Favour (magical, formulary)

Egyptian (Coptic)

Coptic

1 – 4: As Crum notes, the first letters of the names of the invoked beings follow the order of the Greek alphabet; this allows us to estimate an additional lost line. The initial sign visible at l. 1 is likely a staurogram, but since such scribal marks are almost always written on the first line, it is probable that we have a very tall staurogram which extends from l. 1 to the first hidden line. As noted by Łajtar & van der Vliet (pp. 184-190) the alphabetic names belong to a series well known from other magical and literary texts, which allows us to identify them as those of the 24 Presbyters of Revelation 4.4. Based on the close parallel in P. Berol. 11347 ro ll. 16-32 (KYP M220/KYP T425) and the burial vault from Dongola l. 43 (Łajtar & van der Vliet pp. 96-97; KYP M501/KYP T1616), we could suggest that the missing names would may have been ⲁⲭⲁⲏⲗ, ⲃⲁⲛⲟⲩⲏⲗ, ⲅⲁⲛⲁⲏⲗ or ⲅⲁⲛⲟⲩⲏⲗ (before l. 1), ⲏⲗⲓⲏⲗ or ⲉⲑⲁⲏⲗ, ⲑⲓⲇⲁⲏⲗ or ⲑⲁⲑⲓⲏⲗ, ⲓⲱⲭⲁⲏⲗ (l. 1), ⲛⲁⲣⲁⲏⲗ or ⲛⲉⲣⲁⲏⲗ, ⲝⲓⲫⲓⲏⲗ (l. 2), ⲩⲙⲛⲟⲩⲏⲗ (l. 3). The names of l. 1 would not fill the width, so the text likely began with an invocation, adjuration, or description of the names (such as “these are the names of the 24 Presbyters…”). For ⲍⲁⲣⲇⲓⲏⲗ (l. 1), we might also restore or ⲍⲁⲣⲧⲓⲏⲗ, or something else similar; only the rho is partially visible.
2. ⲙⲩⲣ̣̅ⲙ̅ⲫ̅ⲁⲏⲗ The rho is partially hidden by a fold in the paper.
6. ⲛ̣ⲛⲉ̣ⲧ̣ⲛⲏⲩ ⲉϩⲣⲁⲓ ⲙⲛ ⲛⲓⲛⲟϭ ⲉⲛⲥⲓⲟⲩ cf. PCM I 11 p. 15 ll. 15-17: ⲛⲓⲥⲱⲛⲧ ⲉⲧⲛⲏⲩ ⲉϩⲣⲁⲓ̅ ⲙ̅ⲛ̅ ⲡⲛⲟϭ ⲛ̣ⲥ̣ⲓ̣̅ⲟⲩ (“O creatures rising up with the great star”). For the “great star”, perhaps cf. Revelation 8:10: “he trumpeted and a great star, burning like a lamp, fell” (ⲁϥⲥⲁⲗⲡⲓⲍⲉ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲁϥϩⲉ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲛ ⲧⲡⲉ ⲛϭⲓ ⲟⲩⲛⲟϭ ⲛⲥⲓⲟⲩ ⲉϥϫⲉⲣⲟ ⲛⲧϩⲉ ⲛⲟⲩⲗⲁⲙⲡⲁⲥ).
8. ⲉⲙⲁ̣[ⲏ]ⲗ : There are traces that suggest the third letter is an alpha. Compare the same name in British Library MS Or 6796 (1-3) recto l. 44 (KYP M118/T337): ⲉ̅ⲙ̅ⲁ̅ⲏⲗ̣.
10. ⲟⲩⲡⲁⲣⲣⲏⲥⲓⲁ : The basic meaning of this word seems to be the possibility for one to act directly or proactively, often in speech; Förster (p. 626-627) gives three basic meanings 1. “Freedom” (Freiheit), 2. “confidence” (Zuversicht), 3. “right of appeal” (Einspruchsmöglichkeit (?)). See also TLA lemma no. C10104 in the Coptic Dictionary Online (ⲡⲁⲣⲣⲏⲥⲓⲁ) and LSJ 1344a s.v. παρρησία and Preisigke 1925–1927 2:272. Beer distinguishes between different categories in the meaning of the word: 1. In Jewish texts it generally refers to “freedom from fear of God” (Freiheit von Angst gegen Gott), prophets “speaking openly against someone” (offen gegen jemanden sprechen); in Proverbs “ethical parrhesia in the sense of sincerity and openness” (Konzept der ethischen Parrhesia: Aufrichtigkeit und Offenheit gegenüber eines Freundes); in Job “confidence to face God openly” (die Zuversicht, Gott aufrichtig gegenüberzutreten); in Philo “freedom from fear, i.e. boldness” (Freiheit von Angst, i.e. Mut); in a Graeco-Roman context, including Josephus, “freedom of speech and action” (Rede- und Handlungsfreiheit); in the Gospels being “open and clear” (offen und klar), characteristic of Jesus; in Acts it refers to “courage” (Mut zur Verbreitung), but in the sense of freedom of speech; in the Pauline and Deuteropauline letters “confidence” (Zuversicht) cf. I Thessalonians 2.2; in the Acts of the Martyrs it refers to “confidence, steadfastness and presupposes a freedom from affects” (Zuversicht und Standhaftigkeit und dadurch frei sein von Affekten); in the Patristics “freedom” (Freedom).
10. ⲛⲛⲡⲉⲙ̣[ⲧⲟ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ⲛ]ⲇ̣̅ⲇ̣̅ : For the restoration, cf. P. Gieben Copt. 1 vo l. 10 (KYP M401/T328); ⲉϥϫⲓ ⲭⲁⲣⲓⲥ ⲛⲡⲉⲙⲧⲟ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ⲛⲇͅⲇͅ (“he finds favour in the presence of NN”); P. Iand. inv. 9 p. 7 ll. 4-6 (KYP M134/T654): ⲁ̅ⲛ̅ⲁ̣̅ⲏ̅ⲗ̅ ⲙⲁⲣⲉϥⲧⲓ ⲭⲁⲣⲓⲥ ⲉⲡⲁϩⲱ ⲙⲡⲉⲙⲧⲟ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ⲙⲡⲕⲉⲛⲟⲥ [ⲧⲏⲣ]ⲉ̣ϥ̣ ⲉⲛⲁⲇⲁⲙ (“Anaēl: may he give favour to my face in the presence of all the generation of Adam”).

EL’s transcript from the original, incorporating Crum (19/12/2019); preliminary translation by KD (7/7/2020); KD + SG (20/1/2025); KD + MPS (16/10/2025)