O Phaldōr, foe of diviners, who sows
confusion, false interpretations, and
holy words misheard; why are you
harassing us here at the mat?
Has it slipped your mind what happened,
son of Eikelos, sender of nightmares,
and Eris, disrupter of divine order,
when you challenged Dionysos,
the deliverer of oracles, before?
Have you so easily forgotten the torments
he inflicted upon you, and the oath he got
from you never again to interfere with his prophets,
mantic priests, madwomen, and Orpheotelests
just to get the pain to stop?
Shall I remind you?

Angry that mankind should be given guidance
through the hardships of life, and knowledge
of future events you traveled through Thrake
and Makedonia scattering the knucklebones,
chasing the madwomen from their underground sanctuaries,
and snuffing out the everburning fire on his altar,
until you met the God on the road to the temple
where his giant mantic snake dwelt.

Before you had a chance to insult the son of Zeus
who rules from on high and his fiery wife Thyōnē,
Dionysos hailed you mockingly, and said:

Behold, it is Phaldōr, the confounder of man,
who has a head but no reason,
who has eyes but no sight,
who has a tongue but only speaks gibberish,
who has hands but no deeds,
who has a heart but no strength,
who has legs but cannot walk.

Then he took from his belt a pouch
in which were kept 24 stones,
each marked with a letter from α to ω.
He drew the stones from the pouch
one by one, and cast them at your feet
asking the spirits that resided in each
to assist him. And this is what he said:

The Seven became Four,
and the Four became Twenty-Four,
in which all things
that can be spoken of
are contained.

The Seven are the Charaktēres
which constitute the Superlative Name
of the first-born God, αεηιουω.
They also represent the Pleiades,
the Seven Stars who crown
the Heavenly Bull, and once
were the Seven Sisters
who nursed my infant self,
and when I reached manhood
bore me Four mighty sons.

The Four are called Guardians,
great allies of the Kingdom of Nysa,
and the Hymnōdai chant their names
for enlightenment and protection.

ZBCHXKS is in the East,
has the face of a dragon,
is surrounded by white,
rules over the waters,
and cures all ailments
pertaining to the torso.

LOGTĒPS is in the South,
has the face of a spider,
is surrounded by red,
rules over the air,
and cures all ailments
pertaining to the arms.

REPHNAI is in the North,
has the face of a Wolf,
is surrounded by black,
rules over the earth,
and cures all ailments
pertaining to the legs.

PŌDTHYM is in the West,
has the face of a bull,
is surrounded by gold,
rules over fire,
and cures all ailments
pertaining to the head.

Each of the Four
have Six Warriors
of which the Chorus
of Twenty-Four Powers
is made.

As he spoke their name each of the
Guardians and their Warriors materialized,
armed with maces, swords and axes,
eager for a fight. They took turns
playing with you, Phaldōr, until each had
had a turn. Then Dionysos the Merciful
offered you a way to end your torment,
the oath that you are now breaking.

Depart, Phaldōr, and do not disturb
these sacred proceedings,
or you will face the Guardians
and their Warriors, the Twenty-Four
who have surrounded you
while I made this utterance.