I confirm Jacco Dieleman’s hypothesis: this is a list of pharmacological expressions from Egyptian tradition and their synonym in Greek. The analysis allows me also to expose the textual problems of this list (i.e. lexical substitutions, convergence of entries and scribal errors).
The multidisciplinary approach to different dyeing techniques of the papyri of Leiden (P.Leid. X) and Stockholm (P.Holm.) is entangled with Greco-Egyptian alchemy; yet, it is not an impediment for the recipes – or the processes described in them – to originate from an artisanal environment. In this regard, the lexical study of these recipes is the key to understanding the technical backgrounds of Greco-Egyptian alchemy. With this aim, this paper analyses the verb ὀδοντίζω (odontizō), which appears in a number of ink recipes of the Leiden and Stockholm papyri with a very technical meaning. The comparison to some Latin sources will help us to better understand its meaning and will lead us to explore the technical field from whence the recipes in which this verb appears came: ancient book production.The multidisciplinary approach to different dyeing techniques of the papyri of Leiden (P.Leid. X) and Stockholm (P.Holm.) is entangled with Greco-Egyptian alchemy; yet, it is not an impediment for the recipes – or the processes described in them – to originate from an artisanal environment. In this regard, the lexical study of these recipes is the key to understanding the technical backgrounds of Greco-Egyptian alchemy. With this aim, this paper analyses the verb ὀδοντίζω (odontizō), which appears in a number of ink recipes of the Leiden and Stockholm papyri with a very technical meaning. The comparison to some Latin sources will help us to better understand its meaning and will lead us to explore the technical field from whence the recipes in which this verb appears came: ancient book production.
ritual practitioners have recently received some attention from scholars, very little has been said on the exact relationship of the alchemical processes and Greco-Egyptian magic. To close this gap, this paper explores the alchemical recipes transmitted in the magical handbooks, in particular, PGM XII 193-201. The paper provides a new edition of the text and a thorough analysis of the recipes transmitted in that passage.
M. Blanco Cesteros (2018) “Denominar lo innombrable. La denominación de los órganos sexuales en los textos de magia”, en Blanco Cesteros, M.- Pedrucci, G. (eds.), Il corpo e la comunità dei parlanti: parole dovute, abusate, pretermesse. Casi che interrogano dall’antichità al presente, , Roma, Scienze e Lettere (Collana Sacra Publica et Privata, vol. 8). ISBN 978-88-6687-143-9, pp. 89-112.
Abstract. In the Greco–Roman religion, gods could listen or not a prayer, attend or not the ritual, but usually there were not problems if the ritual was made correctly, without impurity that could invalidate it and the worshiper invoked gods appropriately. However, in a magical praxis in which the magical practitioner acted for selfish aims outside from normalized religious boundaries, the collaboration of the gods was not guaranteed. Thus, how do magicians got the divine cooperation? My aim in this paper will be to illustrate the rich variety of rhetorical resources and persuasive strategies used in the dialogue with gods by magical practitioners in order to obtain the divine help.
Following an area of research conducted by scholars who accept the existence of a substantial number of magical purveyors of both sexes who offered ritual services of various kinds in the ancient world, my aim in this article is to analyse the literary depiction of ancient witches in contrast with the information offered from direct sources in order to clarify the image of these ancient women. On this occasion, in accordance with the nature of the volume in which this article is published, I will especially focus on those passages in which women appears involved not in the practice of magic, but in the transmission of magical lore in ancient literature with a special mention to the only testimony of PGM in which a woman appears as addresse of the magical knowledge (PGM IV 478-482).
ABSTRACT: In religion, gods can listen or not a prayer, they can choose attend or not the ritual, but, usually, there aren’t problems if the worshipper makes correctly the praxis and gods are invoked appropriately. However, the magician –or the person who do a magic ritual- acts for selfish aims, not allowed by religion, outside from normalized religious boundaries. So, how to get the collaboration of the gods in this context? Usually, the most frequent answer for this question is “with coercion” but, actually, the most part of the spells aren’t coercive. In the same vein of a series of precedent works, in this paper my aim is examine a particular rhetorical resource related with religion in which the magical practitioner presents himself as religious whorsipper (a priest –προφήτης- or a supplicant -ἱκέτης-), sometimes reaching a great sophistication in the mimesis of this role, and the special relation of this kind of prestigious presentation with Apollonian magical prayers.
paper presented in Coloquio internacional “el Aprendiz de brujo”
Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona,
10-12 noviembre 2016
Accademia di studi italo-tedeschi –Akademie Duetsch-Italienischer Studien.
Merano (Bolzano, Italia), 27-29 Octubre 2016.
religion, outside from normalized religious boundaries. So, how to get the collaboration of the gods in this context? Usually, the most frequent answer for this question is “with coercion”, but, in fact, the resources of magic to make the gods do what the magician wishes are very rich. In this paper I will try to illustrate not only the possibilities of the coercion in magical practice, but also the rhetorical resources of the magician to obtain the divine help without resorting to force.
Paper presented in Europaeum Classics Colloquium: Poetry, Oratory, Rhetoric, Persuasion: the power of word in ancient times organized by Flather, P. (org.), Oxford.
Universitat Pompeu Fabra
Barcelona, 5th-7th November 2015
Paper presented in the First Meeting of University of Chicago “Magical Knowledge” Project (sponsored by Neubauer Colleggium)
The University of Chicago Center in Paris
Paris, 25 de Septiembre de 2015
Universitat Pompeu Fabra
Barcelona, 23-24 de Octubre de 2014
Resumen
El estudio de los papiros mágicos griegos revela que los magos greco-egipcios desarrollaron su propia lingua sacra; las formas en que se invoca a una divinidad, se solicita su atención, se hace la petición, etc. están restringidas a una serie de expresiones fijas que se repiten a lo largo de los papiros. Pero, al contrario que la lengua del ámbito religioso, la dicción formularia de los papiros mágicos griegos ha sido muy poco valorada, aun cuando es una rica fuente de información sobre la mentalidad mágica y el sincretismo entre Grecia y Egipto. En este estudio me he centrado en χαῖρε y las dos funciones formulares que desempeña en el discurso mágico, atendiendo no sólo a sus aspectos estilístico-formales, sino también a su dimensión performativa y a los antecedentes de la misma. El objetivo ha sido obtener una descripción estilístico-funcional de esta fórmula en los textos mágicos e intentar vislumbrar el referente que siguieron los magos greco-egipcios para su empleo, desde un punto de vista tanto formal como ritual.
Summary
The study of greek magical papyri show us that graeco-roman magicians developed his own lingua sacra; the way to invoke, attract attention of a god or ask him something is restricted to some fixed expressions, repeated frequently in magical texts. But, in contrast to religious ritual language, magical formulaic words have been very little study, in spite of their interest for magical mentality and the syncretism between graeco-egyptian magic and greek religion. In this paper I will focus on χαῖρε and his formulaic functions in magical texts. I will pay attention in the performative dimension and stylistic and formal features of this formula. The aim of this study is obtain a stylistic, functional, semantic and pragmatic description of χαῖρε in greek magical papyri and try to glimpse the textual and ritual referents for it.
Museo delle Religioni “Raffaele Pettazzoni”
Roma, 10-14 Junio 2014
common features. Typological comparison shows that the narrative schemes of some modern European legends and folktales can be found in classical myths and ancient tales, but adapted for a different socio-historical context.
La διαβολή mágica consiste en difamar a la víctima del conjuro ante el dios, para que la divinidad, ofendida e irritada, actúe contra ella de propia voluntad. A fin de asegurar la efectividad de este procedimiento, el mago reclama la ira divina más extrema inculpando a su víctima de terribles delitos de impiedad, sacrilegios y blasfemias.
En el contexto del Himn.Mág. XIX, una de las διαβολαί más complejas y completas que nos han transmitido los Papiros Mágicos Griegos, el mago acusa a su víctima de haber difamado a la diosa Selene afirmando que, cada mes, da a luz un babuino –κυνοκέφαλος- a causa del semen que el dios Pan derramó sobre ella.
En esta breve creación mítica subyacen, entre otros, motivos del folklore universal tales como la potencia fecundadora del semen y los embarazos prodigiosos de diosas vírgenes. Diversas creencias mítico religiosas del Mediterráneo antiguo sobre el dios Pan, Selene y el babuino divino de Egipto confluyen en esta inusual genealogía mágica a través de dichos esquemas narrativos para lograr un motivo mítico verosímil y coherente con la naturaleza de sus protagonistas y el propósito del mago.
The Selene’s disgraceful pregnancy: a plausible calumny
In the Greek magical hymn XIX, the magician accuses his victim of defame goddess Selene saying that, every month, the goddess gives birth a baboon because the god Pan trew her his semen. In this brief mythic creation we can find many motifs associates with Pan, Selene and the divine Egyptian baboon, and others from universal folktale, in an original genealogy, coherent with the rhetorical precepts of διαβολή.
Purity is not only a requirement of official religion. It plays a prominent role in the field of magic. Indisputably, the notion of purity is so popular because it is considered a safe way to approach the gods and grant their assistance to fulfil the request. However, there is another interesting point relating to the use of purity and impurity in magic we should highlight. This is the use of a person’s impure status to turn the gods against him. In this work we examine some examples of this resource of the magical corpora in which the writer uses insults connected with impurity to appeal to and convince the divine powers to react against an impious person.
[ENGLISH] The articles collected in this volume explore the different ways in which words interact with our body (and vice versa, the ways in which our body put limits to the words) in many contexts: sexuality, social perception, public expression versus private one, silence, self-definition… What can the terms used in different periods to define the woman say us about their social function? There is a historical taboo under the different expressions used to say that a woman is pregnant? How magic use the power of words to healing? How affect to the personal construction (our habits, our perception of the environment, our necessity to communicate with the others) the lack of oral interexchange within the enclosed monasteries that follows silent rules? Can the words perpetuate certain ways of social violence or change our perception of the past? Anthropologists, philologists and historians deal with these and other topics in the eight studies of this volume.
[ITALIANO] Nella comunità linguaggio e corpo si confrontano con i ritmi del vivere, risanano le mutilazioni, definiscono consuetudini e saperi condivisi. Ma strati e cerchie sono in movimento. È parte della storia identificare il livello del linguaggio, gli usi del silenzio dalla censura alla scaramanzia alla damnatio memoriae, evidenziare se esso si generalizzi in scienza e in arte, se si cristallizzi in stereotipo. In contemporanea è compito della storia evidenziare le manipolazioni del corpo e dei corpi. Dall’antico ad oggi si raccolgono casi in cui contorsioni del linguaggio consuete per determinate situazioni corporali interrogano su fenomeni rilevanti della società.
la histeria, el discurso de la mujer como un ser de ánimo inestable, voluble y débil y figuras femeninas concretas que pasaron a la historia como locas, ninfómanas o dementes a través del discurso patriarcal que ha filtrado la literatura y la historia.
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[EN] "Mania con M de Mujer" is the second edition of the workshop dedicated to the figure of women in Antiquity that we have carried out as part of the activities of the Department of Classical Philology of the University Complutense of Madrid on the occasion of International Women's Day (March 8). This workshop is, therefore, a continuation of last year's seminar (Un)known. On this occasion, we focused on a stereotype historically linked to the female gender: mental instability. The papers, which once again this year maintained their international and interdisciplinary character, dealt with madness, folly,
hysteria, the discourse of women as unstable, fickle and weak-minded, and specific female figures who passed into history as folly, nymphomaniacs or madwomen through the patriarchal discourse that has filtered literature and history.