05-08-2009, 00:27
Pour répondre à ta question, Silmo, je n'en sais rien.
Par contre, j'ai découvert qu'un numéro de Amon Hen (de 1980 ?) mentionne un charme (v.a. galdor) connue sous le titre « Against a dwarf » (Wið dweorh).
Cette formule de désenvoûtement se trouve en ligne (vieil anglais / anglais).
Elle fait appel à la protection des Sept Dormant qu'elle mentionne :
« Maximianus, Malchus, Iohannes, Martimianus, Dionisius, Constantinus, Serafion »
On retrouve cette même série (il en existe au moins deux différentes)dans un autre texte en viel anglais. Il s'agit d'une homélie d'Ælfric (c. 955 – c. 1010 ; abbé d'Eynsham, mentionné par Tolkien dans Monstres, p. 72) dont voici la traduction par Benjamin Thorpe :
WE will also shortly inform you, that now in two days is the memory of THE SEVEN SLEEPERS, whose names are thus said, Maximianus, Malchus, Martinianus, Dionysius, Johannes, Seraphion, Constantinus. These seven believing soldiers of God were, in the days of the emperor Decius, dwelling in the city of Ephesus. They were of noble birth before the world, and were accused to the heathen slayer for their christianity. He would not slay them immediately, but granted them time, on account of their noble birth, that they might bethink themselves, and bow to his idol, when he came again ; or their bodies should be tortured with divers torments. Decius then went to other cities, to torment the christians, and the seven servants of God sold their possessions for money, and secretly distributed it to the poor, and went from the city into a great cave under a mountain, and there continued in prayer day and night.
When Decius again came, he commanded them to be sent for. It was then said to him that they were hidden in the cave, and he then enraged commanded the mouth of the cave to be closed with immense hewn stones. But the merciful God had a little before put them to sleep within the cave, and they so lay sleeping three hundred and seventy-two years, until christianity spread over all the world. Subsequently, after this time, in the days of the emperor Theodosius, who fervently believed in Christ, it happened that some workmen found the stone at the cave's mouth, and rolled it away. Whereupon the Almighty Creator gave to the seven saints that lay in the cave life and resurrection, after so long a sleep; and they were then announced to the citizens. This miracle was then made known to the christian emperor Theo- dosius, and he with joyful mind journeyed thither with all the citizens, and bishops, and head men.
The holy martyrs then went out from the cave towards the emperor, and their countenances shone like the sun. Then the emperor Theodosius fell before them, and kissed each of them separately, greatly rejoicing, and said, “I so see you as if I saw Jesus Christ, when he raised Lazarus from his sepulchre.” Then said the eldest, Maximianus, to the emperor, “Believe us, for thee the Almighty God hath raised us from earth before the great day, that thou without doubt may believe that there will be a resurrection of dead men. We have now arisen from death, and we live. May thy kingdom stand in peace and in true belief, and may Christ shield it against the temptations of the devil.” After this they all again fell before the emperor, as God had commanded, and gave up their ghosts. Then would the emperor make for them all golden shrines, but they appeared to him on the same night, and said, “From earth we arose, let us rest in earth, until God again raise us.” Then the emperor and his bishops raised a great church over their bodies, to the praise of Almighty God, who liveth and reigneth ever to eternity. Amen.
When Decius again came, he commanded them to be sent for. It was then said to him that they were hidden in the cave, and he then enraged commanded the mouth of the cave to be closed with immense hewn stones. But the merciful God had a little before put them to sleep within the cave, and they so lay sleeping three hundred and seventy-two years, until christianity spread over all the world. Subsequently, after this time, in the days of the emperor Theodosius, who fervently believed in Christ, it happened that some workmen found the stone at the cave's mouth, and rolled it away. Whereupon the Almighty Creator gave to the seven saints that lay in the cave life and resurrection, after so long a sleep; and they were then announced to the citizens. This miracle was then made known to the christian emperor Theo- dosius, and he with joyful mind journeyed thither with all the citizens, and bishops, and head men.
The holy martyrs then went out from the cave towards the emperor, and their countenances shone like the sun. Then the emperor Theodosius fell before them, and kissed each of them separately, greatly rejoicing, and said, “I so see you as if I saw Jesus Christ, when he raised Lazarus from his sepulchre.” Then said the eldest, Maximianus, to the emperor, “Believe us, for thee the Almighty God hath raised us from earth before the great day, that thou without doubt may believe that there will be a resurrection of dead men. We have now arisen from death, and we live. May thy kingdom stand in peace and in true belief, and may Christ shield it against the temptations of the devil.” After this they all again fell before the emperor, as God had commanded, and gave up their ghosts. Then would the emperor make for them all golden shrines, but they appeared to him on the same night, and said, “From earth we arose, let us rest in earth, until God again raise us.” Then the emperor and his bishops raised a great church over their bodies, to the praise of Almighty God, who liveth and reigneth ever to eternity. Amen.
Ælfric, “Sanctorum Septem Dormientum”, dans The homilies of the Anglo-Saxon church, vol. 2, Benjamin Thorpe, Londres, 1856