Papers by João Feliciano
The Egyptian God Anubis developed unique traits in the Ptolemaic and Roman periods, as a result o... more The Egyptian God Anubis developed unique traits in the Ptolemaic and Roman periods, as a result of syncretism with the Greek Hermes in his chthonic aspect. As Hermes-Anubis or Hermanubis, the God’s iconography evolved considerably within Greek and Roman adaptations of Egyptian religion, and he took on the additional role of intermediary between the living and the dead & the Gods, which extended into magical contexts.
The following Byzantine magical text revolves around the virtues of the peony plant. In Greek tra... more The following Byzantine magical text revolves around the virtues of the peony plant. In Greek tradition, peony was attributed to the Moon, and bore a reputation for manifold powers that appears to mirror and even rival that of mandrake and vervain in western Europe. The plant is also frequently mentioned in the Greek Keys of Solomon/ Hygromanteia , which seem to be closely related to our text and perhaps share a common origin.
The Book of the Archangels is a Christian magical text, traceable to the early Medieval period, b... more The Book of the Archangels is a Christian magical text, traceable to the early Medieval period, but likely originating in late Antique Byzantium. This text was hitherto only published in its original Greek form, by R. Reitzenstein , and is here translated for the first time into English.
Presented here is the first English translation of a third version of the Sword of Moses, a famou... more Presented here is the first English translation of a third version of the Sword of Moses, a famous Jewish magical handbook from the Geonic period, found in MS. N8128, 640-650.
For the first time in English translation, this text of Merkabah mysticism is part of an appendix... more For the first time in English translation, this text of Merkabah mysticism is part of an appendix to the Hekalot Zutarti, and consists of an angelic doxology revealed to Ishmael ben Elisha
The Shi'ur Qomah is a Jewish mystical text related to the Hekalot literature, which focuses on th... more The Shi'ur Qomah is a Jewish mystical text related to the Hekalot literature, which focuses on the anthropomorphized figure of God. Of particular interest are the numerous mysterious divine names which are attributed to the various parts of the divine body and the heavenly Throne-Chariot. I present here a comparative list of these names from the primary sources (including the numerous fragments of the SQ in other texts). This list is by no means complete, but I hope will prove useful as reference.
The Sefer ha-Malbush or ‘Book of the Garment’ is a Jewish mystical text from the Geonic period, c... more The Sefer ha-Malbush or ‘Book of the Garment’ is a Jewish mystical text from the Geonic period, consisting of a ritual to evoke angelic beings and perform various feats. A translation is presented here.
The Agathos Daimon, or 'Good Spirit', was a multifaceted deity of ancient Mediterranean religion,... more The Agathos Daimon, or 'Good Spirit', was a multifaceted deity of ancient Mediterranean religion, usually depicted as a serpent, having its origins in the notion of the household god. The Good Spirit was honoured in both Greek and Roman religions, depicted as a serpent on Roman shrines and lararia, and revered as a harbinger of luck among the Greeks. However, his most developed form flourished in Ptolemaic and Roman Egypt, where the Agathos Daimon became an exalted deity, far beyond the status of a household god, becoming associated with Shai and Kematef, the Egyptian creator gods, who were similarly depicted as serpents in the extant iconography, as well as taking on solar attributes and becoming conflated with Prê and Helios as a result of late Egyptian theological innovations. This new syncretistic deity is a central figure of the Greek Magical Papyri, wherein numerous rituals, prayers, and theological material directly related to the Agathos Daimon abound.
Small text of practical qabalah from the Geonic period, which greatly influenced the Sefer Raziel
A Hermetic astrological text on the 36 decans
The ritual of the 5 Seals was a central ceremony of Sethian Gnostic schools. It typified a kind o... more The ritual of the 5 Seals was a central ceremony of Sethian Gnostic schools. It typified a kind of baptism or salvific ritual, and some texts portray it as a rite for heavenly ascent. Although this ritual has not survived in clear form, there are enough detailed allusions to and apparent quotes from it in Sethian literature to plausibly reconstruct a good part of it, as well as parallels in other traditions. It is the aim of this article to examine this ritual in detail.
ancient Greece & Persia by João Feliciano
The book of the Caduceus is a somewhat older Greek document from the Hermetic library.
Basically... more The book of the Caduceus is a somewhat older Greek document from the Hermetic library.
Basically the thing that Hermes handed to Asclepius the patron god of medicine.
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Papers by João Feliciano
ancient Greece & Persia by João Feliciano
Basically the thing that Hermes handed to Asclepius the patron god of medicine.
Basically the thing that Hermes handed to Asclepius the patron god of medicine.