Magical names, barbarian names, divine epithets in the hymn to Aphrodite in the PGM IV 2891-2941

Abstract

In the Papyri Graecae Magicae of Preisendanz-Henrich there are hymns whose main formal feature is the large number of traditional epithets but also of ‘magic names’ that bear on themselves the power of the deity, of ‘barbarian names’, is to say, the names that other people gave to that same deity, in this way the hymns include Egyptian, Mesopotamian and Hebrew elements. This proliferation of names refers to the reality of Hellenistic religious syncretism. However, it can also be seen that the magic hymns show continuities with the Greek hymn tradition. This work aims to establish relations of continuity and / or rupture between the magic hymn to Aphrodite (PGM IV 2902-2939) with the Greek hymnody. To do this, we analyze both the hymnic structure and the likely contexts of execution.