Lacking a universal system suitable for the present purpose, the standard for the epigraphical and philological description of magical gems is being developed simultaneously with the database.
Sigla
[ ] a lacuna or gap in the original text, restored by the editor
<> editorial restoration or correction
{ } editorial deletion
{{ }} ancient deletion
[. .] missing letters (extent known, one dot for each letter)
[- - -] missing letters (extent unknown)
( ) abbreviation expanded by the editor
α?] uncertain reading
| line break
|| line break after every fifth line
The database uses the font Arial Unicode MS for writing Greek letters. Greek texts are edited in the Classical Text Editor program prior to being pasted in the database.
Description
The datasheets provide readings accepted by CBd, while in well-founded cases, alternative readings are also mentioned.
In the literal copy lower-case Greek letters are used (without word-final sigma and diacritical marks). The philological transcription of the inscription (with word-final sigma) follows after an arrow. The inscriptions may consist of the following elements:
- names: names of deities, angels and mythological figures, transcribed in their Greek diacritical form.
- voces: expressions used as voces magicae in the magical corpus, given in their diacritical form (when available). The more frequent ones appear in their standard form (such as Ἰάω and Ἀβρασάξ), with variants listed separately. In the case of less frequent voces, variants are listed together with the form chosen as standard (such as αρρωριφρασις and variants). Unidentified voces are hapax strings of letters, not found in the magical corpus as voces magicae.
- logoi: accepted longer sequences, named, as customary, after a characteristic part of the sequence.
- characteres: reproduced as images in the description.
- text: meaningful Greek or Latin text (except for names used as ’Einwortinschrift’), with philological transcription and English translation.
We consult the following references for determining names, voces and logoi:
K. Preisendanz, PGM, vol III., Indices, unpublished proof.
W. Brashear, The Greek Magical Papyri: an Introduction and Survey; Annotated Bibliography (1928–1994). In: ANRW II 18, 5 (1995), 3380–3684.
Bonner, SMA
Michel, BM
Search
At present it is not possible to do a free-word search for Greek inscriptions using a Latin-letter keyboard. The search engine is thus based on the lists accessible in the drop down menus. It is possible to do searches for:
- names and voces, logoi (see above);
- vocabulary, which provides a list of Greek and Latin words in their lexical form; and
- philological keywords, with entries subcategorised under ’inscription’, ’text type’ and ’textual element’.