Identify the terms used within one Indo-European language to identify ‘magic’ and ‘magician’ examining what these terms indicate about the position of the magician in that society and the practice of his or her art. (minimum 100 words)
Magic is the art of the “Magus”, which is a Persian term that means a specialist in religion (Graf, 20). These divine people were responsible for rites such as royal sacrifices, rites of funeral, divination and interpretations. They were essentially experts in anything associated with the divine or religious function, which is considered a very influential position.
Plato talks of two types of “Magus” in a passage of Republic, diviners and beggar priests. Sophocles mentions similar “mages” in Odeipus Rex where he describes beggar priests as those who have sight only for profit, but in his art is blind. Beggar priests are essentially those fortune tellers who work on the streets for money, attend games and festivals, and manipulated rich people by convincing them they have their powers from the Gods (Graf, 22). These are inherently different than the respected priests or “magus” known from Persia.(Word Count: 146)
