The Book of Protection, being a Collection of Charms: Now edited for the first time from Syriac mss. with translation, introduction, and notes 9781463226800

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T h e Book of Protection, being Collection of Charms

Syriac Studies Library

114

Sériés Editors Monica Blanchard Cari Griffïn Kristian Heal George Anton Kiraz David G.K. Taylor

The Syriac Studies Library brings back to active circulation major reference works in the field of Syriac studies, including dictionaries, grammars, text editions, manuscript catalogues, and monographs. The books were reproduced from originals at The Catholic University of America, one of the largest collections of Eastern Christianity in North America. The project is a collaboration between CUA, Beth Mardutho: The Syriac Institute, and Brigham Young University.

The Book of Protection, being a Collection of Charms

Now edited for the first time from Syriac mss. with translation, introduction, and notes

Edited and Translated by

Hermann Gollancz

1 2012

gorgias press

Gorgias Press LLC, 954 River Road, Piscataway, NJ, 08854, USA www.gorgiaspress.com Copyright © 2012 by Gorgias Press LLC Originally published in 1912 All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning or otherwise without the prior written permission of Gorgias Press LLC. 2012

-X.

% ISBN 978-1-61719-236-4

Reprinted from the 1912 London edition.

Digitized by Brigham Young University. Printed in the United States of America.

Series Foreword

This series provides reference works in Syriac studies from original books digitized at the ICOR library of The Catholic University of America under the supervision of Monica Blanchard, ICOR's librarian. The project was carried out by Beth Mardutho: The Syriac Institute and Brigham Young University. About 675 books were digitized, most of which will appear in this series. Our aim is to present the volumes as they have been digitized, preserving images of the covers, front matter, and back matter (if any). Marks by patrons, which may shed some light on the history of the library and its users, have been retained. In some cases, even inserts have been digitized and appear here in the location where they were found. The books digitized by Brigham Young University are in color, even when the original text is not. These have been produced here in grayscale for economic reasons. The grayscale images retain original colors in the form of gray shades. The books digitized by Beth Mardutho and black on white. We are grateful to the head librarian at CUA, Adele R. Chwalek, who was kind enough to permit this project. "We are custodians, not owners of this collection," she generously said at a small gathering that celebrated the completion of the project. We are also grateful to Sidney Griffith who supported the project.

CONTENTS CODEX A § 1. § 2. § 3. § 4. § 5. § 6. § 7. § 8. § 9. § 10. § 11. § 12. § 13. § 14. § 15. § 16. § 17. § 18. § 19. § 20. §21. § 22. § 23. § 24. § 25. § 26. § 27. § 28.

The Lord's Prayer The Prayer of Adam The Prayer of the Holy Angels The Anathema of the Gospel, &c., for all pains and sicknesses The Anathema of Mar George.... for fearand trembling Prayer before the authorities Prayer before the authorities For a man going to law Binding the arrows and all implements of war . . The Anathema of King Solomon . . . . for an injury to the back For every sickness The Anathema of Mar Thomas . . . . for the spirit of lunacy For pain in the head For the loosening (of objects) of the chase . . . For the riches (or sustenance) of man . . . . Binding the guns and the engine of war . . . For chattering teeth Concerning the peace of men Concerning k'AwN «an Concerning cramp at the heart Binding the mouth of dogs Binding the evil apparition The Anathema of the angel Gabriel.... for the Evil Eye For the cow which dislikes, or is excited towards, her mistress Binding the colic and the cold For the pestilence among sheep and larger animals . The Anathema of Rabban Hurmizd . . . . for mad dogs Binding the fever

PAGE

xxv xxv xxv xxvi xxvi xxvii xxviii xxix xxx xxxi xxxi xxxii xxxiii xxxiv xxxiv xxxv xxxvi xxxvi xxxvii xxxviii xxxix xxxix xl xl xli xli xlii xlii

vi

CONTENTS PAGE

§ 29.

Benediction for vineyards and corn-fields

.

§ 30.

For reconciliation in the household

§ 31.

For the journey and for merchandise, &c.

.

.

.

xliii

§ 32.

For a man going by night on the way, &c. .

.

.

xliv

§ 33.

For noises and sounds

§ 34.

For the advantage of the house

§ 35.

Binding the mouth of wolves, &c

.

.

.

.

. .

xliii xliii

xlv xlv xlvi

§ 36.

Binding false dreams

xlvii

§ 37.

Binding the serpents

xlvii

§ 38.

Binding the scorpions

xlviii

§ 39.

As regards cattle, that the Evil Eye shall not touch i t .

xlviii

§ 40.

For favour in the sight of all men

§ 41.

The names on the Ring of King Solomon, &c.

§ 42.

Binding the sorcerers

1

§ 43.

For a woman in travail .

li

§ 44.

For milk not to spoil

li

§ 45.

Binding the navel

li

§ 46.

The Anathema of Mar Shalita . . . . for the Evil Spirit

§ 47.

Binding the mouth of the sparrow and the mouse

.

lii

§ 48.

Binding the fire from off the stalks and standing corn.

liii

§ 49.

For blood coming from the nostril

liv

§ 50.

For boys not to cry

§ 51.

For the man upon whom sorcery had been practised

§ 52.

The Anathema of the Fathers, i. e. of Paradise, which

§ 53.

Cutting out [or ' section on '] the itch ( b o i l ) . . .

§ 54.

Details (method of reckoning) concerning sick persons,

avails for all pains

xlix

.

.

.

.

.

.

1

lii

liv

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

from what source the sickness comes upon them

lv lv lvi

.

lvii

CODEX B § 1.

The Lord's Prayer

lxi

§ 2.

The Prayer of our father Adam

lxi

§ 3.

The Prayer of the Holy Angels

lxi

§ 4.

The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, the preaching

§ 5.

The Anathema of Paradise . . . . for all sicknesses and

§ 6.

The Anathema of my Lady, the blessed Mary, which is

of John

lxi

diseases of avail for sick persons

lxiii .

.

.

.

.

.

lxvii

CONTENTS

Vll PAGE

§ 7. The Anathema of Mar 'Abd-isho', the monk and hermit § 8. The Anathema of Mar George . . . . against fear . § 9. Concerning the Evil and Envious Eye . . . . § 10. Ban for the fold of cattle § 11. Concerning lunacy § 12. Of avail before kings, rulers, prefects, satraps, and chiefs

lxviii lxx lxx lxxi lxxii lxxii

CODEX C § 1. § 2. § 3. § 4. § 5. § 6. § 7. § 8. § 9. § 10. §11. § 12. § IB. § 14. § 15. §16. § 17. § 18. § 19. § 20. § 21. § 22. § 23. § 24. § 25. § 26. § 27. § 28. § 29.

The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, the preaching of John The ban of Mar George, the martyr . . . . Binding the tongue of the ruler Binding the teeth Binding the ox asleep in the yoke The ant that falls upon the wheat . . . . Vermin t h a t come upon men Binding the fire from the stone jar . . . . Binding the boil (or 1 scab ') Before the emir and the judge Binding the prefects: binding the tongue . . . Hurt (?) to the back Binding the navel Binding the wolf from off the cattle . . . . Binding the dog Illness (?) of the stomach Binding the fever Loosening the fruit-crops from the cattle . . . On the Evil Eye Concerning blood coming from the nostril . . . Binding the dream Binding the scorpion Binding the serpent Loosening the (objects of) chase The ban of Mar 'Abd-isho , the saint . . . . The Anathema of Paradise, of avail for all things . . . . . The gate of [or ' section o n ' ] grain Binding the gun of the warriors The gate of [or ' section on '] the way . . . .

lxxiii lxxiv lxxv lxxvi lxxvi lxxvi lxxvii lxxvii Ixxviii Ixxviii lxxix lxxx lxxx lxxx lxxxi lxxxi lxxxi lxxxii lxxxii Ixxxiii Ixxxiii Ixxxiii lxxxiv lxxxiv lxxxiv lxxxv Ixxxvi Ixxxvi Ixxxvii

INTRODUCTION IN these introductory remarks I propose to limit myself to a description, with a few explanatory notes and details, of the two Syriac MSS. in my possession, published for the first time in this form. They were first brought to public notice at the International Congress of Orientalists held at Paris in 1897, on which occasion I read a paper entitled, ' A Selection of Charms from Syriac Manuscripts/ which was later on included in the Actes du onzième Congrès International des Orientalistes. The interest which this paper evoked at the time, and the repeated requests made to me since, have encouraged me to carry out at last both my own wish and the wish of others, that I should publish the text and translation of these MSS. in their entirety. I might add that as far as concerns the libraries I have been able to consult, these MSS. are extremely rare. The British Museum came into possession of one almost identical with the larger of the two but a few years ago, and the Cambridge University Library has one MS. similar to the smaller one, but smaller still, the writing being nothing near so clear and careful, nor the illustrations so good. It is described at fair length in William Wright's Catalogue of the Syriac Manuscripts preserved in the Library of the University of Cambridge, 1901. It was my intention at first simply to make this reference to Wright's Catalogue, and leave the reader to consult and compare the Cambridge MS. But upon consideration, observing the important discrepancies between this MS. and my smaller one, I have determined to include in this volume the full text of the Cambridge MS., together with a translation. b

INTRODUCTION

X

As regards my own two MSS., the one which I now call Codex A is larger in size and contains a much larger number of incantations, &e., whilst the smaller, which I call Codex B, is older, and what is most valuable, it has the vowel signs throughout; thus leaving little doubt as to the pronunciation especially of the proper names cited' therein. Both contain illustrations more or less crude, but yet of undoubted interest; the headings in both are in red, the main portion in black: and they are written on paper. The Cambridge MS. I call Codex C, and in the Appendix I have added some interesting details with reference to the collation of the British Museum MS., which I cite as B.M. Codex A is dated ' 2 1 1 4 of the blessed Greeks', which corresponds to the year 1802-3. I t consists of seventy-two pages of text and two additional pages with illustrations at end, which I have divided into fifty-four sections (§), following more or less indications in the text. The writing approximates to Estrangelo; the place in which it was written is Shibani, among the mountains of Turkish Kurdistan, two days' ride from Urmiah. On the two blank pages in front of the MS. there occur the following inscriptions in pencil with the name of the owner, ira Georgia bar Lazar, while the name (spelt thus) i i l ' i s also once in ink:— •scaurs' K ' A W l

K'Av.in AflnCUl r£sd\at r£lcn (a)

1889 cxV^as. i r c ^ u i i a

in

^sa

' This book belongs to Joseph of the village of Chamaki; it was given by Joseph son of Margul, of the village of Abajalu, 1889.' : r ^ t t J ^ C k r C rc'cnrc' (b) . \ f t r °i

^sa

KM A.ro. ^oolAPC'G

jj^icix.

r^Aci&rC^a -sen rOt-icua.i r d s a o i

INTRODUCTION

XI

Lo the Evangelist! ) ' Stretch forth, O my Lord and God, the right hand of Thy compassion from the High Sanctuary. Grant the food of those who worship Thee—an abundance of the heavenly grace of Thy sovereignty.' This is the ordinary Chaldaic prayer before meals. On the last page the following occurs (in ink) in a third hand:— \

rt'iicnj»

pCiiiSaj

niAajn ^sb r C c A ^ i v (modern for r