Semitic magic : its origins and development

WIZARDS AND WITCHES. XXV
the more legitimate priest-magician combated.^ The second
law of the Hammurabi code is framed against this pro-
miscuous tampering with dangerous arts
— —
"If a man has charged a man with sorcery and has not justified
himself, he who is charged with sorcery shall go to the river, he
shall plunge into the river, and if the river overcome him, he who
accused him shall take to himself his house. If the river makes
that man to be innocent, and he be saved, he who accused him shall
be put to death. He who plunged into the river shall take to
himself the house of him who accused him. " ^
The Maklu series is devoted to charms and spells recited
against hostile magicians who have practised their arts
against the suppliant, who appeals for divine aid in the
following terms :
" Incantation :
—
The witch that roameth the streets,
Entering houses, prowling through towns.
Going through the broad places, walking wp and down,
She standeth in the street and turneth her feet,
Through the broad place she hindereth passage.
Of the well-favoured man she snatcheth away the love,
Of the well-favoured maid she stealeth away the fruit,
By her glance she taketh away her desire.
She looketh on a man, and snatcheth away his love,
She looketh on a maid, and snatcheth away her fruit.
A witch hath looked on me and pursued me,
With her venom she hath hindered my passage.
With her sorcery she hath stopped my way.
My god and my goddess cry over my body." ^
He goes on to say that he has made an image of the
witch, and calls on the Fire-god to burn it
^ For a discussion on the meanings of the various words for magicians
in Hebrew, see jEVicyc?. Bibl., 1116 ; Baudissin, Studien, 141. On the
ideas in earlier times about Biblical sorcerers, see Martin Del Rio,
Disquisitiones, bk. i, 14.
2 Cf. Num. xxii, 5, where Balak, the king of Moab, sends to Balaam
asking him to curse Israel.
3 Maklu, Tablet III, 1 ff.