Although modern users of the word “charm” typically refer to talismans, amulets, fetishes, or other small enchanted objects used for protection or luck, the classical use of the word “charm” was much broader and referred to magical spells and incantations used generally; indeed, the word shares the same origin with the words “cant”, “chant”, “enchantment”, and “canticle”.  A good number of entries in the Greek Magical Papyri are such charms, quick prayers or orisons to be said to obtain some blessing or benefit, and are as easily remembered and recalled as it is to remember to bring a lucky charm with you on the road.  Two of my favorite such charms are directed to the celestial objects of the nighttime sky, specifically that of the Full Moon and that of the constellation of Ursa Major, also known as Arktos, the Great Bear of the Northern Skies.  The former was first mentioned in this 2012 post, and the latter in this 2014 post.

The first charm comes from PGM VII.317—318, a short entry titled “Another phylactery to be said to the moon”.  The entry is short and includes next to nothing besides a six-word incantation to be said followed up by “add the usual, whatever you wish”.  As such, I keep the use of this charm simple: on a night when the full Moon is visible, go outside, gaze upon the Moon, and intone the following at least once but no more than nine times:

ΑΧΘΙΩΦΙΦ ΕΡΕΣΧΙΓΑΛ ΝΕΒΟΥΤΟΣΟΥΑΛΗΘ
ΣΑΘΩΘ ΣΑΒΑΩΘ ΣΑΒΡΩΘ

Transcribed into the Roman script:

AKHTHIŌPHIPH ERESKHIGAL NEBŪTOSŪALĒTH
SATHŌTH SABAŌTH SABRŌTH

State your request and intent aloud to the full-lit Lady of the Night, especially for protection.  Make a simple offering of wine, clean water, or appropriate incense.  If desired, recite other prayers or meditate in the moonlight.  Once done, return indoors and do not leave until sunrise the next morning.

The latter three names in the Charm of the Full Moon are simple variations on the divine name Sabaōth, a Hellenic rendition of the Hebrew Tzabaoth (צבאות), meaning “hosts”, as in “Lord of Hosts”, a common way to refer to God both in Jewish and in Hermetic texts.  The first three, however, are much more distinctly lunar; the first, Akhthiōphiph, is a variation on Aktiophis that is seen elsewhere in the PGM, and may well be an epithet for Selēnē, the Hellenic goddess of the Moon; Ereskhigal is a variant of the Sumerian goddess of the underworld, Ereškigal.  The provenance of Nebūtosūalēth is unknown, but it is almost always used in connection with these other two names, and may have other underworldly or Hekatean connotations.  Given these, the modern magician Jason Miller (such as in his 2006 book Protection and Reversal Magick) and others have used these first three words in some of his Hekatean workings.

The second charm comes from PGM VII.686—702, entitled “Bear charm”, specifically referring to Arktos, the Great Bear of the Northern Skies.  Like the Charm of the Full Moon, the Charm of Arktos only gives a short incantation directed to the goddess of the constellation Ursa Maior, followed up only by “add the usual” with no other directions given.  Like the Charm of the Full Moon, go out on a clear night when the northern stars can be clearly seen, gaze at these stars, and recite the following:

Arktos, Artkos!  You who rule over heaven, the stars, and the whole world!  You who cause the axis to turn and governs the system of the cosmos by force and Anankē!  I appeal to you, imploring and supplicating you, that you do for me me this NN. thing because I call upon you in youholy names at which your deity rejoices, names which you are not able to ignore!

ΒΡΙΜΩ, earth-breaker, great huntress!
ΒΑΥΒΩ ΛΑΥΜΩΡΙ ΑΥΜΩΡ ΑΜΩΡ ΑΜΩΡΗΣ ΙΗΑ, shooter of deer!
ΑΜΑΜΑΜΑΡ ΑΦΡΟΥΜΑΘΑΜΑ, universal queen of wishes!
ΑΜΑΜΑ, well-bedded, Dardanian, all-seeing, night-running, attacking mankind, subduing mankind, summoning mankind, conquering mankind!
ΛΙΧΡΙΣΣΑ ΦΑΕΣΣΑ, aerial one, strong goddess of Erymna, you who are the song and dance, guardian, spy, delight, delicate, protector, adamant and adamantine, o Damnameneia!
ΒΡΕΞΕΡΙΚΑΝΔΑΡΑ, most high, Taurian, unutterable, fire-bodied, light-giving, sharply armed!

Come forth and do this NN. thing!

Transliterated into Roman script:

Arktos, Artkos!  You who rule over heaven, the stars, and the whole world!  You who cause the axis to turn and governs the system of the cosmos by force and Anankē!  I appeal to you, imploring and supplicating you, that you do for me me this NN. thing because I call upon you in youholy names at which your deity rejoices, names which you are not able to ignore!

BRIMŌ, earth-breaker, great huntress!
BAUBŌ LAUMŌRI AUMŌR AMŌR AMŌRĒS IĒA, shooter of deer!
AMAMAMAR APHRŪMATHAMA, universal queen of wishes!
AMAMA, well-bedded, Dardanian, all-seeing, night-running, attacking mankind, subduing mankind, summoning mankind, conquering mankind!
LIKHRISSA PHAESSA, aerial one, strong goddess of Erymna, you who are the song and dance, guardian, spy, delight, delicate, protector, adamant and adamantine, o Damnameneia!
BREKSERIKANDARA, most high, Taurian, unutterable, fire-bodied, light-giving, sharply armed!

Come forth and do this NN. thing!

Where the ritual says “this NN. thing”, make your request as specified and ask that it be effected, that the Bear send away all evil and target all your enemies, reflect all bad luck and send you blessings, or other similar things.  Make your offering to the northern stars, and thank them for their work and their eternal, undying light; recommended offerings here include wine, spring water, incense, dates, or small rosewater-sweet cakes.  Close the ritual as you like, return indoors, and do not go outside again until sunrise.

The names in this charm are more strongly connected to Hellenic than Egyptian religion, and especially to the cults of Artemis, the divine virgin huntress, lady of the Moon, and twin sister to Apollo, and so this ritual has a strong nocturnal and lunar resonance to it; additionally, Artemis is known for her connection to bears, especially through her cult at Brauron; still, the emphasis of the northern stars of Ursa Maior indicates a heavy Egyptian emphasis on the immortal and divine power of these specific stars.  Of the references to Artemis in the divine names in this charm, however, Anankē is not tied to her; rather, Anankē (Αναγκη) is a primordial deity of necessity, compulsion, and inevitability, a sort of fate on the grandest scale imaginable, the destiny of all things that act as one in the cosmos.  In this sense, that Arktos is associated with Anankē indicates the deep, fundamental power that these stars have over the motion, direction, and inexorable actions of the cosmos, and by supplicating Arktos, one may be able to subtly alter the course of actions in the cosmos to one’s benefit.