Footnote
a Regarding witchcraft in ancient Babylon, we read: “Another class of beings was greatly feared by the Babylonians, namely warlocks and witches. These were usually men and women who were deformed, or who possessed some physical peculiarity which led their neighbours to believe that they were closely associated with devils, and that they sometimes served as dwellingplaces for the powers of evil. As possessors of human intelligence, they were often considered to be more baneful than the devils themselves. They were specially masters of the Evil Eye and the Evil Spell, and they employed all the practices of the priests who exorcised devils, but with evil motives and the intent to do harm. The priests were masters of White Magic, and the warlocks and witches of Black Magic. The incantation, which in the mouth of a priest made a sick man well, in the mouth of the witch procured his death.”—Page 150 of Babylonian Life and History, edition of 1925, by Sir E. A Wallis Budge, KT.