Ephesia Grammata

Ephesia Grammata (

Daktyloi

.

Similar to the mantras of Buddhism and Hinduism, they were "meaningless words" (ἄσημα ὀνόματα) potent to protect those who could speak them correctly, their power residing in their sound, so that they were ineffective if mispronounced. Plutarch (Quaest. Conv. 706D) reports that the Magi instructed victims of demonic possession to recite the Ephesia Grammata.

In the 4th century comedy Lyropoios by Anaxilas, one character carries Ephesia Grammata inscribed on his belt.^[1]

The best known Ephesia Grammata are a group of six words:^[2]

ΑΣΚΙ(ΟΝ) ΚΑΤΑΣΚΙ(ΟΝ) ΛΙΞ ΤΕΤΡΑΞ ΔΑΜΝΑΜΕΝΕΥΣ ΑΙΣΙΟΝ (or ΑΙΣΙΑ)

aski(on) kataski(on) lix tetrax damnameneus aision (aisia)

A version of this formula seems to be attested by a damaged inscription from

Phalasarna, Crete

:

ασκι κατασκι αασιαν ενδασιαν

aski kataski aasian endasian

There were various attempts by ancient authors to make sense of the words. Damnameneus was interpreted as the name of a

Dactyl

. Androcydes proposed an interpretation as philosophical symbols (Clement, Stromata 5, 8, 45, 2): aski (ἄσκιον "shadowless") as "darkness", kataski (κατάσκιον "shadowy") as "brightness" (brightness being necessary in order to cast shadows), lix (Hsch.: "λίξ: πλάγιος, καὶ λίθος πλατύς") as an ancient term for "Earth", and tetrax (τετραξός "fourfold") as the year (the four seasons), Damnameneus as "Sun" and aisia (αἴσιος "right, fitting, auspicious") as Logos.

References

^ Apud Athenaeus, Deipnosophistes 12:548c.
^ Wilburn, Andrew T. (2012). Materia Magica: The Archaeology of Magic in Roman Egypt, Cyprus, and Spain. University of Michigan Press. p. 72.
^ Jordan, David (2000). "Ephesia Grammata at Himera" (PDF). Zeitschrift für Papyrologie und Epigraphik. 130: 104–107. Retrieved 2006-12-13.

[1] Apud Athenaeus, Deipnosophistes 12:548c.

[2] Wilburn, Andrew T. (2012). Materia Magica: The Archaeology of Magic in Roman Egypt, Cyprus, and Spain. University of Michigan Press. p. 72.

[3] Jordan, David (2000). "Ephesia Grammata at Himera" (PDF). Zeitschrift für Papyrologie und Epigraphik. 130: 104–107. Retrieved 2006-12-13.

[1]

[2]

See also

References