Whatever Byzantine intellectuals made of popular belief in demons, and although orthodox theology firmly asserted that the demons could do nothing without God’s permission, it is clear that the activity of these malevolent beings was widely feared. The most tangible evidence of this comes from numerous surviving exemplars of amulets designed to protect their wearers from demonic assault, whether this was thought to be the direct result of the inherent malice of the demons themselves or to stem from the rituals of sorcerers who had sent them to do their evil will. Although some of these amulets are distinctly non-Christian and come from a line of activity that has roots directly in the ancient world, the great majority contain at least some elements drawn from the symbols and rituals of the faith. Particularly interesting, in that they provide an explanation and justification for why the amulet might be thought to work, are a considerable number of written charms from the later medieval and early modern periods designed to counter the nefarious and harmful activities of Gellou through the power of either the legendary saints Sisinnios and Sisinnodoros or the archangel Michael.
During the consulate of King Laurentios, there was a woman in the land of the Ausitai, that is, Arabia, called Meletene.[2] She had given birth to seven children and the abominable female demon who is called Gellou had taken each of them. Meletene had again become pregnant and was about to give birth, so she built a tower and secured it with nails and sealed it with lead, inside and outside, and laid up provisions in the tower to last twenty-five years. Meletene took two servant girls with her and went into the tower. The saints of God Sysinnios and Sysinnodoros were brothers of Meletene; they were serving in the military unit of Arabia. One day after they had set up camp, they went off to the tower to see their sister. When they reached the door, they called out to her to open it for them. But Meletene was determined not to open it for them and said to them, “I cannot open it for you because I have given birth to a child and I am afraid to open it.” But they were equally determined and said, “Open it for us because we are messengers from God, and we come bearing God’s mysteries!” So, she opened it for them and the saints of God went in. But that unclean Gellou turned herself into dirt, laughing as she did so, and went inside on the throat of one of the saints’ horses. And so, around midnight, she killed the child. Meletene lamented bitterly and said, “Sysinnios and Sysinnodoros, why did you do this? This is why I did not want to open the door for you.” Then the saints of God raised their hands towards heaven and asked to receive authority against the abominable Gellou. After they had prayed for a long time, an angel of God was sent to them, and he said to them, “The Lord God has heard your prayer and has sent me to strengthen you and give you power wherever you may go.”
When the brothers left the tower, they mounted on horses with winged bridles and went off in pursuit through the nooks and crannies of the mountains of Lebanon. And when they encountered a pine tree, the saints asked it, “Pine tree, did you see the abominable Gellou pass by?” And the pine tree said to them, “No, I did not see her.” Then the saints said to it, “Because you have hidden the abominable one from us, may your shoots be rootless and your seeds withered.” Then they encountered an olive tree and said to it, “Olive tree, did you see the abominable Gellou pass by?” And she said to them, “Yes, my lords, here and there towards the sea. Yes, for twenty plants, for eating heads, for children’s brains, she’s staying there.”[3] And the saints said to the olive tree, “Your fruit will be blessed and it will be used in the Lord’s church.”
Then the saints caught up with the abominable Gellou on the seashore and said to her, “Through us, his unworthy servants, God commands you to be subdued.” But the abominable Gellou, when she saw the saints, rushed away towards the sea. The saints held to their course and caught up with her again. Then the abominable Gellou said, “Why are you tormenting me so, Sysinnios and Sysinnodoros?” And Saint Sysinnios answered her and said, “Bring Meletene’s seven children back to me and I will not torment you.” The abominable one said to him, “If you can bring back the mother’s milk you sucked, then I will give you Meletene’s seven children!” Then God’s saint Sysinnios implored God, and said, “Lord, you said that ‘With God nothing will be impossible.’ [4] Show your goodness in me and let everyone know your name, because you alone are God.” And immediately God’s saint Sysinnios brought back his mother’s milk out of his mouth. And he said to the abominable Gellou, “Look, here’s my mother’s milk! Now you bring back Meletene’s seven children.” And immediately she too brought back Meletene’s seven children.
Then the abominable Gellou said to the saints, “Saints of God, I beg you not to torment me so. Wherever this phylactery is placed, there I may not enter, and wherever it is read, I may not go into that place.[5] If I see it, I will run a mile. And if someone writes out my twelve names, I will not harm their house nor will I have any power over their home; I will not destroy their animals, nor will I have control over their limbs or brains.” Then Saint Sysinnios conjured her, and said, “I conjure you in the name of God, which the rock heard and broke open, that you tell me your twelve names.” Then, she said to him in reply, “I am unable to endure this conjuration, so let me tell you: my first name is Gellou; the second, Mothrous; the third, Abizous; the fourth, Maramatotous; the fifth, Marmanilla; the sixth, Seleninous; the seventh, Ariane; the eighth, Salasaleutou; the ninth, Egyptiane; the tenth, Asbletous; the eleventh, Himabibon; and the twelfth Ktarkarischou.”
We solemnly swear to you by the cherubim and seraphim who say “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Sabaoth.” May the home of so-and-so, the servant of God, be safe from envy and magical medicine, jealousy, magic, enchantment, malicious talk, hinderance, and retribution, and may this house be preserved from every diabolical wickedness and plot, wherever this phylactery is placed. God of Saint Mamas, Saint Polykarpos, Saint Tarasios, Saint Dometios, the holy martyrs Panteleimon and Ermolaos, the holy martyr Niketas, Saint Babyla, Saint Porphyrios, Saint Blasios, Saint Eulogios, Saint Nicholas, Saint Basil, Saint John Chrysostomos, Saint Leon, Saint Eleutherios, Saint Demetrios, Saint George, Saint Theodoros, Saint Jacob of Persia, Saint John the Baptist, Saint John the Theologian, Saint Eustathios, Saint Orestes, Saint Andrew, the three hundred and eighteen holy fathers, Saints Kosmas and Damianos, Saint Epiphanios, Saint Herinarchos, the holy martyrs Auxentios, Eugenios, and Orestes, Mardarios and Loukas the virgin, and the holy martyrs Pegasios, Aphtonios, Elpidiphoros and Anempodistos, and our most praiseworthy Lady, Theotokos and ever virgin Mary, and all your saints. Amen.
As the arch-general Michael was coming down from Mount Sinai, Abyzou met with him, she who has control over human passions and sufferings, and the demons who were thrown out of heaven. When he saw her, the arch-general Michael said to her, “Who are you, and where are you going?” The spirit replied, “I am the one who controls human passions and sufferings, spiritual and physical; I induce impulsive desires and troubles; I enter people’s houses by changing my shape to be like a snake, a dragon, a reptile, or a four-footed animal; I make women’s milk dry up; I make the babies wake up and cry and be smothered; I make them get out of their beds; I make priests hate each other; I make men and women talk to each other in church; I rouse a pair of bulls to kill each other; I make a river deep enough to destroy sheep and cattle; I send strife at sea to sink ships.”
When he heard this, the arch-general Michael said to her, “Tell me your name.” The spirit said, “I am called Pataxaro, and by some, Artemis.” But the archangel Michael said, “Tell me about yourself before I hand you over to the fire!” Then the spirit said this: “By the throne of God and his renowned eyes and uplifted arm, I am telling you the truth and I am not lying; whoever can write my forty names, I may not harm him nor his house nor will I have power to lead him astray.
“My names are: Gilou, Morphou, Morpheilatou, Rinou, Solomonen the Egyptian woman, Anamardalea, Lydrisei, Pekelazou, Adelarchou, Pastere, Melchesedek, Nebik, Nemetrikes, Phlegymon, Heleso, Amele, Ermokonea, Zerderodios, Endikaios, Pekoureos, Gobphokter, Dadoukime, the twenty-fifth Phyganyn, Phygodotheos, Anophes, Anopheos, Ebdolbaleosi, Sophotate, Remeris, Didiaktikos, Domesak, Tarachou, Tarich, Philarchos, Kaukalas, and Anas. When you lie down say, ‘Holy Joel, help me,’ and put his name near your head.”