There are a few different Ancient Magick, and this is one of them ..
Magick in Greek myth is ubiquitous.
Theperceived range of magical possibilities dictated the potentialities of the situations in Greek myth in much the same way that hypothetical scientific theorems control the range of possible actions in modern scientific life. Magick permeated the attitudes and beliefs of Greek life at all the strata of society, providing one of the benefits of a religiously homogeneous society. Magick served, among other things, as a stand-in for human knowledge and a commensurate control over the immediate environment, over the forces of nature, over life and death, over many areas which are now grouped together under the aegis of technology. As one authority in the field of modern magical anthropology puts it, Chiron Educating Achilles by Gottlieb Schick The practice of magic was omnipresent in classic antiquity. The contemporaries of Plato and Socrates placed voodoo dolls on graves and thresholds . . . Cicero smiled upon a colleague who said he had lost his memory under the influence of a spell, and the Elder Pliny declared that everybody was afraid to fall victim to binding spells. The citizens of classical Teos cursed with spells whoever attacked the city; the twelve tables legislated against magical transfers of crops from one field to another; and the Imperial lawbooks contain[ed] extensive sanctions against all sorts of magical procedures -- with the sole exceptions of love spells and weather magick. . . .
Magical rites gave access to a higher spirituality. These rites could open the way to the supreme god
Examples of Greek rituals:
Circumambulation:
Normally you enter the sanctuary from the right and approach the altar from the east. Carry the Khernibeion (bowl of lustral water) to the right around the altar three times, which delimits the sacred from the profane. (If you have assistants, they follow you to the sanctuary, but proceed directly to the altar, so that you encircle them with the altar.) [circumambulation]
While circumambulating you may recite an invocation such as this [pronunciation]:
I circle round creating sacred space,invoking from the Heavens holy grace.
I call the Gods to guard this solemn rite, and ward this hallowed ground with walls of light. Let sky above and earth below unite, a bond established by Olympic might. Let fear and discord leave without a trace, and peace prevail within this holy place. Let word be deed by this decree. As it is said, so must it be!
Érgon ho lógos genésthô tôde múthô.Háte legómenon toûto êdê éstô! (Grk.)
Sit verbum factum hoc decreto.Ut dictum est, sic statim fiat! (Lat.)
More briefly you may say: I circle round [the altar].
Periérkhomai [ton bômón]. (Grk.)[Aram] circumeo. (Lat.)The sanctuary is thus consecrated by holy words and becomes a fanum (Grk. hierón). When the circumambulation is complete, take your position facing the altar in the direction appropriate to the working (normally you face to the east) and place the bowl on the altar.[direction] You may declare: Begone, whatever is unholy!
Hekàs, ô hekàs, éste bébêloi! (Grk.) Procul, o procul, este profani! (Lat.)Consecration:Take a burning brand from the sacred altar fire and thrust it into the lustral water (Grk. khérnips, Lat. aqua lustralis); this consecrates the water, making it húdôr theíon (Grk., holy water) or aqua igne sacra inflammata (Lat., water inflamed by sacred fire).
You may say something like the following during this consecration: Cool Water from the Earth below,Bright Fire from the Air above,Opposed, give birth to all we know,United now in perfect Love.
By Harmony thus unified, May all our Arts be purified.
Purification (Khérnibes):
For purification (Grk. khérnibes, Lat. lustratio) dip your hands in the lustral water; your assistants purify themselves the same way. Everyones hands are dried on a white linen cloth. Sprinkle lustral water over the altar, the offerings, the sacred area around the altar, and all the participants. While doing so, you may say: Be purified!
Kherníptomai! (Grk.)Lustror! (Lat.)For this purification you may use your right hand, an aspergillum (Grk. perirrantêrion), a sprig (especially of laurel or olive), or the firebrand. [lustration]
Beginning (Katárkhesthai):
If others are present, call for silence: Sacred silence!Euphêmeíte! (Grk.: Speak no evil! Quiet!)Favete linguis! (Lat.: Hold your tongues!)Then begin to offer incense; you may make libations of wine (or other liquids as appropriate to the Deity) and burn food offerings, such as cakes and broth, at this time.
Invocation (Klêsis):
While continuing these offerings, recite the prayer of invocation. You may also stretch out to the God your hands holding any wand, virgula or other instrument you may be using. The typical prayer has three parts (invocatio, narratio, preces), but they may be treated flexibly: the last two may be inverted, and all three may be repeated more than once.[prayer] Invocatio (Grk. Epíklêsis):The purpose of the Invocatio (invocation proper) is to get the Gods attention, so He or She is invoked by name, epithet and special qualities (aretalogía) appropriate to the operation. For this purpose you should be familiar with the Gods mythology. Thus you might say such as the following: I offer Thee this spice, O (name),(names and epithets)Attend my prayer and come Thou here to me,
(names and epithets) Hail, my Lady/Lord, (and) hear Thy epithets:(names and epithets) Or by whatever name is Thy delight,Approach and come Thou to this sacred rite. The following may be repeated ad lib. with offerings to attract the Divinity:
Hear me!
Klûthi mou! (Grk.) Exaudi me! (Lat.) Come to me!
Elthé moi! (Grk.)Adveni me! (Lat.)
Hither, Blessed One!
Deûro Mákar! (Grk.) Huc, Beate/a! (Lat.: masc./fem.) To all of these may be added the Gods name (in the vocative case).
2) Narratio (Grk. Aphêgêsis):
In the Narratio you establish your qualifications in seeking the presence of the Deity, often by displaying esoteric knowledge. Typically this takes three forms: First is the invocation of the God by secret names (so called "barbarian names"). Second is the recitation of previous situations in which the God has helped you or others in similar situations, for which you may mention relevant myths. Third is the recitation of instances in which you have fulfilled your vows and obligations to the God. Here are some examples:
I know Thee and I know Thy secret names: (secret names) Ive said Thy symbols, signs and secret key, which Thou, O Master/Mistress, hath divulged to me,(your magical name), born of (mother's name). If ever Ive fulfilled the vows Ive made, Then hear me now and grant to me Thine aid. The formulas of invocation ("Come to me!" etc.) may be used here also.
3) Preces (Grk. Déêsis):
In the Preces or prayer proper you state your request. Accomplish now this deed, and as I pray Give heed to me, and to these words I say: (state request) Since the Gods are wiser than we are, it is often advisable to add an "escape clause" such as this: Or if this may not be, then what is best. The petition may be finished by:
Now! Now! Quickly! Quickly! Nûn! Nûn! Êdê! Êdê (Grk.)
Nunc! Nunc! Iam! Iam! (Lat.) Some or all of the prayer is repeated seven or (less commonly) three times; other numbers may be appropriate for specific workings. Each repetition is accompanied with further libations and burnt offerings of incense etc. [repetition]
Libations of wine or oil may be poured on the altar fire, and it is considered very auspicious if the fire flares up, for it is a sign of the Gods presence. Libations may be accompanied with cries of:
Be kind! Be Thou propitious!
Hílathi! (Grk.) Propitius/a esto! (Lat.: masc./fem.) Working (Prâxis):
When you perceive the Gods arrival, begin the working proper (prâxis). It may involve additional operations (e.g., consecration of tools or amulets, healing, divination) which can be conducted now that the cooperation of the God has been secured. This may include sonorous incantations (Grk. epôdaí, Lat. carmina), chanting or singing of secret names and magic words (Grk. magikoì lógoi, Lat. voces magicae), as well as libations and other offerings. You may repeat the "Now! Now!" formulas after any petitions. Thanks Offerings: When the operation is complete, you (and your assistants) may make additional thanks offerings of incense, wine, etc.; with them you may say: Drink-offering! Libation!
Spondê! (Grk., spon-DAY) Libatio! (Lat., lee-BAH-tih-o)Release (Apólusis):
The thanks offerings may accompany or be followed by a release such as this:[release] Depart, O Master/Mistress, to Thy Realm,
To Thine own Palace, to Thy Throne. Restore the Order of this World. Be gracious and protect me, Lord/Lady. We thank Thee for Thy presence. Go in Joy! Farewell! The formulas Depart, my Lord/Lady! Hence! Farewell!
Ápage, O Kúrie/Kuría! Hekás! Khaíre! (Grk.)Apage, O Domine/Domina! Procul! Vale! (Lat.) may be repeated until the God is perceived to have departed. It is appropriate to "blow a kiss" to the departing Deity: kiss your palm and then stretch out your arm.
If you have assistants, declare the formal end of the working by saying:
The Rites are done.
Teletaí eisi téleiai. (Grk., The rites are complete.)Ilicet. (Lat., You may go; it is done.)
Closing:
You and your assistants step backward out of the sacred circle (which opens it), turn around to the right, and leave without looking back. If your assistants are unfamiliar with the practice, you may say something like: Step backward through the sacred circle, turn toward your right and do not look behind. Depart and keep your silence till were gone. The working will be most efficacious if you and your assistants have no converse with one another or with other people before retiring for the night (or at least no sooner than removing your ritual robes).
Pronunciation Guidelines
This rite includes various words and phrases from ancient magical practice. In most cases these are given in Greek, Latin and English. Each Magos must decide, based on his experience as well as on the knowledge of his assistants, what balance to use between English, which is immediately comprehensible, and ancient words imbued with power through ancient magical practice. One reasonable compromise is to say the word or phrase twice, in English and in one of the ancient tongues. Following are guidelines for reasonably authentic ancient pronunciation. Ancient Greek Contemporary scholarship has established the following pronunciation for Ancient Greek, as transcribed here in the Roman alphabet.
Vowels: a = o (as in "not"), e = ay (as in "bay"), ê = long eh, i = ee, o = oh, ô = long aw (as in "awe"), u = ü (like German ü or Spanish y-grec), au = ow ("cow"), ei = long ay, eu = eh-oo (blended), oi = oy (boy), ou = oo ("boot"). Consonants: mostly as in English, with the following exceptions: kh (or ch) = aspirated k (as in Scottish "loch"), ph = aspirated p (alternately, f), th = aspirated t (alternately, th as in "thigh"), z = dz, r is rolled. In many cases the accented syllable (which should be at a higher pitch) is marked (á etc.); if it is not, the syllable with the circumflexed vowel (e.g. ê) often bears the accent; this is perhaps the best that can be done in a simple Roman transcription of Ancient Greek.
For magical purposes an acutely accented syllable should be a full musical fifth higher than the other syllables, and a grave accent should be a major third higher; the circumflex accent rises and falls. Latin Vowels and consonants are in general pronounced as in modern Romance languages such as Italian and Spanish. However, note that in Classical Latin c, g, t are always hard (even in tio), r is rolled, and v = w. Accent is on the second to last syllable (penult) if it is long (or there are only two syllables), otherwise on the third to last (antepenult).
Subject: Ancient Greek Magick 
Wed Sep 30, 2009 6:51 am
