The Delphic Maxim ‘Know Thyself’ in the Greek Magical Papryi
amvion: There’s a Butterfly in Us (2023); digital mixed-media, utilizing graphics and art found on the streets of San Francisco.
It was once said that the quickest way to know thyself was to spend a weekend with family. If that’s true, perhaps it explains why most prefer the wisdom of ancient philosophers or the mysticism of old magic rather than facing Aunt Mildred’s relentless critiques. In The Delphic Maxim ‘Know Yourself’ in the Greek Magical Papyri, Hans Dieter Betz discusses two distinct interpretations of the Delphic maxim — one rooted in Platonic philosophy and the other in the magical traditions of antiquity as explored in the Greek Magical Papyri.
Plato’s interpretation of “know thyself,” primarily expounded through Socratic dialogues, emphasizes self-knowledge as a form of moral and intellectual development. In the Alcibiades Major, Socrates explores the nature of the self and concludes that true self-knowledge involves understanding the soul. According to Plato, the human being is essentially the soul, which is distinct from the body. The soul is considered the seat of reason and moral judgment, and knowing oneself means knowing one’s soul and its divine aspects. This self-knowledge leads to self-control and moral responsibility, as one prioritizes the care of the soul over bodily or external pursuits.
In Betz’s paper, he elaborates on how Plato uses the analogy of an eye seeing itself by looking into another eye, where the reflection in the pupil serves as a mirror. Similarly, a soul must look into another soul, particularly into the part where virtue and wisdom resides, to truly understand itself. This part, housing “insight and thought,” is considered divine and reflects the nature of the deity. Thus, self-knowledge, in the Platonic sense, equates to knowledge of the divine within oneself.
In Symposium, Plato (through Socrates), recounting Diotima’s teachings, explains that those who are pregnant in body or soul will give birth in beauty rather than in ugliness. This process starts with the love of a single beautiful body and progresses to the love of all beautiful bodies, then to the beauty of souls, laws, and knowledge, and finally to the love of the Form of Beauty itself. Thus, as one ascends this ladder of love, their creations become more refined and closer to the divine, culminating in the birth of true virtue—and ascendency out of the cave towards divine immortal light.
A practical application of this Platonic approach can be seen in the case of a young professional feeling unfulfilled in their career. Inspired by Plato’s teachings, they might dedicate time to self-reflection, meditation, and journaling, evaluating actions and motivations. This introspection could reveal a passion for creative expression rather than corporate success, leading to a career shift that aligns with their true self, thus prioritizing the care of the soul as Plato advocates.
This philosophical approach also resonates during the formative years of university students, who might struggle with peer pressure. Engaging in philosophical discussions and joining clubs dedicated to such dialogues can cultivate wisdom and moral integrity. By studying Socratic dialogues, students learn to recognize the soul’s divine aspects, helping them make better choices and focus on long-term goals, leading to a more disciplined — and ultimately, happy — life.
In contrast, the magical interpretations of “know yourself” offers a mystical and ritualistic path to self-knowledge. The Greek Magical Papyri (PGM) reflect an approach where self-knowledge is achieved through conjuring and controlling one’s personal daemon or divine counterpart. Magicians sought to establish a direct, controlling relationship with their personal daemon through elaborate rituals, invocations, and the use of secret names believed to hold divine power.
Betz describes spells such as “Meeting with your personal daemon” in the PGM, where the magician aims to summon and control the daemon. The process involves elaborate rituals, invocations, and the use of secret names believed to hold divine power. By knowing and using these secret names, the magician claims a mystical union with the deity, asserting that the divine powers are shared between the god and the magician.
While this mystical approach might seem compelling when facing creative blocks, as seen in the case of an artist setting up a dedicated space for inspiration, it tends to lack the rational and ethical grounding found in Platonic philosophy. The magical tradition’s emphasis on conjuring and controlling one’s personal daemon can also be useful in overcoming anxiety (unless it gets loose and starts haunting you, of course), but it leans heavily on ritual rather than introspection and moral judgment that leads to true happiness.
In the PGM, spells such as “Meeting with your personal daemon” involve summoning the daemon, invoking its presence, and commanding it to act as an assistant and protector. The magician identifies themselves with the deity, proclaiming statements like “I am you, and you are I,” signifying a complete merging of identities. This union is believed to grant the magician the ability to influence fate and achieve desired outcomes through the divine agency of the daemon.
Plato’s rational and ethical framework for self-examination and moral development offers a clear path to understanding thyself—and, as Socrates would claim, happiness. However, while Plato’s philosophy views self-knowledge as an introspective and moral pursuit leading to a deeper understanding of the soul and its divine union with God, the magical tradition treats it as a practical and mystical endeavor aimed at harnessing divine power for personal benefit. Both approaches reflect the nature of the Delphic maxim, demonstrating its profound influence on different aspects of ancient thought and practice.
Reflecting on these interpretations reveals their enduring relevance. Plato’s philosophy fosters profound personal growth and fulfillment in modern lives, offering a richer, more comprehensive understanding of oneself. But if Plato’s introspective journey seems daunting, especially when avoiding family critiques like Aunt Mildred’s, perhaps a little practical magic isn’t so bad after all. After a weekend of dodging her well-meaning but relentless advice, conjuring a daemon for some mystical assistance might just be the ticket to inner peace.
Footnotes
Plato’s emphasis on the soul as the essence of self-knowledge can be explored in greater detail in his dialogue Phaedrus, where he elaborates on the immortality and nature of the soul.
For an in-depth analysis of the ascent from physical to spiritual beauty, refer to Gabriel Richardson Lear’s work, which discusses how this process leads to true happiness. Richardson Lear, Gabriel. Permanent Beauty and Becoming Happy in Plato’s Symposium. The Center for Hellenic Studies.
“As Courcelle has so clearly demonstrated, the history of the interpretation of the Delphic precept can be traced back primarily to Socrates and Plato. Most influential was Socrates’ discussion of the meaning of the maxim in Plato’s Alcibiades Major.” Betz, Hans Dieter. The Delphic Maxim ‘Know Yourself’ in the Greek Magical Papyri. History of Religions, vol. 21, no. 2, Nov. 1981, pp. 156-171. The University of Chicago Press.
“Plato has Socrates give his interpretation of the precept (128E-135E), he raises the question of what the self is that we are advised to know. Since that self must be what the human person as a whole is in essence, it must be different from the body: ‘So the human being is an entity different from his own body.’ The question is, of course, ‘Then what is the human being?’ Socrates answers: ‘The soul is the human being.’ Consequently, knowledge of the self is knowledge of the soul: ‘Then the god who instructs us to know ourselves orders us to know the soul.’ This definition will furthermore affect the concept of self-control: self-control that comes from knowledge of the soul will cause a person to devote his attention to the ‘care of the soul’ instead of to external matters.” Betz, Hans Dieter. The Delphic Maxim ‘Know Yourself’ in the Greek Magical Papyri. History of Religions, vol. 21, no. 2, Nov. 1981, pp. 156-171. The University of Chicago Press.
“In the myth of Er we are told that in its preexistent state every soul elects its own daemon guide through this life and the hereafter.” Betz, Hans Dieter. The Delphic Maxim ‘Know Yourself’ in the Greek Magical Papyri. History of Religions, vol. 21, no. 2, Nov. 1981, pp. 156-171. The University of Chicago Press.
“As Courcelle has shown, it is in Cicero’s sources in his De legibus, especially in the Somnium Scipionis, and in the Tusculanae Disputationes that we find the equation of the divine part of the soul with the ‘personal daemon.’” Betz, Hans Dieter. The Delphic Maxim ‘Know Yourself’ in the Greek Magical Papyri. History of Religions, vol. 21, no. 2, Nov. 1981, pp. 156-171. The University of Chicago Press.
“Magicians will interpret mantic language on their own terms. For them, therefore, ‘consult your personal daemon’ implies that the Delphic maxim orders them to conjure up their personal daemon and get control of it by magical procedures; when that daemon appears, the magician can then submit questions and receive answers.” Betz, Hans Dieter. The Delphic Maxim ‘Know Yourself’ in the Greek Magical Papyri. History of Religions, vol. 21, no. 2, Nov. 1981, pp. 156-171. The University of Chicago Press.
Plato’s myth of Er that the “personal daemon” had from the beginning a close relationship to “the spindle of Necessity” and to the Moirai, Necessity’s three daughters Lachesis, Clotho, and Atropos: ‘But when, to conclude, all the souls had chosen their lives in the order of their lots, they were marshalled and went before Lachesis. And she sent with each, as the guardian of his life and the fulfiller of his choice, the genius that he had chosen, and this divinity led the soul first to Clotho, under her hand and her turning of the spindle to ratify the destiny of his lot and choice; and after contact with her the genius led the soul to the spinning of Atropos to make the web of its destiny irreversible, and then without a backward look it passed beneath the throne of Necessity.”
“In addition to accepting Hermetic and Neoplatonic language, however, the magician also provides his own interpretation. While the first formula (“you are I and I am you”) comes from a mystical and even erotic background, and the last (“I am your image”) from Hellenistic philosophical thought, the middle one gives the magical rationale: ‘your name is mine and mine is yours.’ Characteristic for the magical literature, it is the knowledge of the secret name that establishes the ground for the mystical union.” Betz, Hans Dieter. The Delphic Maxim ‘Know Yourself’ in the Greek Magical Papyri. History of Religions, vol. 21, no. 2, Nov. 1981, pp. 156-171. The University of Chicago Press.
