Manichaica Aramaica? Adam and the magical deliverance of Seth (Manichaean Biblical exposition, 'Genesis', Middle Iranian)

Ibn al-Nadim's tenth-century Fihrist, long recognized as the purveyor of mu ch valuable Manichaean lore, includes a Manichaean exposition of Genesis 2- 4 that exhibits numerous affinities with both Jewish aggadic and gnostic ex egetical traditions. One the the more intriguing episodes featured in the e xposition involves the deliverance of the infant Seth from demonic assault by a magically adept Adam. Some parallels to this specific narrative episod e were subsequently discovered within the gradually expanding corpus of Mid dle Iranian Manichaean literature. The present essay seeks to direct attent ion to a heretofore unrecognized reflex of this mytheme within an Aramaic i ncantation stemming from lower Mesopotamia. The implications of this corres pondence are explored.