Research Catalog

Title

Magic, witchcraft, and ghosts in the Greek and Roman worlds : a sourcebook / Daniel Ogden

Author

Ogden, Daniel

Publication

New York : Oxford University Press, c2009

Items in the Library & Off-site

Details

Description

xii, 400 p. : ill.; 26 cm.

Summary

"In a culture where the supernatural possessed an immediacy now strange to us, magic was of great importance both in the literary and mythic tradition and in ritual practice. Recently, ancient magic has hit a high in popularity, both as an area of scholarly inquiry and as one of general, popular interest. In Magic, Witchcraft, and Ghosts in the Greek and Roman Worlds Daniel Ogden presents more than three hundred texts in new translations, along with explicit commentaries. This is the first book in the field to unite extensive selections from both literary and documentary sources. Alongside descriptions of sorcerers, witches, and ghosts in the works of ancient writers, it reproduces curse tablets, spells from ancient magical recipe books, and inscriptions from magical amulets. Each translation is followed by a commentary that puts it in context within ancient culture and connects the passage to related passages in this volume. Authors include the well known (Sophocles, Herodotus, Plato, Aristotle, Virgil, Pliny) and the less familiar, and extend across the whole of Greco-Roman antiquity. The second edition includes a new preface, an updated bibliography, and new source-passages, such as the earliest use of the word "mage" in Greek" (fr. Aeschylus' Persians ), a werewolf tale (Aesop's Fables), and excerpts from the most systematic account of ancient legislation against magic (Theodosian Code)."--adapted from publisher description.

Subject

• Enescu, George 1881-1955
• Magic, Greek
• Magic, Roman
• Magic > history
• Greek World > history
• Mythology
• Roman World > history
• Spiritualism > history
• Witchcraft > history

Genre/Form

Quelle.

Bibliography (note)

• Includes bibliographical references (p. 352-382) and indexes

Processing Action (note)

• committed to retain

Contents

Greek sorcerers -- Alien sorcerers -- The rivals of Jesus -- Medea and Circe -- Witches in Greek literature -- Witches in Latin literature -- Ghosts -- Necromancy -- Curses -- Erotic magic -- Voodoo dolls and magical images -- Amulets -- Magic and the law.

ISBN

• 0195385209 (pbk.)
• 9780195385205 (pbk.)

OCLC

• 359673607
• SCSB-12740537

Owning Institutions

Harvard Library