Budge_Ethiopic_Alexander

ORIGIN OF THE ALEXANDER STORY. XV
The two following examples of the use of waxen waxen n-
figures will shew what means were provided byoraeco-Ro-
'"^" ^^"°'^'
the magician to secure for a lover the favours of
the beloved one. In the one case he is directed
to make a fisfure of a dogf in wax mixed with
pitch, gum, &c., and the model is to be eight
fingers long; certain magical words are to be
written on the dog-'s ribs. Next a tablet is taken,
and on it certain magical words or names also
are to be written; the dog is then to be placed
on the tablet, and the tablet on a tripod. The
lover must recite the words written on the dog waxen dog.
and on the tablet, and the creature will either
snarl and shew his teeth or bark; if he snarls the
beloved one will not come to him that loves her,
and if he barks she will. In the other case the
lover is told to make two waxen figures: the one
is to be in the form of Ares, and the other in
the form of a woman. The female figfure is to be
in the posture of kneeling on her knees with her
hands tied behind her, and the male figure is to
stand over her with his sword at her throat. On
the limbs of the female figure a large number of
names of fiends are to be written, and when this
has been done the lover must take thirteen bronze
needles and stick them in her limbs, saying as he does
so, "I pierce [here he mentions the name of the limb] waxen man
"that she may think of me."
and woman.
The lover must then'
write certain words of power on a leaden plate,
which must be tied to the waxen figures with a
string containing three hundred and sixty-five knots,