Glossary
agapan  To love, esteem (rarely in an erotic manner) agape  Love, affection (rarely sexual)
agoge (pi- cgogai) Derived from the verb agein, "to lead, to drive," this handbook rubric designates an erotic spell that burns or tortures the victim (usually female) and thereby leads or drives her away from her home and to the practitioner (usually male)
charis In love spells, the outward charm, beauty, or charisma of an attractive person
charitesion (pi. charitesia) A spell or device (usually an amulet or a facial oil) designed to enhance the charis of the person who uses it
defixio (pi. defixiones) A binding spell; the Latin term for Greek katades-mos (see below)
empuron (pi. empura) Literally, an Kin-the-fire spell," usually a type of agoge (see above) that burns herbs or ousia (see below) in a fire to force the victim (usually female) out by means of sympathetic or persuasive analogy
epaoide (pi. epaoidai) The unconnected, poetic form of the word epoide (see below)
epikleros (pi. epikleroi) An heiress, who according to Athenian law can be forced to marry a relative if the family lacks a male heir to inherit
epoide (pi. epoidat) An incantation; literally, "a song sung over or against someone"
erastes (pi. erastai) The older, active "lover" who in a male homoerotic relationship pursues and educates his "beloved" (eromenos)
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Glossary
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eromenos (pi. eromenoi) The younger, passive "beloved" in a male homo-erotic relationship
ems (pi. erotes)   Sexual love, bodily passion hetaira (pi. hetairai) Courtesan
iunx (pi. iugges) A salacious bird and a type of agoge spell that involves a sympathetic or persuasive ritual in which this bird is tied to a wheel. It can also mean "erotic spell." In the Roman period it can designate spinning tops and rhomboi (see below),
katadesmos (pi. katadesmoi) A binding spell, usually inscribed on a lead tablet and buried underground or deposited in an underground body of water, such as a well
kestos himas The magical "perforated strap" that Aphrodite lends to Hera in Iliad 14; in later Greek it is designated simply as the kestos,
melon (pi. meld) Any fruit that grows on trees; can refer to apples and quinces, but can also designate tree-fruit with stones, such as peaches and apricots
niketikon (pi. niketika)   Victory spell oistros  Strong or mad passion orge  Disposition, anger, lust
ousia The "material" or "stuff" used in magical spells, e.g., bits of hair, fingernails, or garment threads used to target the victim
pallake (pi. pallakai) Mistress
"persuasive analogy" Stanley Tambiah's useful reformulation of Frazer's concept of sympathetic magic
pharmakon (pi. pharmaka)   Drug, poison, or incantation
philein  To love, esteem, be affectionate (generally in a nonerotic manner)
philia  Affection, love (generally of the nonerotic sort), friendship
philtron (pi. philtra) A magic spell that creates philia; later used generally to designate any kind of magic spell or potion
Glossary i——'
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philtrokatadesmos (pi. philtrokatadesmoi) Literally "a binding love spell," a handbook rubric used to designate a hybrid spell (popular in later antiquity) that combines a love spell (philtron) with a binding spell (katadesmos)
psuche Commonly designates the human "spirit" or "soul," but in slang and in erotic spells it can also mean "female genitals"
rhombos A device whirled at the end of a string, used in the worship of Rhea and Dionysus and in love spells; in later Greek equated or confused with the iunx wheel and the spinning top
saturion Derived from the word "satyr," denotes plants in the orchid family thought to produce erections and male lust
stergein To love, esteem, be affectionate, often of love within the family (never in an erotic manner)
"sympathetic magic" Frazer's term to explain the widespread belief that, e.g., by destroying an image of your enemy, you can destroy him
sumplegma (pi. sumplegmata) An effigy of a couple entwined in an erotic embrace, used in erotic spells
thumokatochon (pi. thumokatocha) A handbook rubric designating a spell that binds anger (thumos)
thumos  Spirit, will, anger
voces magicae Magical names like "abracadabra" which appear to the uninitiated as gibberish, but which seem to designate the names of powerful supernatural forces