The Art and Science of Healing: From Antiquity to the Renaissance

The Art and Science of Healing: From Antiquity to the RenaissanceThe Art and Science of Healing: From Antiquity to the Renaissance

Fever Amulet

Papyrus

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Fever amulet Papyrus 4th c. AD Karanis, Egypt University of Michigan Excavations, 1928. P. Mich. inv. 5302a

The text includes invocations of biblical and magical formulas as protection against fever:

Iao, Sabaoth, Adonai! I beseech Anatiel, Raphael, Gabriel, Suriel, Azariel, Uriel, . . . aubrael, Ablanathanalba, Sesengembarpharanges. These are the Potentates of God and the Powers of the cure. Cure Sarapion, whom Allous bore, from every three-day fever-chill, every-other-day fever-chill, quotidian fever-chill, and from every sickness every day.

Listen to the translation: