2.22
The Sorceress 2.22 · The bay leaf crackles2.22The bay leaf crackles
Lines 22–26. She burns a bay leaf against Delphis.
· · ·
ἶυγξ1
îynx
Magic wheelwryneck
, τὺ2
tỳ
you
ἕλκε3
hélke
drawdrag
τῆνον4
tênon
that
τὸν5
tòn
—
ἄνδρα6
ándra
man
ποτὶ7
potì
to
ἐμὸν8
emòn
my
δῶμα9
dôma
house
. Δέλφις10
Délphis
Delphis
ἀνίασεν11
aníasen
has hurtgrieved
ἔμʼ12
ém’
me
, δʼ13
d’
and
ἐγὼ14
egṑ
I
αἴθω15
aíthō
burnkindle
δάφναν16
dáphnan
the bay leaflaurel
ἐπὶ17
epì
against
Δέλφιδι18
Délphidi
Delphis
. χὡς19
chhōs
And as
αὕτα20
haúta
it
λακεῖ21
lakeî
cracklescries out
μέγα22
méga
loudlygreatly
, καππυρίσασα23
kappyrísasa
catching fireset on fire
, κἠξαπίνας24
kēxapínas
and suddenly
ἅφθη25
háphthē
flares upwas kindled
, κοὐδὲ26
koudè
and not even
σποδὸν27
spodòn
the ashashes
αὐτᾶς28
autâs
of it
εἴδομες29
eídomes
we saw
, οὕτω30
hoútō
so
τοι31
toi
—
Δέλφις32
Délphis
Delphis
καὶ33
kaì
too
ἀμαθύνοι34
amathýnoi
may wastemay turn to dust
σάρκʼ35
sárk’
his flesh
ἐνὶ36
enì
in
φλογὶ37
phlogì
the flame
. Magic wheel, draw that man to my house. Delphis has hurt me, and I burn the bay leaf against Delphis. And as it crackles loudly, catching fire, and suddenly flares up, and we saw not even its ash, so may Delphis too waste his flesh in the flame.
Magic wheel, draw that man to my house. Delphis has hurt me, and I burn the bay leaf against Delphis. And as it crackles loudly, catching fire, and suddenly flares up, and we saw not even its ash, so may Delphis too waste his flesh in the flame.
Interpretation
Magic wheel, draw that man to my house. Delphis has hurt me, and I burn this bay leaf against Delphis. As it catches fire and crackles loudly and flares up all at once, so that we cannot even see its ash, so may Delphis waste his flesh in the flame.
The bay leaf, δάφνη, is laurel, Apollo's plant, used in purification as well as magic. Cholmeley's addenda cite the story of Branchus, who rid Miletus of the plague by sprinkling the people with laurel boughs while he chanted (Clement of Alexandria, Stromateis 5.8.48). Laurel crackles loudly in a fire.
Simaetha turns the crackle into a wish: as the leaf flares up and leaves no ash, so may Delphis waste in the flame. Cholmeley reads the flame as the flame of love. She wants him burning with desire, as she is.
2.27
The Sorceress 2.27 · Wax and the bronze wheel2.27Wax and the bronze wheel
Lines 27–31. She melts wax and spins the bronze wheel.
· · ·
Magic wheel, draw that man to my house. As I melt this wax with the goddess's help, so may Delphis of Myndus melt at once with love. And as this bronze wheel spins by Aphrodite's power, so may he spin at my door.