Techniques of Graeco-Egyptian Magic - Add the Usual
Posted: Sat Jun 11, 2016 10:46 am
I was hesitant about posting this, given that the last person who criticized a Stephen Skinner publication disappeared from the internet. But, what the hell, at the risk of exposing myself to a vengeful blasting current....
When I got this book, my feelings mirrored grimoire scholar Alan Thorogood's reaction to Skinner & Rankine's transcription of Enochian material "interest turned to bemusement turned to exasperation".
In fact, I could continue quoting Thorogood on the above book,
as this applies also to elements of "Techniques...", although I would add that some of what he writes concerning the PGM seems to me to be downright deceptive and he appears to be riding on the safe assumption that most of his readers will be overwhelmed by the PGM and so unlikely to notice the not-so-occasional fudge.
One thing that stands out to me from the book first appears in the section titled "Circle of Protection". He admits that there are only two occurrences of circles drawn on the ground, (and, I should add only one of which the magician stands upon), but supports his argument that circles are commonplace in the PGM by saying that we can assume the reason circles are never mentioned is because their use was taken for granted.
This is simply bunkum. He is very subtle when he describes the phrase in question as "do the usual" for this turns it in to a command to perform a specific act. The truth is, I can't think of a single occurrence of "do the usual" in the PGM. As far as I am aware it is always "add the usual".
So what is the word being translated as "add the usual"? It is Koina and variants. In Supplementum Magicum II - which is in Skinner's bibliography- it is defined as
'Common', 'ordinary', 'profane' - hardly descriptors for a magic circle, but the definitions of the word in question. I have done a brief survey of occurrences of Koinos and its variants in the PGM, and I won't bore you with them here, suffice to say, it always comes at the end of a section which is spoken or written on a lamella and it always is a direction to add your request to the god. It is never a further ritual instruction, being in fact the complete opposite, an instruction to break from the ritualised speech and proceed in the common tongue to dialogue with the spirit.
Most notably, throughout PGM VII occurs the phrase "add the usual, whatever you want" at the point where you are directing the spirit to carry out your wishes.
Some definitions:
KOINOS
KOINO-
When I got this book, my feelings mirrored grimoire scholar Alan Thorogood's reaction to Skinner & Rankine's transcription of Enochian material "interest turned to bemusement turned to exasperation".
In fact, I could continue quoting Thorogood on the above book,
Some of the supporting material is not very well researched and independent editorial input might have prevented several egregious errors creeping in....the hypothesis... is not supportable by any stretch of the imagination.
as this applies also to elements of "Techniques...", although I would add that some of what he writes concerning the PGM seems to me to be downright deceptive and he appears to be riding on the safe assumption that most of his readers will be overwhelmed by the PGM and so unlikely to notice the not-so-occasional fudge.
One thing that stands out to me from the book first appears in the section titled "Circle of Protection". He admits that there are only two occurrences of circles drawn on the ground, (and, I should add only one of which the magician stands upon), but supports his argument that circles are commonplace in the PGM by saying that we can assume the reason circles are never mentioned is because their use was taken for granted.
In a number of passages the phrases "do the usual" or "add the usual," occur, indicating that well-known background procedures were not usually specified in the PGM. This may also have applied to prefatory procedures such as drawing the protective circle. The fact that a circle appears to be only mentioned several times in the whole corpus of the PGM suggests that the circle was taken for granted.
This is simply bunkum. He is very subtle when he describes the phrase in question as "do the usual" for this turns it in to a command to perform a specific act. The truth is, I can't think of a single occurrence of "do the usual" in the PGM. As far as I am aware it is always "add the usual".
So what is the word being translated as "add the usual"? It is Koina and variants. In Supplementum Magicum II - which is in Skinner's bibliography- it is defined as
In magical formularies KOINON indicates the point of the logos where the operator can speak at will, inserting his wishes or demands without following fixed formulas ie in 'common', 'ordinary'. 'profane' language. cf KOINOS LOGOS...PGM V 435...
'Common', 'ordinary', 'profane' - hardly descriptors for a magic circle, but the definitions of the word in question. I have done a brief survey of occurrences of Koinos and its variants in the PGM, and I won't bore you with them here, suffice to say, it always comes at the end of a section which is spoken or written on a lamella and it always is a direction to add your request to the god. It is never a further ritual instruction, being in fact the complete opposite, an instruction to break from the ritualised speech and proceed in the common tongue to dialogue with the spirit.
Most notably, throughout PGM VII occurs the phrase "add the usual, whatever you want" at the point where you are directing the spirit to carry out your wishes.
Some definitions:
KOINOS
KOINO-