Ancient Greek Witch

My name is Isha. Let’s talk about Ancient Greek Magic!

[ancientgreekwitch]

Page Masterpost

Love Magic

Necromancy

Cursing

Potions

Divination and Omens

Astragaloi

Alphabet Divination

Sources

[ancientgreekwitch]

Alphabet Divination

Alphabet divination is a type of Ancient Greek divination in which stones or pottery fragments painted or inscribed with the letters of the Ancient Greek alphabet are drawn to predict the future.

Materials

To perform alphabet divination, paint or inscribe on 24 stones or pottery fragments a letter of the Ancient Greek alphabet. Keep these in a jug, box, or bag.

Drawing

When you wish to know the future, ask a question. Pick a stone or fragment without looking. Or, shake the stones or fragments in a bowl or frame drum until one jumps out.

Meaning

The meaning of each letter is as follows:

Α - alpha: you will do everything successfull.

Β - beta: with fortune’s help, you will be helped, through some way oracular

Γ - gamma: you will receive the ripe fruits of your labor

Δ - delta: In customs, inopportune strength is weak

Ε - epsilon: You desire to see the offspring of righteous marriages

Ζ - zeta: Flee the very great storm, lest you be disabled in some way.

Η - eta: The sun (Helios), who watches everything, watches you.

Θ - theta: You have the helping Gods of this path.

Ι - iota: There is sweat; it excels more than everything.

Κ - kappa: To fight with the waves is difficult; endure, friend

Λ - lambda: The one passing on the left bodes well for everything.

Μ - mu: It is necessary to labor, but the change will be admirable.

Ν - nu: The strife-bearing gift fulfils the oracle.

Ξ - xi: There is no fruit to take from a withered shoot.

Ο - omicron: There are no crops to be reaped that were not sown.

Π - pi: Completing many contests, you will seize the crown

Ρ - rho: You will go on more easily if you wait a short time

Σ - sigma: This oracle speaks plainly, ‘Stay, friend.’

Τ - tau: You will have a parting from the companions now around you

Υ - upsilon: The affair holds a noble undertaking

Φ - phi: Having done something carelessly, you will thereafter blame the Gods.

Χ - khi: Succeeding, friend, you will fulfill a golden oracle.

Ψ - psi: This judgement is right. (Used in combination with other prediction - another form of divination or another letter’s prediction; tells querent that this oracle will come to pass)

Ω - omega: You will have a difficult harvest season, not a useful one

[ancientgreekwitch]

Astragaloi

Astragaloi is a form of Ancient Greek divination using the knucklebones of a sheep. They can be real, or fake ones made from pottery, metal, or wood.

Numerical Value

The curved, small side is called “Chian.” It counts as a 1. The wide, convex side is called the “belly.” It counts as a 4. The wide concave, side is called the “back.” It counts as a 3. The flat small “S” shaped side counts as a 6.

Here is a visual to show you:

Throwing

The divination can be performed two ways. One way is to throw the same bone five times, using the first throw as the first number, the second as the second, and so on. Or, one could have five bones, and read them from left to right.

Interpretation

Each series of numbers has a name and an interpretation. They are as follows:

11111 - The Sky above Olympus: you will think well and find happiness in your work. But appease beauty (Aphrodite) and the messenger (Hermes).

11113 - Warlike Wisdom: By avoiding enmity and Animosity, you will reach your prize. The activity that you have in mind will turn out as you wish it.

41111 - Fate: Don’t do the business that you are engaged in; it will not turn out well. It will be difficult and impossible around someone who tires himself out. But if you go abroad for some time, no harm will come from it.

33111 - The Eagle: you will achieve your goal; do not fear.

61111 - The Largest Daimôn: It will be better to fulfill whatever vow you made to the daimôn, if you intend to perform what you ponder in your mind. You will be saved.

11143 - Caring Fortune: Do not do the business you are about to do.

33311 - Victory: you will win; you will take what you wish, and you will achieve everything; you will be honored, and you will overcome your enemies, the plan that you are about to realize will be according to your desire.

44111 - Joyful Victory: Do all your business because it will turn out well. The sick will be healed; and he who is in another country will return home.

41133 - Healing: A storm will come about your business, but it will turn out well; who is ill from his suffering will be freed, and safely home the one who is abroad will come.

11163 - Steering Fortune: Do not yet make haste to go; rather wait, if you set out to rush mindlessly, you will do great damage to yourself, but if you wait, blameless time will accomplish everything.

11164 - Beauty: Sail wherever you wish; you will return full of joy, for you have found and accomplished everything that you ponder in your mind; but pacify beauty (Aphrodite) and the messenger (Hermes).

13333 - Lightning’s Wisdom: you are fit for every business and ready for any undertaking. He who is ill will be saved.

33331 - The Seasons: the plan that you follow is not allowed, thus wait; it is terrible to walk into enmity, competition, and a trial.

13334 - The Sea: do not hasten to do business. Now is the wrong time.

61133 - The Daimôn: Do not project terrible things and think terrible thoughts. There will accrue no gain from it, and no reward will come from this path you are walking.

44411 - The Good Daimôn: you will be lead down a good path. You will return with rich fruit and an untroubled Fate.

13344 - The Savior, the Sky: Approach with courage the business that you set out to do; do it! You will win.

11166 - The Egyptian Sky: Undertake with courage the way you set out in your mind. you will accomplish whatever your mind tells you.

33333 - Fortune the Savior: The woman who has given birth to a child, had both breasts dry, but then she again flourished and has milk in abundance. Then you too will reap the fruits about which you ask.

43611 - The King of Hosts and Guests: Do not make haste with the business for which you set out, it is not yet time. Him who is ill will be saved, and and an end to the travel of him who is in foreign land will come.

63331 - The Strong Hero: The moment has not yet arrived, you make too much haste. Do not act in vain, nor like the dog that has borne a blind puppy. Act Deliberate calmly, and you will be lead rightly.

64411 - War: Why do you hurry? Wait calmly, the moment has not yet come; if you hurry without sense and in vain, you pursue something that is not yet ready. I do not yet see the right moment, but you will have success when you wait a little while.

43333 - Time: Scorpions stand in your way, do not hurry towards the business that you intend; wait, and what you wish will arrive later; neither to buy this nor to sell is better.

44413 - Music at Delphi: Do not make haste, it will not be better to go; when you wish to rush mindlessly, you will damage yourself very much; but when you stay put, blameless time will perform everything.

66113 - Marriage: The time is ripe for marriage; you will marry and return home. You will achieve whatever you want in your business, having found the thing about which you are anxious.

16634 - The Messenger, The Savior: I do not see anything painful among the things about which you ask me; do not think small, go forward with courage; you will find everything you wish: your vow will be fulfilled, and there is a perfect occasion for you.

44333 - The Sun: Take courage and fight. You will punish your opponent.

14444 - Revenge: now everything will be fulfilled and you will be lead the right way. You will perform everything according to your mind, do not wear yourself out anymore. You will achieve beautifully whatever you desire.

66114 - She Whom You Cannot Escape: Do your business and undertake it; the time will be favorable. In the middle, difficulties and danger are waiting. As to the other oracles, things will turn out well for you.

16443 - Lightning in the Sky: What you plan will not turn out according to your liking, when you do it; it is not useful to travel to foreign lands. You will show no insight if you sell now, nor will it be useful.

44433 - The Greatest Daimôn: I do not see this plan as safe for you; thus wait. You will do well, after this there will be luck; as for now remain calm, and stay helpful.

63333 - Good Time: Do not make haste, rather wait and do not act like a dog that gave birth to a blind litter. Take counsel calmly, and things will turn out happily for you.

66133 - Good Hope: Everything about which you ask me is smooth riding for you and safe; do not be afraid, the painful difficulties will end and you will disprove the suspicions.

44461 - The King of Possessions: Proceed with courage, the oracle is about hope; it announces also that the sick person will be saved. If you need to consult an oracle, you will receive what you desire.

34444 - The Messenger who Brings Gain in Trade: you will think of a good plan, undertake what you desire; you will find whatever you ask the oracle for, and nothing will be bad for you.

33364 - Victorious: You pronounce a good oracle, once you have thought it through, you will do whatever you desire; you will win, you will reap the fruits, and you will achieve everything.

44444 - Inexorable Fate: The sun has gone down, and terrible night has come, everything has become dark. Interrupt the matter about which you ask me; it is neither better to buy nor to sell.

43661 - The Moon: Do not undertake this business; it will not turn out well for you. One will help the one who is ill, and if there is any fear, nothing bad will happen to you.

63344 - The Protecting Boys of the Sky: A man who makes haste does not achieve what opportunity offers. You have a profit, and there is fear everywhere because of evil; your business is ill-fated, and everything is painful; watch out!

66611 - The Fire: It is impossible to do business; do not toil in vain! And do not turn every stone, lest you chance upon a scorpion. Fussiness will not bring you luck, be on your guard for all sorts of misfortune!

66441 - The Harvest: Everything about which you ask me is on a smooth way for you and safe; do not be afraid; I see nothing that will bring you harm; take heart and go forward.

44463 - The Sun, Bringer of Light: You will achieve whatever you desire, and you will find whatever you worry about. Make an attempt, having taken heart; everything is ready; you will find what is invisible, you will come to the day of salvation.

33366 - Fortune, who Leads to Good Things: Your matters are doing well; this oracle tells you to press forward; you will get away from difficult illness and master everything, and he who is erring in a foreign land will return.

16663 - The Manifest Fates: Do not put your hand into a wolf’s mouth, lest some harm happens to you; the matter about which you ask is difficult and delicate; but you stay quiet, avoiding travel and business transactions.

44446 - The Ocean: throwing seeds and writing letters on the sea are both pointless and fruitless doing.

43366 - Terrible War: Do not undertake the travel that you intend! Nobody will do it. A large fiery lion is about, against whom you have to be on your guard, a terrible one. The oracle is untractable, wait quietly.

16664 - Wisdom: Honor wisdom (Athena), and you will get everything, whatever you wish, and everything which you are planning will turn out well; she will free from bonds and will save the sick person.

66443 - Happiness: Sail, wherever you want, you will return home again, having found and done everything according to your wish; you will achieve everything, and thus to buy and to trade is happiness.

66633 - The Music of Delphi: Stay put, do not act, obey oracles. With time, you will find an occasion, but for now stay quiet. If you wait a short while you will achieve everything, whatever you desire.

44466 - Time, the Eater of Children: Stay at home with your possessions and do not go somewhere else, lest a terrible monster and a revengeful demon approach you. I do not see this business as reliable and safe.

46663 - The Moon, who Brings Light: Take courage; you have an opportunity; you will achieve what you desire, and you will come upon the right time to begin your travel; your toil will have its chance; is is good to engage in work, competitions and litigation.

66661 - Mother of Gods: As wolves overpower sheep and powerful lions overpower broad hoofed oxen, so you too will master all this, and everything about which you ask will be yours.

66644 - Thunder of the Underwold: The business has its obstacles, do not make haste, but wait; there is a road, painful, impossible and not to be approached; to buy is painful and to sell brings loss.

66663 - Heavenly Beauty: a good oracle, travel to you will be granted; you will escape from sickness and vainglorious thoughts.

66664 - Damage: It is impossible to undertake something vain; do not in vain toil uselessly, lest you incur damage by pressing on. It is not good to begin traveling nor doing business.

66666 - The Square Messenger: Do not go, wherever you intend to; it will be better for you to stay; I see something hostile to you, thus wait; afterwards, it will be possible, and you will be freed from fear and saved from toil.

[ancientgreekwitch]

Divination and Omens

Divination is a means in which we can see the future. Omens signify an event which will happen in the future.

Oionoskopika

Oionoskopika is a practice of seeing the future by observing birds

Observing

When observing birds, face North. Find a hill with a clear view in which birds can be seen when coming from any direction.

If a bird appears from the right, the dawn and the sun, it is favorable. If it appears from the left, towards the darkness, it is unfavorable.

If the bird raises its left wing and dissapears, even if appearing from the right, it is unfavorable. If the bird raises its right wing, however, even if appearing from the left, it is favorable.

Birds

Not all birds foretell the future. Only those which are prophetic do. Those that are prophetic are: eagles, falcons, ravens, storks, krex, owls, cranes, nightingales, swallows, hoopoes and swans.

Although, if one has a strong feeling that another bird is prophetic, and/or if they’re acting in a certain and strange way, this may be prophetic as well.

Prophecies

Prophecying from birds is similar to tarot or crystal ball divination. One must learn to use their intuition to decipher the signs. For example, an eagle devouring a pregnant rabbit is a sign of victory, as the eagle is victorious over its prey, but also eventual retribution, as the bunny is pregnant.

Birds Speaking

Some say that if your ears are cleaned by a snake, you can understand the words that birds speak.

Cosmological Omens

Cosmological omens are omens through natural phenomena. Some have specific meanings that are unchanging. Some of these are:

Eclipses - unfavorable

Thunderstorms - destruction

Thunder/lighting from a clear sky - favorable

Earthquake - the sea (Posideon) is upset

Thunder on the right - favorable

Others depend on context and must be interpreted using trained intuition. These are: rain, lightning, thunder, meteoroids, rainbows, and violent winds. Of course, other natural phenomena can be signs as well, and these phenomena could mean nothing, though that is more uncommon.

Hydromanteia

Hydromanteia is the divination based on observing the surface of water. This is most often performed in a spring, well, or a bowl of water.

Spring Divination

To perform divination on behalf of a sick person, attach a mirror to a thin cord and lower it just enough to touch the water with its rim. Then, ask the harvest (Demeter) whether the person will recover or not, and after burning incense, look into the mirror, and this will reveal the patient either alive or dead. If alive, they will live. If dead, they will die.

Well Divination

Suspend a large mirror over a shallow well. If one descends into the well, they should hear everything said on earth, whereas in the mirror they will see every city and country as if they were standing over it.

Lekanomanteia

Lekanomanteia was the most popular form of water-based divination in Ancient Greece. This is because it can be done the most simply. Pour water into a clay, earthen, copper, or bronze bowl, ask a question, then gaze into the water. Observe the shapes and reflections, and from that derive your answer.

Other Forms

Hieroskopia

Hieroskopia is a form of divination based on observing animal entrails. If the entrails are malformed or abnormal, the outcome will be unfavorable. If they are normal, it will be favorable. I will not be writing about Hieroskopia in detail for two reasons: in my personal practice, I do not perform Hieroskopia. And, most people do not have access to the materials necessary to perform it. Thus, I presume most will not want to know about it in detail. If any do wish for more detail, simply ask.

Oneiromanteia

Oneiromanteia is divination based on dreams. This is often a form of divination that is not induced, but rather comes to an individual uninvited. A dream is, more often than not, simply just a dream, but, sometimes, one will get a feeling, and the dream will come to pass. Should one wish to induce a dream omen, abstain from eating cheese and goat’s meat. This will not ensure a dream omen, but it will make them come easier and clearer.

Catoptromancy

Catoptromancy is a form of divination characterized by gazing into a mirror. Ancient geek mirrors were simply highly polished pieces of bronze that were oiled. As such, this is what should be used for catoptromancy, and any other Ancient Greek magical practices using mirrors. The reflections are observed and interpreted through intuition.

Animals and Plants

Some animals other than birds are also divinitory in nature. Serpents may be observed for omens. Dogs behaviors may be as well. For example, those who are pious are welcomed with wagging tails. Those who come from the ‘bed of debauchery’ are chased off. But, if someone’s hands are evil, the dogs will bite and savage them.

Oak and laurel trees may also reveal the future. Sit beneath and listen to the leaves rustle. Hear the birds. Clarity will come to you.

Hearing by Chance

Some things heard by chance may reveal the future. A sneeze on the right may be a good omen, whereas on the left it is a bad one. Though, this is only if one has an instinctual feeling it is an omen, or if it would not make sense that a person would be sneezing. For example, if it is autumn, and someone is making a speech about why one should support going into a new war, and a sneeze is heard on the left directly after the speaker finishes, this signifies that this war will not turn out well if it should occcur.

Sometimes, too, hearing a fragment of another’s conversation is an omen. For example, if one has just begun a war and hears a maid say “we’ll be ravaged”, that is a sign the war will end poorly for their side. These, too, must have an instinctual feeling that they are omens, and not simply happenstance.

There are two other major forms of divination, similar in their structure to runes, called Astragaloi and alphabet divination. These have an abundance information, too much to fit into this post, and thus will have their own.

Warning: Wells can be dangerous! Snakes can be dangerous! If you ever try this, do so with caution and common sense.

[ancientgreekwitch]

Potions

Potions are made from herbs and other materials with magical properties, then fed to the victims to induce a result.

How to Make a Potion

Mixtures

The ingredients are most usually given to the victim in a mixture. The three most common are as follows:

Mix a mushy stew in bowls or large cauldrons

Soak in water, then sprinkle the water on the victim

Make it into an unguent

Rhabados

Rhabados, Ancient Greek magical staffs/wands, are used to activate the magical properties of a potion, or to transfer a potion onto the victim by means of dripping.

Reversal

To reverse the effects of a potion, do all the motions and say all of the magical words in reverse.

Enhancement

To enhance the effects of the potion, speak magical words over it.

Ingredients of a Potion

Gathering Ingredients

When gathering ingredients, go out naked. Stand windward. Annoint yourself with oil before digging any roots. Before harvesting anything, burn pine resin and pour milk onto the earth as an offering. Gather them with a bronze knife or sickle just before midnight. Store them in bronze jars.

Ingredients

Using herbs with magical coorespondances gives for powerful potions. Use of animal parts can give powers of that animal. This is a small list of some common ingredients in Ancient Greek potions.

For inducing love:

Honey

Spanish fly’s outer wing

Purple orchid’s tubers

Basil

Hippomane

Edible bulbs

Leeks

Garlic

Onions

Prunes

Lentils

Myrtle extracts

Carrots

Mushrooms

Pain

Hemlock - poison

Hellebore (before harvesting, eat garlic and quaff some undiluted wine) - poison

Bittervetch (in mild doses) - headaches, disturbs bowels, draws blood to urine

Bittervetch (in large doses) - poison

Henbane - madness and frenzies

Lotus - lose memory

Aconite - poison

Monkshood -poison

Wolf’s bane - poison

To Stop Love

Coriander

Liquorice

Healing

Aster tripolium - all healing

snowdrop - to counteract stramonium

Bittervetch (in small doses) - treat skin diseases and cancer

Sulfur - pain killer

Opium - pain killer

Saffron oil - pain killer

Nepenthe - anti depressant

Other

Juniperus oxycedrus - lulls reptiles

Rue - antidote for magic

Bat’s blood - see in dark/better vision

Tortoise shell - increase lifespan

Rabbits feet - increase speed

Recipies

Here are a few potion recipies.

For Lust and Luck (stepsisia)

Mix together powdered orchid, honey, rose petals, myrtle extracts, and an ashwinder egg. It should be golden in color and look like mead.

For Ease in Birthing and Nursing a Newborn

Mix together meal, water, and pennyroyal.

For Youth

Make a hot bubbling potion. Combine stones and sands from far distant places, the wings and other parts of an owl, the head of a crow that lived for nine lifetimes, and the entrails or foam from the mouth of a werewolf.

Warning: Poison is dangerous! Blades are dangerous! If you ever try this, do so with caution and common sense.

[ancientgreekwitch]

Love Magic

Love magic is often sorted into two types, those inducing erōs, burning passion, and those inducing philia, gentle love.

Erōs

Piercing

Make a clay effigy of a person, kneeling, with hands and feet bound behind them. Pierce them with iron or bronze nails in thirteen places: the top of the head, the mouth, each eye, each ear, the solar plexus, genitals, and anus, the palm of each hand, and in the sole of each foot. Write on a lead lamella your wish to drag the victim to the target, and prevent them from eating or sleeping until they come. Fold the lamella and place it and the effigy into a clay pot and bury it.

Dolls

Make two effigies of wax, wool, or clay, one representing the victim, who is to be in a kneeling position with hands and feet bound or groveling before the other and naked, and one representing the target, who is to be stood in armor in a stance of dominance.

Burning

In burning spells, the destruction of wax effigies and other materials in fire was in hopes of projecting the pain and discomfort into the victim, as erōs itself is a disease. By burning something in fire, we seek to burn or melt parts of the victim’s body or mind. To make them waste away and melt down in passion. Burn various herbs and spices and other household objects to make the victim burn with passion. Sometimes even pouring burning hot coals into a lizard.

Spoken

Along with all of these, words are spoken to give power to the actions.

Often, the victim is denied food, sleep, and sex, among other things, until they give in and love the target. Sometimes, a nekydaimon is sent to cause this result.

The victim is often lead immediately from their house to the house of the target, mimicking the movement of a bride from the house of her father to the groom’s house.

The victim is tortured in their house until they leave and come to the house of the target.

The victim is tortured with burning, flagellation, madness, and bondage if these are performed on an effigy of them.

Fire, hunger, thirst, and insomnia are projected on the victim

Whips of persuasion used by nekydaimons

Inyx Wheel

An inyx wheel is a four-spoked wheel, either stationary or spinning, with decorations of inyx birds or an actual inyx bird (kigklos be used as a substitution for an inyx) strapped to it and tortured. The following are effects achieved by the inyx wheel.

When the wheel spins, it disorients the victim by setting their thoughts spinning

When an inyx bird is stripped to the wheel, it is tortured with whips and fire and this is related and relayed unto the victim with words in hopes to torture the victim until they leave their home. The madness and lustful nature of the bird is also transferred unto the woman.

“Cause her to swoon while being burnt”

“Goad her soul as it is being tortured”

Torture on a stationary wheel by stretching or twisting the limbs with ropes and winches and then by whipping and burning.

Drag out its guts and attach it to the wheel

Likening Animals

When making analogies to project a nature onto the victim, animals are often used in the spell. They are manipulated in a way to augment or enhance their natural ability. (i.e. a bat’s eye is pierced to increase its natural insomnia). Here are some common to erōs love spells.

Inyx and kigklos - madness and lust

Bat - insomnia

Puppy - defenselessness

Philia

Enchanted Fruit

The throwing of enchanted fruit induces love, though it requires some action of the victim themself.

Firstly, an apple or similarly seeded fruit (peach, apricot, or pomegranate) is enchanted. This is generally a formula similar to the following: “To whichever woman I give or at whichever woman I throw the apple or hit with it, setting everything aside, may she be mad for my love—whether she takes it in her hand and eats it or sets it in her bosom—and may she not stop loving me.”

Then, the fruit is thrown at the victim. They must pick it up and eat it or set it in her bosom for love to be induced.

Kestos Himas

Kestos himas are magical straps worn to attract filia. They come in the following forms.

A narrow strip of leather decorated with perforations worm around the breasts or around the waist

A saltire (a kind of cross-your-heart brassiere)

An embroidered square or loose collar that joins the saltire together at the breast

A variegated girdle of flowers with a golden inscription

Inscribed upon them could be words inducing the love of a husband, forcing the love of a boyfriend to one who is unfaithful, among other things.

Cords

Cords are often used to bind the anger and lust of the victim. They are woven with coordinating colors and then tied in knots along with an incantation, then worn. Here is an example:

To relieve anger and make one more loving, weave together into a single strand the tendons of a gazelle, hemp, and red wool; you tie it into fourteen knots. Each time you tie a knot, you recite an incantation. The woman places this cord around her waist, and she will be loved

Gems

Certain gems carved with particular scenes and with words spoken over them can attract love. The following are some examples:

Carve a dominant person clad in armor with an inferior person with hands bound and naked groveling before them.

Inscribe upon a gem: φιλεί με

Warning: Fire is dangerous! Lead is dangerous! If you ever try this, do so with caution and common sense.

[ancientgreekwitch]

Necromancy

Necromancy is the art of summoning and communicating with the spirits of the dead. It can be done a number of ways and for a number of reasons.

To Summon a Spirit

To summon a spirit, follow these steps.

Preparation

Before summoning a spirit, you must prepare yourself.

Keep your body pure for a lunar month. Eat only nuts and drink only clean water, milk, or melikraton (honey mixed with milk). For each of the three days, before dawn, bathe in a clean river, spit three times, and return to your house without looking at anyone. Sleep on the grass to become closer to Gaia, the earth, and the world below.

Consecrate a blade, preferably a sword, made of iron or bronze to the night. Take it and use it to sacrifice to Nyx, the night, then plunge it into the underworld to consecrate it. Underworld entrances can be found as vaporous caves or birdless lakes.

On the day of, make a sacrifice to Gaia and Nyx. If the omen is good, annoint yourself in oil and bathe in a clean river. Have someone walk around you with a bulb of squill or a puppy and then walk backwards to your house. Drink from the spring of forgetfulness and memory. Eat beans and/or chickpeas.

Clothes

Wear black funeral clothes of the ancient Greeks. Wear a wreath of yew. Keep your hair, feet, and clothes unbound. If you are summoning an ancient Greek spirit, tie snakes to your hair (optional). Spirits do not follow the commands of those who have freckles, so make sure to cover every freckle if you have them.

Time

On a full moon in Libra is the best time to perform the ritual. It can be performed any time from sunset to dawn.

Location

Perform this in any space outside on the dirt where you will surely be undisturbed or in an underworld entrance (vaporous caves, birdless lakes, or woods so dark and thick that they make the other trees nearby seem pale). Purify this space with sheep’s entrails, sulfur, fresh herbs, and incantations.

Pit and Fire

Dig a circular pit one cubit (forearm) wide and one cubit deep with the consecrated sword or with your hands. This will be used for sacrifices to the spirit(s). This may be replaced by a lake.

Have a basin in which you light a wood fire. This will be used to make sacrifices to the night and to the earth.

Sacrifices

Now, begin sacrificing. Keep in mind, it is not necessary to do all of these. If they are in a list, choose only one or two to actually perform. First, sprinkle clear water in a circle around your space from a gold cup. Then pour dark red wine, the color of blood, around the pit 9 times with your left hand. After that, pour milk, water, beige melikraton, honey, barley, and/or olive oil around the pit.

Inside of the pit, place eggs, a thick soup or cake made of honey and various fruits, and/or in a doll made from wheat cake crowned in fennel and bay.

Sacrifice one or two black sheep. They should not be willing sacrifices. Cut their throat with the sword or rip it out with your teeth above the pit while holding their head down, letting the blood flow into the pit. Remove the fleece and burn the body in the fire.

Alternatively to sacrificing the sheep, draw your sword across your arm and let the blood flow into the pit, flicking some in the fire as well with a bay leaf.

Utterances

While pounding on the ground, shout the following.

Command the spirit to rise (use full name). Command the earth to split and let them come. Promise to free the spirit from restlessness or to give them offerings. Threaten to punish them if they refuse.

If this does not work, raise the intensity and franticness of your voice. Threaten the spirit.

Many spirits that linger on earth may come to take your offerings. Use the blade to control them. Never look at the spirits.

Dismissal

To dismiss the spirits, flick milk at them.

Spirit Laying

Sometimes, spirits linger on this earth and cause problems for the living. They may appear in dreams or haunt someone in their nightmares. These spirits need to be confronted.

If you know their name

Summon them in the afformentioned fashion. Ask them why they have remained on earth. They may want a proper funeral rite or they may want to right a wrong that was done to them. Fulfill their wishes and they should leave you or your client in peace.

If you know their tomb

If you know their tomb, make a figurine of stone. Bind it in chains of iron to their tomb with incantations in this fashion, “I bind N.N. to their tomb, in iron and in stone, so they may only linger here. Here they must stay. And so they may not interfere any longer with the living.”

If you know nothing

If you know nothing, create statues from wood or clay. Make one male and one female.

Proclaim “O person, whether you a man or a woman” three times

Place water, for washing hands, bread and wine in front of the statues.

Take the dolls to a forest where they will be undisturbed. Fix them there with their helpings.

Normal Offerings

If you have promised the spirit future offerings, on the 20th day of the lunar month, offer any of the following to the spirit at their grave: milk, honey, water, wine, celery, pelanon (a mixture of meal, honey, and oil), and kollyba (the first fruits of the crops and dried fresh fruits).

Warning: Using your own blood is dangerous! Respect the dead! If you ever try this, do so with caution and common sense.

[ancientgreekwitch]

Cursing

These are magical spells and rituals that bind a victim in pain or suffering, usually used by someone who feels their opponent has an unfair advantage and wants to level the playing field.

Bound Dolls

Ancient Greek cursing uses bound dolls often as effigies of the victim.

Material

These dolls can be made of pottery, wax, limestone, wood, wool, or lead.

Torture

Once the effigy is formed, it is either pierced, bound, or burnt and an incantation likens the pain of the effigy to the person.

If it is pierced, bronze or iron nails are hammered into relevant places. For example, the mouth of someone who will be debating or the genitals of one’s sexual rival. “I bind the mouth of N.N. so that he shall not speak.”

If it is bound, again, bind the relevant. For example, the arms of someone who will be boxing. “I bind the arms of N.N. in order that they will be neither powerful nor strong.”

It is burnt and melted to transfer the pain to the victim. “May N.N. melt away and dissolve like this image, himself, his seed, and his property.”

Coffin

Once the doll is pierced or bound, it is sometimes placed in a coffin and buried. These coffins may be inscribed as well.

κατάδεσμος (curse tablets)

κατάδεσμος are Ancient Greek curse tablets on which an inscription is written to curse someone.

Flattening

Take a thin, malleable piece of lead or wax and flatten it. Using a bronze or iron stylus or nail, write an inscription.

Inscription

There are many types of inscriptions, but they generally follow these forms.

Simply the words “I bind N.N.” or only the person’s name is inscribed. These are accompanied by more elaborate incantations.

Comparisons are used. For example, if buried with a corpse, “Just as this corpse is stiff and lifeless, so shall N.N. be stiff and lifeless.” Or, if written on lead, “Just as this lead is cold an useless, so shall N.N.’s words be cold and useless.” Sometimes, too, the words are written backwards so that the victim’s words would be backwards.

Tablets are addressed to nekydaimons, aka spirits (especially those untimely dead). The spirit is compelled to torture or attack the victim of the curse through threats, magical words, or promises of offerings. Make sure that the inscription is written in a language of the spirit addressed. “I conjure you, daemon, whoever you may be, and order you, to torture and kill, from this hour, this day, this moment, the horses of the Green and the White teams; kill and smash the charioteers Clarus, Felix, Primulus, Romanus; do not leave a breath in them. I conjure you. Iao, Iasdao, Oorio, Aeia.” The name of the addressed spirit should also be written on the outside of the rolled up tablet.

Piercing

Once the inscription is written, roll the κατάδεσμος. Pierce it with a bronze or iron nail.

Placement

Place this into the sea, in an underground well, bath, or fountain, with a corpse, near a tomb, or in an area relevant to those being cursed (a curse against a racer under the starting line).

Reversing

To reverse this curse, remove the nails from the κατάδεσμος.

Animals

Mutilated animals can accompany and amplify the power of these spells. Small animals such as roosters, puppies, chameleons, and fish are often used. They are twisted, bound, and even have their mouths sewn shut. Place them with the tablet or dolls nearby and include them in the incantation and/or inscriptions.

Warning: Lead is dangerous! Respect the dead! If you ever try this, do so with caution and common sense.

[ancientgreekwitch]

These are some fantastic sources about Ancient Greek Magic that can easily be found online.

The Greek Magical Papyri - this is a fantastic source of plenty of spells, charms, and rituals from Ancient Greece. It is easily found online and the #1 starting source for a beginner in Greek Magic in my opinion

Magika Hiera: Ancient Greek Magic and Religion - I cannot reccomend this book enough. It has a multitude of information on cursing, amulets, divination, and pharmacology, as well as examples of magic practices. The only negative is that it is a pretty dense, scholarly read.

Ancient Greek Love Magic - this is a great book that goes in depth on the magical practices in regards to love, though it doesn’t provide performable magic practices.

Arcana Mundi - this is a work similar in content to Magika Hiera but it is a much easier read

Greek and Roman Necromancy - a perfect recourse for one interested in magic related to the dead/spirits