E. S. Drower (1879–1972)

This little book presents a sampling of spells from an ancient book of magic used by Mandaean sorcerers for hire. It has a four-page introduction from the editor / translator. It was edited and translated from three manuscript copies, all of which were incomplete, physically damaged and corrupted from repeated copying. These manuscripts were more or less instances the same book. There are indications (such as long defunct place names) that this books of spells originated in the ancient world. The text in the original manuscripts was partly in the Mandaean language and partly in Arabic written phonetically using Mandaic characters. All of the writing in the original manuscripts used Mandaic characters.

The editor presents twenty-nine short selections which he groups under the following headings:
(a): Curative, and against the evil eye.
(b): To induce pregnancy or protect the embryo.
(c): Against enemies and demons.
(d): To stop children from weeping (also to heal their illnesses).
(e): To assist the fowler and fisherman.
(f): Love-charms.
(g): Jealousy-spells – as a rule associated with love-charms.

The example spells presented vary in length from a few of sentences to four pages. This is in the form of a short, staple-bound chapbook. Many angels are called upon by unfamiliar names and also the planets and signs of the zodiac (often simply called “the seven” and “the twelve”). The instructions frequently call for writing spells on various surfaces or reciting them in various locations. Sometimes there is a call to make figures from clay or dough. As with many European grimoires, there is usually a template format with places to insert the appropriate personal names of the client, the beloved, enemy, person to be influenced, etc. At the end there is a table showing how the Mandaic characters should be pronounced. That seems a little odd because only the English translations of the example spells are presented. There are many footnotes, often to indicate that something is doubtful or to show how a word may have inadvertently been replaced by a similar word with a radically different meaning during copying. A final note of interest: one of the love spells given is to induce love (characterized as “melting” and “burning”) in one man for another man.… (meer)