An incantation or enchantment is a charm or spell created using words. An incantation may take place during a ritual, either a hymn or prayer, and may invoke or praise a deity. In magic, occultism, shamanism, and witchcraft it is used with the intention of casting a spell on an object or a person. The term derives from Latin "incantare" (tr.), meaning "to chant (a magical spell) upon," from in- "into, upon" and cantare "to sing".
In medieval literature, folklore, fairy tales and modern fantasy fiction, enchantments (from the Old French "enchantement") are charms or spells. The term was loaned into English since around AD 1300. The corresponding native English term being "galdr" "song, spell". It has led to the terms "enchanter" and "enchantress", for those who use enchantments.
The weakened sense "delight" (compare the same development of "charm") is modern, first attested in 1593 (OED).
In traditional fairy tales or fantasy fiction, an enchantment is a magical spell that is attached, on a relatively permanent basis, to a specific person, object or location, and alters its qualities, generally in a positive way. The most widely known example is probably the spell that Cinderella's Fairy Godmother uses to turn a pumpkin into a coach. An enchantment with negative characteristics is usually instead referred to as a curse.
An incantation is a formula of words sung or spoken during a ceremony or ritual.
In popular culture:
Incantation is a Super Nintendo Entertainment System platforming game released in 1996 by Titus Software.
Incantation was released in late 1996, near the end of the lifetime of the Super NES. Releases for 16-bit consoles were no longer highly anticipated, and the game's developer, Titus, had a poor reputation among players at the time of this game's release, all of which combined to bury the release in obscurity.
The game has the player control a young wizard who has to complete several levels. Enemies are defeated by using different ranged spells that can be found throughout the levels, with different firing patterns and power. Some levels require players to pick up a certain amount of items while other require a boss battle.
The overall gameplay mechanics resemble an inferior version of Mega Man; like several other platformers released near the end of the lifetime of the SNES, Incantation was accused of being repetitive and clunky by comparison with some of the system's earlier, better platformers, such as Super Mario World, Disney's Magical Quest and Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts. Reviewers did note that the game's graphics were fairly impressive for the aging SNES hardware, however, resembling the PlayStation video game Rayman.
[Lyrics by: John McEntee Music by John McEntee & Kyle Severn]
Crippling dogma
Tormented devotion
Light of deceit
His withering hand
Destroying the sacrament
His feeble hand
Has forsaken me
Spawn of bethlehem
Doomed to die
Lord misleading
Of the ashamed
The strength we endure
The christ we deny
The reality we live
Freed
In darkness eternal
Your pathetic religion
Your feeble so-called king
Hung on the cross
The sign of weakness
Darkness has come
And we will prevail
And conquer
The weak hand of god