Ancient Greek Love Magic

Christopher A. Faraone

Published by Harvard University Press 1999

Ancient Greek Love Magic

Christopher A. Faraone

https://doi.org/10.4159/9780674036703

Overview
Contents

About this book

The ancient Greeks commonly resorted to magic spells to attract and keep lovers--as numerous allusions in Greek literature and recently discovered "voodoo dolls," magical papyri, gemstones, and curse tablets attest. Surveying and analyzing these various texts and artifacts, Christopher Faraone reveals that gender is the crucial factor in understanding love spells. There are, he argues, two distinct types of love magic: the curselike charms used primarily by men to torture unwilling women with fiery and maddening passion until they surrender sexually; and the binding spells and debilitating potions generally used by women to sedate angry or philandering husbands and make them more affectionate. Faraone's lucid analysis of these spells also yields a number of insights about the construction of gender in antiquity, for example, the "femininity" of socially inferior males and the "maleness" of autonomous prostitutes. Most significantly, his findings challenge the widespread modern view that all Greek men considered women to be naturally lascivious. Faraone reveals the existence of an alternate male understanding of the female as "naturally" moderate and chaste, who uses love magic to pacify and control the "naturally" angry and passionate male. This fascinating study of magical practices and their implications for perceptions of male and female sexuality offers an unusual look at ancient Greek religion and society.

Topics

Frontmatter Publicly Available Download PDF	i
Contents Publicly Available Download PDF	vii
Preface Publicly Available Download PDF	ix
1 Introduction Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	1
2 Spells for Inducing Uncontrollable Passion (Eroōs) Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	41
3 Spells for Inducing Affection (Philia) Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	96
4 Some Final Thoughts on History, Gender, and Desire Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	132
Glossary Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	175
Abbreviations Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	179
Bibliography Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	183
Subject Index Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	205
Index of Foreign Words Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	213
Index of Passages from Ancient Authors Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	217
Index of Magical Texts Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	221