Robert Wagman

CHAPTER VII

Others resort to amulets and neck-charms. So that you may have a good laugh at their foolishness, I transcribe here a few excerpts:

… So that she may not enter the tower and eat my child, as she already did not too long ago. And the holy saints Sisynius and Synidorus, as they saw their sister sobbing, also started to cry without restraint. Kneeling immediately on the ground, they began praying to God that He may grant them intelligence and strength against the accursed Gylo, so that they could capture her. And having obtained this power from the Almighty, they saddled their horses and began chasing the accursed Gylo. Making inquiries along the way, they began questioning anyone or anything that they ran into. And so they asked a willow, which they found on the way, whether it had seen the accursed Gylo flying over those lands. The willow said that it had not seen it. And the saints cursed [the tree], saying, ‘May you not bear fruit in the future, nor may any man eat from it.’ Moving fast, the saints then resumed the voyage which they had started. And they found a blackberry bush, and questioned it whether it had seen the accursed Gylo flying about. The bush too said  that it had not seen her. And the saints cursed it with the same curse, ‘May your roots turn out tops and your top turn out roots, and may your fruit be useless, and may no man live on it.’ Then the saints were again on their way. And they came upon a blessed olive tree, and they asked whether it had seen the accursed Gylo flying about. The olive tree responded, ‘Keep running as fast as you can, saints; for she has already reached the shore.’ Then the saints Sisynius and Synidorus blessed the olive tree, saying, ‘May your fruit be plentiful, may saints be adorned by it and kings and poor cheered by it.’ When the saints arrived at the shore, they saw the accursed Gylo flying there. And she, as soon as she caught sight of them, turned herself into a fish. The saints then turned themselves into fishermen, and began to fish her out. The accursed Gylo changed again, taking the form of a swallow. Using to the power which had been granted to them, the saints turned into falcons, and began hunting her down. Realizing that she could not escape the saints, Gylo then changed into a goat’s hair and went to sit on the king’s beard, so that she would not be found. When the saints came in the king’s presence, they paid their respects and said: ‘Lord king, we would like to ask that you grant us one request. And if it will please your lordship to grant it to us, let us know at once, because it grieves us sorely.’ The king answered the saints, ‘By my kingdom,if there is anything I can give you, ask for it, for I see that you are noble and wise.’ And the saints said, ‘Of what is in your kingdom we  ask nothing but one goat’s hair which is on your beard. You will be amazed when you see.’ Then the king said, ‘Take it.’ So the saints reverently stretched out their hands and, with great attention, took out the hair. And finally, as Gylo realized that she could escape the saints no more, she changed into a woman. When he saw this, the king was stunned, and asked the saints about this. They explained to him everything that had happened, and the king was amazed. But the saints, grabbing the accursed Gylo by the hair, threw her on the ground and, fiercely beating her, said ‘Accursed Gylo, stop at once killing the children of Christian folk and of God’s servant, N.. And the accursed Gylo started begging the saints, saying, ‘Let me go, saints of God, and do not torture me so harshly; I will talk to you.’ Then the saints of God Sisynius and Synidorus said, ‘We shall not spare your life, unless you solemnly swear that you will not again assault the daughters of  God’s servant N. and unless you give us back the children of our sister Melitene, whom you killed.’ And the accursed Gylo answered the saints, ‘If you can give back on the palm of your hand the maternal milk which you once suckled, I shall also give back Melitene’s children.’ At once the saints of God turned their eyes to heaven and prayed God for that: and immediately they spat out something like milk in their own palms. They said to the accursed Gylo, ‘Here, we gave back the maternal milk which we suckled; now you give us back the slain children of Melitene, as you promised, if you do not want us to torment you unbearably. Since she could not do otherwise, the accursed Gylo then gave back the child whom she had killed in the tower. And again the saints of God began beating her harshly, saying, ‘Accursed Gylo, stop killing the children of the Christians and of the servant of our God N.’ Then the accursed Gylo started begging the saints of God, ‘Let me go, saints of God, Sisynius and Synidorus; do not destroy me, and I will tell you what must be done so that I cannot enter a place, but I am always kept at a distance of seventy-five stades from it.’ ‘What must be done, accursed Gylo?’ And she replied, ‘If he can write down my twelve and a half names, I shall not assault the home of the servant of God N. who will have this prayer, nor his spouse N., nor their children. But I shall keep away from the house at a distance of seventy-five stades.’ Then the saints said, ‘Tell us, accursed Gylo, your most accursed names, before we kill you.’ And she replied, ‘My first name is Gylo; the second is Morrha; the third Byzo, the fourth Marmaro; the fifth Petasia; the sixth Pelagia; the seventh Bordona; the eighth Apleto; the ninth Chomodracaena; the tenth Anabardalea; the eleventh (Greek: Psychranospastria) Psychoanaspastria; the twelveth Paedopnictria; and the half one Strigla.’

Saints Sisynius and Synidorus, assist the servant of God N., his spouse N., and their children, who have this amulet. Bind and confine with leaden chains all pagan spirits of the air and the accursed Gylo, that they may be deprived of the power and strength to approach the home of the servant of God N., or his wife N., or their children, in the night or in the daylight, at midnight or at noon; but may all unclean spirits, all pagan spirits of the air, all evils, and the accursed Gylo keep away from the home of the servant of God N., his spouse N., and their children, at a distance of seventy-five stades. Saint Patapius, strike every demonic evil of midday and midnight; keep them away from the home of the servant of God N. and his family, and those who read this prayer. Saint Marina, who bound and beat Beelzebub, bind and confine and strike all demonic beings of the air, from the home of the servant of God N., his spouse N., and their children. Saint Nicholas, performer of miracles, give your assistance; Saint George and Saint Theodore of Tyre, leader of armies, give your assistance to the servant of God N., his wife, and his children; and strike, and chase away, and bind all demonic beings, all pagan and evil spirits of the air, away from the home of the servant of God N., his wife, and their children, so that they may flourish in the present and not be infested by those evils in the future; and that they may see the children of their children, and rejoice in their hearts, and praise the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, now and always, and forever and ever. Amen.

Prayer for Jesus Christ our Lord. Our Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, who came to this earth to save the human race from the tyranny of the Devil; hear me, your servant, who am supplicating you on behalf of your servant N., his wife N., and their children. And through your grace and great compassion, send a shining angel who may protect and shelter the children of your servants N. and N. from all evils which may assault them. And cover them under the shade of your wings, chase away from them all enemies and adversaries; make their life at home peaceful, God, and grant them the favor of your compassion, and give them, as a gift, that the fruit of their bellies may live and live long. Defend them, Lord, from all evils and all demonic beings of midday and midnight, from wicked spirits and from the accursed Gylo; that these evil and unclean spirits be deprived of the power and strength to approach the servant of God N., his wife, or his children. For these servants of yours call your holy name night and day, Lord, and seek refuge in you, and pray, and beg your mercy for their children, that you make them grow and allow them to see the children of their children, so that they may praise your most holy name. For you have the power to give and to dispense good things, and you we glorify as the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, now and always, and forever and ever. Amen.

Prayer for the most holy Mother of God, my Lady and mother of my Lord, who gave birth to the Divine Word in the flesh, without insemination and supernaturally. For you gave birth as a virgin and a virgin you remained, as your virginity was in no way tainted. Plead therefore, my Lady, with your son and God for these servants of yours, N. and N., that He may take their children into His grace through your intercession. For the Mother’s pleas are of great effect in obtaining the Lord’s benevolence. I implore you, my Lady, for your prompt assistance, so that the children of these servants of yours, N. and N., may grow up and go on living and be grateful in the presence of God all days of their life. So be it, my Lady. Listen to me, a sinner and an unworthy servant of yours. And, even if I am a sinner, do not look down on my poor miserable prayer. Save the children of your servants and let them live; send a shining angel to protect them and defend them from all evils, from the fiendish spirits and the spirits which are in the air and the invisible ghosts: so that the accursed Gello and others may be unable to single them out, and Gello may not threaten them and their children. Bestow upon them your grace and your mercy, most holy Lady of mine, Mother of God, so that the children of these servants of yours may live and see the children of their children, and they may rejoice in their hearts, and praise your most holy and blessed name, my Lady. For you are blessed throughout all generations and your name is praised forever and ever. Amen.

Others manage to enclose the same charm in a much smaller phylactery, by leaving out all excess verbiage. This was shown to me in a manuscript by Carlo Avanzi, who has devoted his brilliant mind to the advanced study of the natural sciences,

Under the consulate of king Laurentios, there was a woman in the region of Ausitis, or Arabia, by the name of Melitene. She had given birth to seven children, who had been snatched away from her by the accursed demon called Gelu. Melitene became pregnant again. When the time of birth was approaching, she had a tower built for her. She fortified it inside and out, and stored in it food supplies for twenty-five years. Then Melitene moved into the tower with two maidservants. The saints of God Sisinnius and Sisynodorus, Melitene’s brothers, were serving as soldiers in Numeria, or Arabia. So it happened that one day, when the army was released to its stations, they came to the tower to see their sister. When they arrived at the gates, raising their voices, they began clamoring to be let in. Melitene did not want to open the gates, saying, ‘I cannot open [the gate] for you, because I just had a child and I am scared. So I am not going to open [the gate].’ They went on raising their voices, saying, ‘Open up for us, for we are God’s messengers and we bring the mysteries of God.’ She opened [the gate], and the saints of God went in. At the same time, the unclean spirit came to earth and entered the throat of one of saints’ horses. And, around midnight, it killed the baby. Then Melitene, wailing bitterly, was saying with an angry voice, [sublata voce is Allatius’ addition] ‘O Sisinnius, and you Sisynodorus, what have you done to me? That is why I did not want to open the door for you.’ Raising their hands to heaven, the saints of God then began to pray that they be granted the power to fight the accursed one. And as they prayed a long time, an angel of God was dispatched to them, who said, ‘The Lord [in the Greek] God has heard your prayers and sent me to fortify and prepare you for any kind of undertaking.’ So out they came of the tower, and mounted their horses, which had reins like wings, and went on to search every recess or cave on Mt. Lebanon. And when they found a pine tree, the saints questioned it whether it had seen the Accursed One flying by. The pine tree said that it had not seen her. And the saints said, ‘Since you hid the Accursed One from us, and concealed the truth, may your offshoot be rootless and your fruit dry.’ Then they found an olive tree, and they said to it, ‘Olive tree, have you seen the Accursed One passing by?’ She answered, ‘I have seen her, my Lords, flying about near the sea here and there, under the twenty grasses, under the speaking head, under the children’s bonemarrows: that is where she stays. And the saints said, ‘May your fruit be blessed, and be consumed in the temple of the Lord.’ Then they saw the Accursed One on the seashore, and they said, ‘God commands through us, his worthless servants, that you be apprehended.’ But the Accursed One, seeing the saints, dove into the sea. After a frantic chase, however, the saints managed to capture her. And the Accursed One said, ‘O Sisinnius, and you Sisynodorus, why do you torment me so much?’ Saint Sisinnius answered, ‘Give me back the seven children of Melitene, and I shall torment you no more.’ And the Accursed One replied, ‘If you give back the maternal milk you once sucked, I shall also give back Melitene’s seven children.’ Then the saint of God Sisinnius said, invoking God, ‘Lord, you said that  “With God nothing shall be impossible.” Show me your goodness, so that everybody may learn your name, that you are the only God.’  At once Saint Sisinnius returned the maternal milk from his mouth, and said to the Accursed One, ‘Here is my mother’s milk; it is your turn to give back the seven children of Melitene.’ And at once she gave back the seven children of Melitene.  Then the Accursed One made this offer, ‘I beg you, Saints of God, torture me no more. Anywhere you place this charm, I will not be able to go; and if it is on a bed, I will not enter, but I will flee and hurry away as far as sixty stades. For if one writes down my twelve names, I will not be able to infest his house or attack it, nor will I kill his livestock, or have power over any of his body parts.’ Then Saint Sisinnius adjured her, saying, ‘I adjure you in the name of God, which the rock heard and was torn apart, the God of Saint Mamas, Saint Polycarp, Saint Tarasius, Saint Domitius, the Saint and Martyr Pantaleon, and Hermolaus, Saint and Martyr Nicetas, Saint Babylas, Saint Porphyry, Saint Blaise, Saint Eulogius, Saint Nicholas, Saint Basil, Saint John Chrysostom, Saint Leo, Saint Eleutherius, Saint Demetrius, Saint George, Saint Theodore, Saint James of Persia, Saint John the Prophet, Precursor and Baptist; of Saint John the Theologian, of St. Eustathius, Saint Orestes, Saint Andrew, the three hundred and eighteen Saints of the Fathers, the Unmercenary Saints Cosmas and Damian, Saint Epiphanius, Saint Irenarchus, Saint and Martyr Auxentius, Eugene, Orestes, Mardarius, and Lucia the Virgin and the Holy Martyrs Pegasius, Aphthonius, Elpidiphorus, and Anempodistus, of our very praiseworthy Lady Mother of God and always Virgin Mary, and all the saints. Amen.

These are the kind of foolish devices which some use, and, just like silly women, dumb men believe they can repel adversities with them, being even more gullible than those senseless women.

NOTES

Forthcoming