The Chaldean Oracles: Text, Translation and Commentary

266 Pages·1989·16.006 MB·English

by  Ruth Majercik

THE CHALDEAN ORACLES
STUDIES
IN GREEK AND ROMAN
RELIGION
EDITED BY H. S. VERSNEL
IN CO-OPERATION WITH F. T. VANSTRATEN
VOLUME 5
THE CHALDEAN ORACLES
TEXT, TRANSLATION, AND COMMENTARY
BY
RUTH MAJERCIK
E.]. BRILL
LEIDEN • NEW YORK • K0BENHA VN • KOLN
1989
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Julianus, the Theurgist.
[Chaldaean oracles. English & Greek)
The Chaldean oracles: text, translation, and commentary I by Ruth
Majercik.
p. em. - (Studies in Greek and Roman religion, ISSN
0169-9512; v. 5)
English and Greek.
Bibliography:
Includes index.
ISBN 9004090436
1. Oracles-Early works to 1800. I. Majercik, Ruth Dorothy.
II. Title. III. Series.
BF1762.J8413 1989
181 '.6-dc20 89-9896
CIP
ISSN 0169-9512
ISBN 90 04 09043 6
© Copyright 1989 by E. ]. Brill, Leiden, The Netherlands
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or
translated in any form by print, photoprint, microfilm, microfiche
or any other means without written permission from the publisher
PRINTED IN THE NETHERLANDS BY E. J. BRILL
TOR/CHARD

CONTENTS
Preface........................................................................... IX
Abbreviations and Short Titles .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . XI
INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
General Remarks.......................................................... 1
I. Theology. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
A) First Principles................................................. 5
B) Lesser Beings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
1. lynges... .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
2. Connectors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
3. Teletarchs................................................... 11
4. Angels and Demons .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 13
5. Aion and Eros............................................. 14
II. Cosmology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . 16
III. Anthropology....................................................... 19
IV. Soteriology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
A) Conjunction.................................................... 25
B) Conjuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
1. Animation of Statues..................................... 26
2. Binding and Loosing..................................... 27
C) Magical Instruments and Objects......................... 29
D) Anagiige........................................................... 30
TEXT AND TRANSLATION..................................................... 47
Fragments. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Various Chaldean Expressions......................................... 120
Doubtful Fragments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
COMMENTARY.................................................................. 138
Bibliography................................................................... 222
Index ..... .. ........ ...... ... ......... ............. ......... ..... ............... 230