Chapter XXXVII.—Illusive Appearance of the Moon.
And they make moon and stars appear on the ceiling after this manner. In the central part of the ceiling, having fastened a mirror, placing a dish full of water equally (with the mirror) in the central portion of the floor, and setting in a central place likewise a candle, emitting a faint light from a higher position than the dish,—in this way, by reflection, (the magician) causes the moon to appear by the mirror. But frequently, also, they suspend on high from the ceiling, at a distance, a drum,247 Or, “suspending a drum, etc., covered with,” etc.; or “frequently placing on an elevated position a drum.” For πόῤῥωθεν, which is not here easy of explanation, some read τορνωθὲν, others πορπωθὲν, i.e., fastened with buckles; others, πόῤῥω τεθὲν. but which, being covered with some garment, is concealed by the accomplice, in order that (the heavenly body) may not appear before the (proper) time. And afterwards placing a candle (within the drum), when the magician gives the signal to the accomplice, he removes so much of the covering as may be sufficient for effecting an imitation representing the figure of the moon as it is at that particular time. He smears, however, the luminous parts of the drum with cinnabar and gum;248 Schneidewin, but not the Abbe Cruice, thinks there is a hiatus here. and having pared around the neck and bottom of a flagon249 There are different readings: (1) ἐτυμολογικῆς; (2) ἔτι ὁλοκλήρου; (3) ὑαλουργικῆς, i.e., composed of glass. (See next note.) of glass ready behind, he puts a candle in it, and places around it some of the requisite contrivances for making the figures shine, which some one of the accomplices has concealed on high; and on receiving the signal, he throws down from above the contrivances, so to make the moon appear descending from the sky.
And the same result is achieved by means of a jar in sylvan localities.250 The Abbe Cruice properly remarks that this has no meaning here. He would read ὑαλώδεσι τόποις, or by means of glass images. For it is by means of a jar that the tricks in a house are performed. For having set up an altar, subsequently is (placed upon it) the jar, having a lighted lamp; when, however, there are a greater number of lamps, no such sight is displayed. After then the enchanter invokes the moon, he orders all the lights to be extinguished, yet that one be left faintly burning; and then the light, that which streams from the jar, is reflected on the ceiling, and furnishes to those present a representation of the moon; the mouth of the jar being kept covered for the time which it would seem to require, in order that the representation of full moon should be exhibited on the ceiling.
[37] Σελήνην δὲ ἐν ὀρόφῳ φαίνεσθαι δεικνύουσι καὶ ἀστέρας τοῦτον τὸν τρόπον: ἐν μέσῳ τῆς ὀροφῆς μέρει προσαρμόσας κάτοπτρον, τιθεὶς λεκάνην ὕδατος μεστὴν ἐν τῷ μέσῳ [κατὰ] τῆς γῆς κατ' ἴσον, λύχνον δὲ μέσον φαίνον[τα] ἀμαυρὸν μετεωρότερον τῆς λεκάνης θείς, οὕτως ἐκ τῆς ἀντανακλάσεως ἀποτελεῖ σελήνην φαίνεσθαι διὰ τοῦ κατόπτρου. ἀλλὰ καὶ τύμπανον πολλάκις ἀφ' ὑψηλοῦ αἰωρηθὲν ὄρθιον περιβαλὼν ἐσθῆτί τινι, σκεπόμενον ὑπὸ τοῦ συμπαίκτου, ἵνα μὴ πρὸ καιροῦ φανῇ, [καὶ] κατόπιν θεὶς λύχνον, ἐπὰν τὸ σύνθημα παράσχῃ τῷ συμπαίκτῃ, [οὗτος] τοσοῦτον ἀφαιρεῖ τοῦ σκεπάσματος, ὅσον ἂν συνεργήσαι πρὸς τὸ μιμήσα[σθαι] κατὰ τὸν καιρὸν τῆς σελήνης τὸ σχῆμα. χρίει δὲ τὰ διαφαίνοντα τοῦ τυμπάνου μέρη κινναβάρ[ει] καὶ κόμμι. καί τις ἑτοιμό[τερος] δὲ ὀλίγης λαγήνου περικόψας τὸν τράχηλον καὶ τὸν πυθμένα, ἐνθεὶς λύχνον καὶ περιθείς τι τῶν ἐπιτηδείων πρὸς τὸ διαυγεῖν [τὸ] σχῆμα στὰς [δὲ] ἐφ' ὑψηλοῦ κρύβδην ὑπό τινα σκέπην τις τῶν συμπαικτῶν, μετὰ τὸ λαβεῖν τὸ σύνθημα ἐκ μετεώρου κατάγει τὰ μηχανήματα, ὥ[στ]ε δοκεῖν ἐξ οὐρανοῦ κατιέν(αι) τὴν σελήνην. τὸ δὲ ὅμοιον καὶ διὰ χύτρας γίνεται ἐν ὑλώδεσι τόποις: διὰ δὲ τῆς χύτρας καὶ τὰ κατ' οἶκον παίζεται. βωμοῦ γὰρ κειμένου κατόπιν κεῖται ἡ χύτρα ἔχουσα λύχνον φαίνοντα [ἀμαυρόν]: ὄντων δὲ πλειόνων λύχνων οὐδὲν τοιοῦτον δείκνυται. ἐπὰν οὖν ἐπικαλέσηται ὁ ἐπαοιδὸς τὴν σελήνην, πάντας κελεύει τοὺς λύχνους σβέννυσθαι, ἕνα δὲ ἀμαυρὸν καταλιπεῖν. καὶ τότε ἀντανακλᾷ τὸ φῶς τὸ ἐκ τῆς χύτρας εἰς τὸν ὄροφον καὶ παρέχει φαντασίαν σελήνης [καὶ] τοῖς παροῦσιν, ἐπισκεπασθέντος τοῦ στόματος τῆς χύτρας πρὸς ὃ ἀπαιτεῖν ὁ καιρὸς δοκεῖ, ὡς μηνοειδῆ δείκνυσθαι ἐν τῷ ὀρόφῳ τὴν φαντασίαν.