Section outline

  • Week II (September 8)  Defining Magic in the Ancient World

    Topics:

    ·      course introduction

    ·      definition of magic

    ·      magic vs. religion, magic vs. science

    ·      instrumental and symbolic action

    ·      societies of the ancient Mediterranean world

    ·      magic and mystery – the lure of magic

     

    Greek Readings:  Plato, Republic 364b-365b

     

    Readings:

    ·      Gager, Introduction, ch. 8

    ·      Apuleius, Metamorphoses (esp. ch. 1-3, 9-10)

     

    ·      Edmonds, Drawing Down the Moon, ch. 1-2

    ·      Frankfurter, Ancient Magic in a New Key

    ·      Smith, Here, There, and Anywhere

    ·      Sanzo, Deconstructing the Deconstructionists

    ·      Versnel, Some Reflections on the Relationship

     

    Supplementary Readings

    ·      Bremmer, Birth of the Term 'Magic'

    ·      Dieleman, The Greco-Egyptian Magical Papyri

    ·      Dosoo & Torallas Tovar, Anatomy of the Magical Archive & Roll vs. Codex

    ·      Frazer, Sympathetic Magic

    ·      Gordon, Imagining Greek and Roman Magic

    ·      Mauss, General Theory of Magic, pp. 44-90

    ·      Phillips, In Search of the Occult

    ·      Smith, Trading Places

    ·      Tambiah, Form and Meaning of Magical Acts