Dream Spells: a spell from Pachrates given to Emperor Hadrian
“Pachrates, the prophet of Heliopolis, who exhibited the power of his divine magic to the Emperor Hadrian. For it caused attraction in one hour; it caused illness in two hours; it caused destruction in seven hours; and it sent dreams to the Emperor himself while he was testing the complete truth of his magic. And because he was amazed at the prophet, he ordered that twice the pay be given to him.
“Take a field-mouse that’s been made divine with spring water; and take two moon beetles made divine with river water; also: a river crab, the fat of a spotted virgin goat, feces of a dog-faced baboon, two ibis eggs, two drachms of storax, two drachms of myrrh, two drachms of saffron, four drachms of Italian sedge, four drachms of unbroken frankincense, a single onion.
“Throw all these into a mortar with the field-moue and the rest, and having ground them up well keep them ready for use by storing them in a lead box. And whenever you want to perform [sc. the magic rite], take a little bit, light a coal, climb up on the roof, and burn the offering while saying this spell as [the moon] is rising, and immediately she will come.
“Spell: [i’ve omitted it]
“Therefore, let this not be done heedlessly, unless it is necessary that you perform it. It also has a protective charm against you falling, for the goddess is accustomed to make those who perform this spell without a protective charm airborne and throw them from the roof to the ground. For this reason, then, I figured it necessary that a precaution be made in the form of a protective charm, so that you can perform it without hesitation. Keep it secret.”
Παχράτης, ὁ προφήτης Ἡλιουπόλεως, Ἁδριανῷ βασιλεῖ ἐπιδεικνύμενος τὴν δύναμιν τῆς θείας αὑτοῦ μαγείας. ἦξεν γὰρ μονόωρον, κατέκλινεν ἐν ὥραις βʹ, ἀνεῖλεν ἐν ὥραις ζʹ, ὀνειροπόμπησεν δὲ αὐτὸν βασιλέα ἐκδο<κ>ιμ<ά>ζοντος αὐτοῦ τὴν ὅλην ἀλήθειαν τῆς περὶ αὐτὸν μαγείας· καὶ θαυμάσας τὸν προφήτην διπλᾶ ὀψώνια αὐτῷ ἐκέλευσεν δίδοσθαι.
λαβὼν μυγαλὸν ἐκθέωσον πηγαίῳ ὕδατι καὶ λαβὼν κανθάρους σεληνιακοὺς δύο ἐκθέωσον ὕδατι ποταμίῳ καὶ καρκίνον ποτάμιον καὶ στῆρ ποικίλης αἰγὸς παρθένου καὶ κυνοκεφάλου κόπρον, ἴβεως ὠὰ δύο, στύρακος δραχμὰς βʹ, ζμύρνης δραχμὰς βʹ, κρόκου δραχμὰς βʹ, κυπέρεως Ἰταλικῆς δραχμὰς δʹ, λιβάνου ἀτμήτου δραχμὰς δʹ, μονογενὲς κρόμμυον·
ταῦτα πάντα βάλε εἰς ὅλμον σὺν τῷ μυγαλῷ καὶ τοῖς λοιποῖς καὶ κόψας καλλίστως ἔχε ἐπὶ τῶν χρειῶν ἀποθέμενος εἰς πυξίδα μολιβῆν. καὶ ὅταν βούλῃ πράττειν, ἀνελόμενος ὀλίγον καὶ ποιήσας ἀνθρακιὰν ἀναβὰς ἐπὶ δώματος ὑψηλοῦ ἐπίθυε λέγων τὸν λόγον τοῦτον ἀνατολῆς οὔσης, καὶ παραχρῆμα ἥξει. λόγος· […]
μὴ οὖν εὐχερῶς πράσσῃς, εἰ μὴ ἀνάγκη σοι γένηται. ἔχει δὲ φυλακτήριον πρὸς τὸ μή σε καταπεσεῖν· εἴωθεν γὰρ ἡ θεὸς τοὺς ἀφυλακτηριαστοὺς τοῦτο πράσσοντας ἀεροφ<ερ>εῖς ποιεῖν καὶ ἀπὸ τοῦ ὕψους ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν ῥῖψαι. διὸ οὖν ἀναγκαῖον ἡγησάμην καὶ τοῦ φυλακτηρίου τὴν πρόνοιαν ποιήσασθαι, ὅπως ἀδιστάκτως πράσσῃς. κρύβε.