Immediately following the Hymn of the Hidden Stele in the Greek Magical Papyri, this prayer, taken from PGM IV.1167—1226, is untitled, but headed as a “stele that is useful for all things; it even delivers from death”, but with the warning “do not investigate what it in it” (“Στήλη πρὸς πάντα εὔχρηστος, ῥύεται καὶ ἐκ θανάτου.  Μὴ ἐξέταζε τὸ ἐν αὐτῇ”).  It is a prayer of adoration to God, specifically by the Hermetic name of Aiōn, with overtones of early Jewish and Christian elements, though also associating God with the primordial divinity of the Sun and, interestingly, Wisdom (Sophia) as Aiōn herself.

Although not explicitly prescribed in the text, Betz in his translation of the PGM says that a small gold lamella is to be used as a protective charm, containing the “hundred-lettered name” as indicated by the prayer.  Two such hundred-letter names are given in this text, the first starting “ΑΘΗΖΕ ΦΩΙ ΑΑΑ ΔΑΙΑΓΘΙ ΘΗΟΒΙΣ…” and the second starting “ΙΑΩ ΑΙΗ ΙΩΗ ΩΙΗ…”, both towards the end of the prayer.  Bear in mind that these only amount to one hundred letters in the original Greek script.  Besides these, however, many of the barbarous words in this text seem more of an Egyptian nature, and bear some similarity to those used in the Headless Rite.  Also of special note is the palindromic name “ΙΕΟ ΥΗΩΗ ΙΑΗΑΙ ΗΩΗΥ ΟΕΙ“, which is also used in the preceding Hymn of the Hidden Stele, and the emphasis of particular elements of Jewish myth.

In the original Greek, taken from Preisendanz’s transcription of the PGM:

Σέ, τὸν ἔνα καὶ μάκαρα τῶν Αἰώνων πατέρα τε κόσμου, κοσμικαῖς κλῄζω λιταῖς.
Δεῦρό μοι, ὁ ἐνφυσήσας τὸν σύμπαντα κόσμου, ὁ τὸ πῦρ κρεμάσας ἐκ τοῦ ὕδατος καὶ τὴν γῆν χωρίσας ἀπὸ τοῦ ὕδατος.

Πρόσεχε, μορφὴ καὶ πνεῦμα καὶ γῆ καὶ θάλασσα, ῥῆμα τοῦ σοφοῦ θείας Ἀνάγκης, καὶ πρόσδεξαί μου τοὺς λόγους ὡς βέλη πυρός, ὅτι ἐγώ εἰμι ἄνθρωπος, θεοῦ τοῦ ἐν οὐρανῷ πλάσμα κάλλιστον, γενόμενον ἐκ πνεύματος καὶ δρόσου καὶ γῆς.

Ἀνοίγηθι, οὐρανὲ, δέξαι μου τὰ φθέγματα
Ἄκουε, Ἥλιε, πάτερ κόσμου
Ἐπικαλοῦμαί σε τῷ ὀνόματί σου

ΑΩΕΥ ΗΟΙΑΙΟΗ ΥΕΩΑ
ΟΥΟΡΑΖΑΡΑ
ΛΑΜΑΝΘΑΘΡΕ
ΚΑΝΘΙΟΠΕΡ ΓΑΡΧΑΡΘΡΕ
ΜΕΝΛΑΡΔΑΠΑ ΚΕΝΘΗΡ ΔΡΥΟΜΕΝ ΘΡΑΝΔΡΕΘΡΕ
ΙΑΒΕ ΖΕΛΑΝΘΙ ΒΕΡ ΖΑΘΡΕ
ΖΑΚΕΝΤΙ ΒΙΟΛΛΙΘΡΕ
ΑΗΩ ΟΥΩ ΗΩ ΟΩ ΡΑΜΙΑΘΑ ΑΗΩ ΩΥΩ ΟΥΩ ΩΑΥΩ

Ὁ μόνος τὸ ῥίζωμα ἔχων, σὺ εἶ τὸ ὄνομα τὸ ἅγιον καὶ τὸ ἰσχυρόν, τὸ καθηγιασμένον ὑπὸ τῶν ἀγγέλων πάντων.
Διαφύλαξόν με τόνδε ἀπὸ πάσης ὑπεροχῆς ἐξου σίας καὶ πάσης ὕβρεως.
Ἧ, ποίησον τόδε, Κύριε, Θεὲ θεῶν,

ΙΑΛΔΑΖΑΩ ΒΛΑΘΑΜ ΜΑΧΩΡ ΦΡΙΞ ΑΗ ΚΕΩΦ
ΕΗΑ
ΔΥΜΕΩ
ΦΕΡΦΡΙΘΩ
ΙΑΧΘΩ
ΨΥΧΕΩ
ΦΙΡΙΘΜΕΩ
ΡΩΣΕΡΩΘ
ΘΑΜΑΣΤΡΑΦΑΤΙ ΡΙΜΨΑΩΧ ΙΑΛΘΕ
ΜΕΑΧΙ ΑΡΒΑΘΑΝΩΨ

Κόσμου κτίστα, τὰ πάντα κτίστα, Κύριε, Θεὲ θεῶν,

ΜΑΡΜΑΡΙΩ ΙΑΩ

Ἐφώνησά σου τὴν ἀνὑπέρβλητον δόξαν, ὁ κτίσας θεοὺς καὶ ἀρχαγγέλους καὶ δεκανούς.
Αἱ μυριά δες τῶν ἀγγέλων παρεστήκασί σοι καὶ ὕψωσαν τὸν οὐρανόν, καὶ ὁ κύριος ἐπεμαρτύρησέ σου τῇ σοφίᾳ, ὅ ἐστιν Αἰών
ΙΕΟ ΥΗΩΗ ΙΑΗΑΙ ΗΩΗΥ ΟΕΙ
καὶ εἶπέν σε σθένειν, ὅσον καὶ αὐτὸς σθένει.

Ἐπικαλοῦμαί σου τὸ ἑκατονταγράμματον ὄνομα τὸ διῆκον ἀπὸ τοῦ στερεώματος μέχρις τοῦ βάθους τῆς γῆς.
Σῶσόν με, αἰεὶ γὰρ πάντοτε χαίρεις τοὺς σοὺς σώζων
ΑΘΗΖΕ ΦΩΙ ΑΑΑ ΔΑΙΑΓΘΙ ΘΗΟΒΙΣ
ΦΙΑΘ
ΘΑΜΒΡΑΜΙ ΑΒΡΑΩΘ
ΧΘΟΛΧΙΛ ΘΟΕ
ΟΕΛΧΩΘ
ΘΙΟΩΗΜΧ
ΧΟΟΜΧ ΣΑΗΣΙ
ΙΣΑΧΧΟΗ
ΙΕΡΟΥΘΡΑ
ΟΟΟΟΟ ΑΙΩΑΙ

Ἐπικαλοῦμαί σε τὸν ἐν τῷ χρυσῷ πετάλῳ, ᾧ ὁ ἄσβεστος λύχνος διηνεκῶς παρακάεται, ὁ μέγας Θεός, ὁ φανεὶς ἐν ὅλῳ τῷ κόσμῳ, κατα Ἱερουσαλὴμ μαρμαίρων, Κύριε
ΙΑΩ ΑΙΗ ΙΩΗ ΩΙΗ ΩΙΗ ΙΗ ΑΙΩΑΙ ΑΙ ΟΥΩ ΑΩΗ ΗΕΙ ΙΕΩ ΕΥΩ ΑΗΙ ΑΩ ΑΩΑ ΑΕΗΙ ΥΩ ΕΙΗ ΑΗΩ ΙΕΥ ΑΕΗ ΙΑΙΑ ΙΑΩ ΕΥ ΑΕΥ ΙΑΗ ΕΙ ΑΑΑ ΙΙΙ ΗΗΗ ΙΩ ΙΩΗ ΙΑΩ

Ἐπ’ ἀγαθῷ, Κύριε

In a faithful Greek transliteration:

Sé, tòn éna kaì mákara tôn Aiṓnōn patéra te kósmou, kosmikaîs klḗyzō litaîs.
Deûró moi, ho enphusḗsas tòn súmpanta kósmou, ho tò pûr kremásas ek toû húdatos kaì tḕn gên khōrísas apò toû húdatos.

Prósekhe, morphḕ kaì pneûma kaì gê kaì thálassa, rhêma toû sophoû theías Anánkēs, kaì prósdeksaí mou toùs lógous hōs bélē purós, hóti egṓ eimi ánthrōpos, theoû toû en ouranôy plásma kálliston, genómenon ek pneúmatos kaì drósou kaì gês.

Anoígēthi, ouranè, déksai mou tà phthégmata
Ákoue, Hḗlie, páter kósmou
Epikaloûmaí se tôy onómatí sou

AŌEU ĒOIAIOĒ UEŌA
ŪORZARA
LAMANTHATHRĒ
KANTHIOPER GARŌHARTHRĒ
MENLARDAPA KENTHĒR DRUOMEN THRANDRĒTHRĒ
IABE ZELANTHI BER ZATHRĒ
ZAKENTI BIOLLITHRĒ
AĒŌ OUO ĒŌ OŌ RAMIATHA AĒŌ ŌĒŌ OŌO ŌAUŌ

Ho mónos tò rhízōma ékhōn, sù eî tò ónoma tò ágion kaì tò iskhurón, tò kathēgiasménon hupò tôn angélōn pántōn.
Diaphúlaksón me tónde apò pásēs huperokhês eksou sías kaì pásēs húbreōs.
Hê, poíēson tóde, Kúrie, Theè theôn,

IALDAZAŌ BLATHAM MAKHŌR PHRIKS AĒ KEŌPH
EĒA
DUMEŌ
PHERPHRITHŌ
IAKHTHŌ
PSUKHEŌ
HIRITHMEŌ
RŌSERŌTH
THAMASTRAPHATI RIMPSAŌKH IALTHE
MEAKHI ARBATHANŌPS

Kósmou ktísta, tà pánta ktísta, Kúrie, Theè theôn

MARMARIŌ IAŌ

Ephṓnēsá sou tḕn anupérblēton dóksan, ho ktísas theoùs kaì arkhangélous kaì dekanoús.
Hai muriá des tôn angélōn parestḗkasí soi kaì húpsōsan tòn ouranón, kaì ho kúrios epemartúrēsé sou têy sophíāy, hó estin Aiṓn
IEOU ĒŌĒ IAĒAI ĒŌĒ OUEI
kaì eîpén se sthénein, hóson kaì autòs sthénei.

Epikaloûmaí sou tò hekatontagrámmaton ónoma tò diêkon apò toû stereṓmatos mékhris toû báthous tês gês.
Sôsón me, aieì gàr pántote khaíreis toùs soùs sṓzōn
ATHĒZE PHŌI AHAHA DAIAGTHI THĒOBIS
PHIATH
THAMBRAMI ABRAŌTH
KHTHOLKHIL THOE
OELKHŌTH
HIOHŌĒMKH
KHOHOMKH SAĒSI
ISAKHKHOĒ
IERŪTHRA
OHOHOHOHO AIŌAI

Epikaloûmaí se tòn en tôy khrusôy petálōy, hôy ho ásbestos lúkhnos diēnekôs parakáetai, ho mégas Theós, ho phaneìs en hóloy tôy kósmoy, kata Hierousalḕm marmaírōn, Kúrie
IAŌ AIĒ IŌĒ ŌIĒ ŌIĒ IĒ AIŌAI AI OUŌ AŌĒ ĒEI IEŌ EUŌ AĒI AŌ AŌA AEĒI UŌ EIĒ AĒŌ IEU AEĒ IAIA IAŌ EU AEU IAĒ EI AAA III ĒĒĒ IĀ IŌĒ IAŌ

Ep’ agathôy, Kúrie

Translated into English, with the barbarous names preserved in Greek:

I praise you, the one and blessed of the eons and father of the world, with cosmic prayers.
Come to me, you who filled the whole cosmos with air, who hung up the fire from the heavenly water and separated the earth from the water.

Pay attention, Form, Spirit, Earth and Sea, to the words of the wise who know divine Necessity.  Accept my words as arrows of fire, because I am Man, the most beautiful creature of the God in Heaven, made out of spirit, dew, and earth.

Open, o Heaven; accept my words!
Listen, Helios, Father of the World!
I call upon you with your great name, you, the only one having the original element!

ΑΩΕΥ ΗΟΙΑΙΟΗ ΥΕΩΑ
ΟΥΟΡΑΖΑΡΑ
ΛΑΜΑΝΘΑΘΡΕ
ΚΑΝΘΙΟΠΕΡ ΓΑΡΧΑΡΘΡΕ
ΜΕΝΛΑΡΔΑΠΑ ΚΕΝΘΗΡ ΔΡΥΟΜΕΝ ΘΡΑΝΔΡΕΘΡΕ
ΙΑΒΕ ΖΕΛΑΝΘΙ ΒΕΡ ΖΑΘΡΕ
ΖΑΚΕΝΤΙ ΒΙΟΛΛΙΘΡΕ
ΑΗΩ ΟΥΩ ΗΩ ΟΩ ΡΑΜΙΑΘΑ ΑΗΩ ΩΥΩ ΟΥΩ ΩΑΥΩ

You are the holy and powerful name considered sacred by all the angels.
Protect me from every excess of power and from every violent act.
Yea, do this, Lord, God of gods!

ΙΑΛΔΑΖΑΩ ΒΛΑΘΑΜ ΜΑΧΩΡ ΦΡΙΞ ΑΗ ΚΕΩΦ
ΕΗΑ
ΔΥΜΕΩ
ΦΕΡΦΡΙΘΩ
ΙΑΧΘΩ
ΨΥΧΕΩ
ΦΙΡΙΘΜΕΩ
ΡΩΣΕΡΩΘ
ΘΑΜΑΣΤΡΑΦΑΤΙ ΡΙΜΨΑΩΧ ΙΑΛΘΕ
ΜΕΑΧΙ ΑΡΒΑΘΑΝΩΨ

O Creator of the world, Creator of the cosmos, Lord, God of Gods!

ΜΑΡΜΑΡΙΩ ΙΑΩ

I have spoken of your unsurpassable glory, you who created gods, archangels, and decans.  The ten thousands of angels stood by you and exalted the heaven, and the lord witnessed to your Wisdom which is Aiōn:
ΙΕΟ ΥΗΩΗ ΙΑΗΑΙ ΗΩΗΥ ΟΕΙ
and said that you are as strong as he is.

I invoke your hundred-lettered name, which extends from the sky to the depth of the earth!  Save me, for you are always ever rejoicing in saving those who are yours!
ΑΘΗΖΕ ΦΩΙ ΑΑΑ ΔΑΙΑΓΘΙ ΘΗΟΒΙΣ
ΦΙΑΘ
ΘΑΜΒΡΑΜΙ ΑΒΡΑΩΘ
ΧΘΟΛΧΙΛ ΘΟΕ
ΟΕΛΧΩΘ
ΘΙΟΩΗΜΧ
ΧΟΟΜΧ ΣΑΗΣΙ
ΙΣΑΧΧΟΗ
ΙΕΡΟΥΘΡΑ
ΟΟΟΟΟ ΑΙΩΑΙ

I call upon you, the one upon the gold leaf, before whom the unquenchable lamp continually burns, the great God, the one who shone on the whole world, who is radiant at Jerusalem, Lord!
ΙΑΩ ΑΙΗ ΙΩΗ ΩΙΗ ΩΙΗ ΙΗ ΑΙΩΑΙ ΑΙ ΟΥΩ ΑΩΗ ΗΕΙ ΙΕΩ ΕΥΩ ΑΗΙ ΑΩ ΑΩΑ ΑΕΗΙ ΥΩ ΕΙΗ ΑΗΩ ΙΕΥ ΑΕΗ ΙΑΙΑ ΙΑΩ ΕΥ ΑΕΥ ΙΑΗ ΕΙ ΑΑΑ ΙΙΙ ΗΗΗ ΙΩ ΙΩΗ ΙΑΩ

I call upon you for your blessing, o Lord!

Translated into English, with the barbarous names transliterated into Roman script:

I praise you, the one and blessed of the eons and father of the world, with cosmic prayers.
Come to me, you who filled the whole cosmos with air, who hung up the fire from the heavenly water and separated the earth from the water.

Pay attention, Form, Spirit, Earth and Sea, to the words of the wise who know divine Necessity.  Accept my words as arrows of fire, because I am Man, the most beautiful creature of the God in Heaven, made out of spirit, dew, and earth.

Open, o Heaven; accept my words!
Listen, Helios, Father of the World!
I call upon you with your great name, you, the only one having the original element!

AŌEU ĒOIAIOĒ UEŌA
ŪORZARA
LAMANTHATHRĒ
KANTHIOPER GARŌHARTHRĒ
MENLARDAPA KENTHĒR DRUOMEN THRANDRĒTHRĒ
IABE ZELANTHI BER ZATHRĒ
ZAKENTI BIOLLITHRĒ
AĒŌ OUO ĒŌ OŌ RAMIATHA AĒŌ ŌĒŌ OŌO ŌAUŌ

You are the holy and powerful name considered sacred by all the angels.
Protect me from every excess of power and from every violent act.
Yea, do this, Lord, God of gods!

IALDAZAŌ BLATHAM MAKHŌR PHRIKS AĒ KEŌPH
EĒA
DUMEŌ
PHERPHRITHŌ
IAKHTHŌ
PSUKHEŌ
HIRITHMEŌ
RŌSERŌTH
THAMASTRAPHATI RIMPSAŌKH IALTHE
MEAKHI ARBATHANŌPS

O Creator of the world, Creator of the cosmos, Lord, God of Gods!

MARMARIŌ IAŌ

I have spoken of your unsurpassable glory, you who created gods, archangels, and decans.  The ten thousands of angels stood by you and exalted the heaven, and the lord witnessed to your Wisdom which is Aiōn:
IEOU ĒŌĒ IAĒAI ĒŌĒ OUEI
and said that you are as strong as he is.

I invoke your hundred-lettered name, which extends from the sky to the depth of the earth!  Save me, for you are always ever rejoicing in saving those who are yours!
ATHĒZE PHŌI AHAHA DAIAGTHI THĒOBIS
PHIATH
THAMBRAMI ABRAŌTH
KHTHOLKHIL THOE
OELKHŌTH
HIOHŌĒMKH
KHOHOMKH SAĒSI
ISAKHKHOĒ
IERŪTHRA
OHOHOHOHO AIŌAI

I call upon you, the one upon the gold leaf, before whom the unquenchable lamp continually burns, the great God, the one who shone on the whole world, who is radiant at Jerusalem, Lord!
IAŌ AIĒ IŌĒ ŌIĒ ŌIĒ IĒ AIŌAI AI OUŌ AŌĒ ĒEI IEŌ EUŌ AĒI AŌ AŌA AEĒI UŌ EIĒ AĒŌ IEU AEĒ IAIA IAŌ EU AEU IAĒ EI AAA III ĒĒĒ IĀ IŌĒ IAŌ

I call upon you for your blessing, o Lord!

The transcription and transliteration of the Stele of Aiōn (PGM IV.1167—1226) has been graciously sponsored by Soror MNA.