The "Greek magical papyri" is a collection of magical spells, formulae, rituals and hymns from Greco-Roman Egypt. Dating between the second century B.C. and the fifth century C.E, the texts reveal a community and culture of magic which had  a profound influence on the later centuries of hermeticism and esoteric practice.  Betz's translation of the papyri (and of additional Coptic and Demotic texts)  is the most comprehensive collection of this literature currently available in English. Although written from a scholarly perspective, the book is easily accessible to a general reader. This is an excellent work for anyone interested in occult history, hermeticism and late pagan magic.
Chicago and London: University of Chicago Press, 1992. Softcover, liii 353 pages. New.