Thursday 18 March 2010

Pairs of opposites

A note I made a while back to the preamble to the "Stele of Jeu" (PGM V / P. Lond 46 96-172).

The Heavens and the Earth: Nût and Gêb.
The Night and the Day: Nephthys and Isis.
The Darkness and the Light: Set & Horus.
The Moist and the Dry: Shu and Tefnut.

Therefore the Headless One is Atum-Rê of the Heliopolitan Ennead, and not Osiris (or Bes) at all.

The above is not meant completely seriously; it will be observed that there are more than four "pairs of opposites" in that preamble. Actually, if we count "seeds and fruit" there are 8 in all (the just and the unjust, the female and the male, love and hate being the others) so we do have an ogdoad, each containing its own opposite in itself.

While we're on the subject, by and to whom is the final "come forth and follow" supposed to be spoken? The speech markouts in D.E. Aune's translation in Betz, The Greek Magical Papyri in Translation, seem somewhat arbitrary; the preceding lines are (apparently) spoken by the exorcist identifying himself with the Headless Daimon; so is that "come forth and follow" the excorcist addressing the Headless Daimon, the Headless Daimon addressing the exorcist, the Headless Daimon addressing the daimon to be driven off, or . . . ?

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