IV.621
Papyri Graecae Magicae IV.621 · The doors open on the world of the godsIV.621The doors open on the world of the gods
When the vowel-names are sounded, thunder and a shaking of the surrounding air answer, and you feel yourself disturbed. Say 'silence' once more, then open your eyes — and you will see the doors flung open and the world of the gods that lies within them.
· · ·
ταῦτά1
taûtá
these thingsthis
σου2
sou
you
εἰπόντος3
eipóntos
having saidsay / speak / tell / recite
ἀκούσει4
akoúsei
you will hearlisten, heed
βροντῆς5
brontês
of thunderthunderclap
καὶ6
kaì
and
κλόνου7
klónou
of a shakinga violent stirring, confused motion, din
τοῦ8
toû
of the
περιέχοντος9
periéchontos
surrounding airsurround / encompass / contain, the surrounding (air / world)
. ὁμοίως10
homoíōs
likewisein the same way
δὲ11
dè
andbut
σεαυτὸν12
seautòn
yourself
αἰσθηθήσει13
aisthēthḗsei
you will feelperceive / become aware of, sense
ταρασσόμενον14
tarassómenon
disturbedstir up / trouble / disturb, agitate
. σὺ15
sỳ
you
δὲ16
dè
butand
πάλιν17
pálin
againback
λέγε18
lége
sayspeak / tell / recite
·; σιγή19
sigḗ
Silencea keeping-still
·; εἶτα20
eîta
thennext, thereupon
ἄνοιξον21
ánoixon
openopen up / (pass.) be opened
τοὺς22
toùs
the
ὀφθαλμοὺς23
ophthalmoùs
eyeseye / the eye, sight
καὶ24
kaì
and
ὄψη25
ópsē
you will seelook / behold / perceive
ἀνεῳγυῖας26
aneōigyías
openedopen / open up / (pass.) be opened
τὰς27
tàs
the
θύρας28
thýras
doorsdoor / gate / entrance
καὶ29
kaì
and
τὸν30
tòn
the
κόσμον31
kósmon
worldorder / adornment / universe
τῶν32
tôn
of the
θεῶν33
theôn
godsgod / a divinity
, ὅς34
hós
whichwho, that
ἐστιν35
estin
isbe, exist, there is
ἐντὸς36
entòs
withininside
τῶν37
tôn
the
θυρῶν38
thyrôn
doorsdoor / gate / entrance
, When you have said these, you will hear thunder and a shaking of the surrounding air, and feel yourself disturbed. Say again, 'Silence.' Then open your eyes, and you will see the doors flung open and the world of the gods which is within the doors.
When you have said these, you will hear thunder and a shaking of the surrounding air, and feel yourself disturbed. Say again, 'Silence.' Then open your eyes, and you will see the doors flung open and the world of the gods which is within the doors.
Interpretation
When you have said these things, you will hear thunder and a shaking of the surrounding air, and you will feel yourself disturbed. Say again, 'Silence.' Then open your eyes, and you will see the doors flung open and the world of the gods which is within the doors.
The whole ascent has been building to an opened door, and here at last it opens. The rite times it with a physiologist's care: the sounded vowels bring thunder and a felt disturbance in the body (tarassómenon, shaken up), and only after another 'silence' are the eyes to be opened. Sight has been withheld through the entire third formula — spoken with eyes shut — so that when it returns it lands on the one thing worth seeing.
And what the initiate sees is named plainly: ton kósmon tôn theôn, 'the world of the gods,' lying within the doors. The vision is architectural — a threshold, and behind it a whole ordered realm. The Greek kósmos does its double work again: it is both 'world' and 'ordered arrangement,' so what stands revealed is not a blaze of chaos but a cosmos with its own inside, a place one could enter. The doors that were 'shut fast' a few lines ago are now open, and the mortal is looking through.
IV.627
Papyri Graecae Magicae IV.627 · Draw the spirit in — 'Come, lord'IV.627Draw the spirit in — 'Come, lord'
The joy of the sight makes the initiate's spirit rush upward. Standing, he draws breath in from the divine, gazing into himself; and when his soul is restored, he calls the god forward: 'Come, lord' — sealed with a run of names.
· · ·
so that, from the pleasure of the sight and the joy, your spirit rushes together and rises. Standing, then, at once draw in the spirit from the divine, gazing into yourself. When your soul is restored, say: 'Come, lord, [archandara phōtaza pyriphōta zabythix … eri prothri phorathi].'