The ghost Gello (3)

Text
The Mesopotamian Gallû demon was borrowed into Greek as Gello/Gillo.

Psellus:
But Gillo, this ancient and much-famed name, is neither a certain demon, nor a man transformed into an altogether most savage beast. For all philosophers have denied the change of nature, and neither could a beast ever be turned into a man, nor indeed a man transformed into a beast, nor too into a demon, nor into an angel. Although I know the names of demons and their powers … neither among the chronicles nor among the fraudulent books of Porphyry have I encountered Gillo. But for me a secret Hebrew book originated this name. And the author of the book Song of Solomon makes a hypothesis … therefore, according to him Gillo is a certain power opposed to creation and being. Anyway, it is said that she (= Gillo) both carries away/destroys (anairei) those pregnant with young, and slips away as many as are in the womb. And I define that the time for her in carrying off is one year of age, then Adrasteia binds her. But today it is the opinion that this power is granted to old hags. Anyway she provides those who have grown old (= the hags?) with wings, and invisibly makes herself at home with the babies. Then she makes these give suck and all the swallowing into the babies is just like wetness. Anyway, the women around the women in childbed name those of the new-born babies wasting away “Eaten by Gillo” (Gillóbrōta).

Source (list of abbreviations)
Psellus

Bibliography

Amar Annus

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