| Manuscript: | M148 |
| Sigla: | P. Heid. Inv. Kopt. 684 |
Text no. 
Position of the text within the manuscript. | 1 |
| Coptic Scriptorium: | |
| Date: | 1001 – 1100 |
| Text position: | pp. 1-13, ll. 1-275 |
| Type of text: | Love spell (magical, formulary) |
| Original title: | |
| Original title (translated): | |
| Conventional title: | Love Spell of Cyprian |
| Language: | Egyptian (Coptic) |
| Dialect: | Fayumic |
| Script: | Coptic |
| Image: |
| Text: | Translation: |
| p. 1 1. ϯ̣ⲥⲁⲟⲩⲛ ϫⲉ ⲁϩⲱⲱⲃ ⲛⲓⲙ ⲟⲩⲉⲓⲛⲉ p. 2 [= l. 22] p. 3 [= l. 45] p. 4 [= l. 67] p. 5 [ l. 89] p. 6 [= l. 112] p. 7 [=l. 135] p. 8 [=l. 158] 1. ϯⲱⲣⲕ ⲉⲣⲁⲕ ⲱ ⲅ̅ⲁ̅ⲃ̅ⲣ̅ⲓ̅ⲏ̅ⲗ̅ ⲙ̅ⲡϣⲁϫⲓ p. 9 [=l. 181] 1. ⲙⲉⲛ ⲧⲉⲑⲉⲥⲓⲁ ⲉⲛⲗⲱⲕⲓⲕⲏ : ⲙ̅ⲛ̅ p.10 [=l. 203] p. 11 [=l. 224] p. 12 [=l. 248] p. 13 [=l. 268] Above image: ⲅ̅ⲁ̅ⲃ̅ⲣ̅ⲓ̅ⲏ̅ⲗ̅ |
[p.1, 1] I know that everything has left [2] me. [3] Everything has been changed in my soul. Everything has been changed [4] in my nature. My innards have become like gall. [5] My appearance has changed. [6] I have been terrified in my flesh. [7] The hair of my head has moved (?). I have [8] been filled with fire. I have lain down [9] but I have not slept. I have arisen but I have not [10] rested. I have eaten and I have drunk [12] in grief and sighing. [12] I have not found rest in my soul [13] or my spirit because of the greatness [14] of my desire. My wisdom has [15] darkened. My power has perished. I have abandoned [16] my craft. I am Cyprian [17] the great magician, the one [18] who was companion to the Dragon of the Abyss. [19] He called me “my son” and I called [20] him “father”. He put his crown [21] and his diadem upon my head; [p. 2, 1] I (sic) caused me to drink milk from his right breast, [2] and he sat me at his right hand. [3] He made all of his power [4] subject to me. I mounted on the [5] constellation of the Pleiades, and it sailed with me like a [6] ship. I knew the whisper of the stars. [7] I possessed the treasuries of the winds. [8] I knew all astronomy. [9] All these things left me because of [10] a maiden named Justina. She [11] made my power and ⟨the⟩ power of Satan [12] like a sparrow in ⟨the⟩ hand of a small child. [13] I knew in the depths of my heart [14] and the thoughts of my spirit [15] and the bounds of my mind that none [16] could prophesy to my heart in this [17] affair, neither angel [18] nor archangel nor cherubim [19] nor seraphim nor power nor [20] force nor bodiless one [21] nor authority would be able to ⟨prophesy⟩, [22] nor to fulfil my [23] command, except the Father of the Aeons [p. 3, 1] and his only Son, [2] Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit, [3] the hallowed one. I cooled my wrath, [4] I set aside my anger, I mastered my [5] madness in a great [6] audacity and I stood on my feet [7] and I turned my face to the west, [8] and I raised my right hand to the sky. [9] I purified the earth from my feet, [10] I snorted through my nose, [11] and I sent these requests [12] up to the : ϶ : heaven, to the tabernacle [13] of the Father within ⟨the⟩ seven [14] veils. I called upon [15] the Father of Aeons, the Lord of all principalities [16] and all authorities and [17] all thrones, saying these requests: “Erisi Tōnai [19] Kharim Balim Basileos [20] Autoul Ōbia Kakikephali [21] Amou Amou, seize the spirit [22] which you have entrusted (?) … [p.4, 1] I do not need it still (?) [2] … send me today the [3] great servant of flaming [4] fire, Gabriel, he of [5] great fiery power, who [6] fills his fiery face in that [7] fire that consumes every fire, [8] which is the fire of your [9] divinity, Lord God, and who [10] fills his bowl with desire [11] and longing and who fills [12] his wings with fire in that [13] river of fire that burns [14] with the power of your divinity, [15] that which every soul will wash [16] within before they worship [17] in your presence, as he comes [18] on the impulse of his power at [19] your command, O Father of [20] Aeons, to go to NN the daughter of NN, [21] appearing to her in a [22] great appearance, [p. 5, 1] without restraint, without waiting, without negligence, [2] filling her heart and her [3] soul [3] and her spirit and her mind [4] with burning desire and [5] scorching longing and disturbance [6] and tumult, filling her from the [7] nails of her feet to the hair of her head [8] with desire and longing and fornication, [9] as her mind goes astray, as [10] her light darkens, her ears [11] shutting! She shall not eat nor [12] drink nor lie down nor [13] sleep, her clothes will [14] burn her body, the sky will [15] burn her, the earth will kindle under [16] her! The Father will not have mercy on her, [17] the Son will not have pity on her, [18] the Holy Spirit shall not give sleep [19] to her eyes! The thought of God [20] and fear of Him will leave [21] her, and her thoughts and her [22] counsel and her mind will have [23] devilish thoughts, [p. 6, 1] as she hangs onto [2] desire and longing and [3] disturbance because of NN the son of NN like [4] a she-donkey under the he-donkey, a moutse [5] under the jeu, a bitch under the [6] dog, whinnying like a mare, [7] chewing like a she-camel, [8] maddened like a she-bear and a [9] crocodile, hanging onto desire [10] and longing for NN the son of NN [11] like for a drop of water hanging [12] from the edge of a jar when one [13] looks at it while fasting [14] in the burning heat of summer! Yea, [15] I adjure you, O Gabriel, [16] go to NN the daughter of NN, hang her from [17] the hair of her head and the eyelids [18] ⟨of⟩ her eyes, bring her to the feet of [19] NN the son of NN, in desire and [20] ever-lasting longing, [21] just as you took the [22] good news of the Father to Mary [23] the Holy Virgin [p. 7, 1] in a true good news, may this [2] good news also be true, being [3] completed, namely these requests, [4] through you, quickly! Do not be [5] disobedient as you were on the day that [6] the Lord sent you to the land of Eden [7] and you returned to him without earth, [8] with your hands empty, but [9] complete for me, myself, today, [10] I, NN the son of NN, this [11] good news, and this commission [12] in unhesitating obedience [13], yea, yea, quickly, quickly! I adjure you, [14] O Gabriel, by the wellbeing of the [15] consubstantial Trinity! I adjure [16] you, O Gabriel, by the tabernacle [17] of the Father and those who dwell within it! [18] I adjure you, O Gabriel, by the throne [19] of the Almighty and He [20] who sits upon it! I adjure [21] you, O Gabriel by ⟨the⟩ heavenly powers [22] and the song and praise [23] of the powers of the heaven! [p. 8, l. 1] I adjure you, O Gabriel, by the word [2] and the breath of the Father, that which [3] went to Mary the Virgin; you brought the [4] good news of him to her so that [5] he dwelt within her, he being god [6] and man, and she gave birth to him, and he went [7] to the cross and saved us! I adjure [8] you, O Gabriel, by the holy sufferings [9] which Jesus Christ received for us [10] upon the wood of the cross and the three breaths [11] that he sent to the hands of his [12] father, which are “Elōei Elōei [13] Elemas Abaktanē”! I adjure [14] you, O Gabriel, by the three tears [15] that the Father shed over the head [16] of Jesus, his only son upon [17] the wood of the cross! I adjure you by [18] your sword, that with which you tore the [19] veil of the Temple! [20] I adjure you by the seven greetings that the [21] Father spoke to Jesus, his son, on [22] the Sunday morning so that he [23] rose from the dead [p.9, 1] and the rational sacrifice and [2] the holy offering and the [3] mysteries of Jesus Christ which the [4] saints receive and [5] the judgement which the Almighty [6] will pronounce over the whole world [7] in the Valley of Josaphat that [8] you shall not delay nor shall you be [9] neglectful for a single moment [10] nor a blink of the eye, until you come [11] upon your image; in the moment [12] that I put fire to it go to NN [13] the daughter of NN, put fire and desire and [14] longing and disturbance [15] and tumult down into her [16] heart for NN the son of NN! Bring her [17] to him in humiliation and [18] bound, as he looks at her nakedness [19] in every moment, as he mingles [20] his desire with hers! He will [21] lie with her, she will not be sated with him! [22] Take the shame ⟨from⟩ her face and her eyes, [p. 10, 1] may he rule over her, may he become [2] master to her, as she becomes ⟨a⟩ slave to him! [3] May she seek him at all seasons [4] and all moments and all times [5] and all hours and all of her life [6] and his! May every man [7] and every soul and every breath [8] be abominable and foul and putrid and hateful [9] to her except NN son of NN! If he goes [10] away from her, let her mourn, [11] groaning, crying bitterly! [12] If she sees him from (?) behind, let [13] her kneel [14] in obeisance to him in fear [15] and humiliation! If he speaks [16] let her be silent! If he is angry let her [17] make peace ⟨with him⟩, loving [18] him, giving him her gold and [19] her silver and her clothes and her [20] perfume and her food and [21] her drink and her gifts [p. 11, 1] and her presents at all times [2] and all seasons and all her days [3] and all her life! They will [4] stay with him forever [5] according to these requests, as she makes ⟨herself⟩ beautiful [6] and pleasing every day in her heart [7] and her mind and her thoughts [8] and her thinking and her eyes, ⟨even⟩ if [9] a day comes for her more difficult [10] than any day and hour, [11] and every day and every night, yea, yea, quickly! [12] If you have not done, my wish, O Gabriel, [13] fulfilling my command, [14] I will despise you, and I will [15] cut you off, and I will anathematise [16] you and I will despise you and I will abhor you! [17] The Father will give you no place in heaven! [18] The Son will not give you rank [19] in heaven! The Holy Spirit [20] will not edify your song, nor shall the [21] queen of women, Mary the Virgin [22] receive you unto herself, nor shall they call [23] you the bringer of good news, [p. 12, 1] until you complete my [2] every request that I speak in [3] this prayer, nor shall you appear to me, myself in [5] any bad way, nor shall you … [6] to me, nor shall you … to me [7] not shall you touch me with [8] evil or suffering, but rather with [9] all joy and in all honour, and I will [10] myself praise the Almighty Father [11] and I will give glory to Jesus the [12] only son, and I will sing hymns to the [13] Holy Spirit, and I will … [14] you yourself, O Gabriel, for [15] you have been for me a … [16] in my affairs … [17] Come, do not delay… [18] to you forever, amen! [19] + Make an offering for it of mastic, aloes, [20] styrax, musk, three … prayers [21] daily, from the third, you … [22] desire, fasting daily, [p. 13, 1] while you eat … [2] … and oil … work … [3] … while you fast, being pure, [4] wearing clothes … on a [5] clay ostracon with sweat. Prayer twenty-one ⟨times⟩, [6] three times over it. Bind [7] a … amulet upon yourself. Above image: Gabriel |
| Tracing by: | Korshi Dosoo |
| Apparatus: | p. 1 p. 2 p. 3 p. 4 p. 5 p. 6 p. 7 p. 8 p. 9 p. 10 p. 11 p. 12 p. 13 |
| Notes: | p. 3 p.4 p. 7 p. 8 p. 9 p. 11 p. 13 |
| Bibliography: | Bilabel, Friedrich, and Adolf Grohmann. Griechische, koptische und arabische Texte zur Religion und religiösen Literatur in Ägyptens Spätzeit, Heidelberg: Verlag der Universitätsbibliothek, 1934, p. 304-325, no. 122. Meyer, Marvin W., and Richard Smith. Ancient Christian Magic: Coptic Texts of Ritual Power. Princeton (New Jersey): Princeton University Press, 1999, p. 153-158, no. 73. Polotsky, Hans Jakob. "Zu einigen Heidelberger koptischen Zaubertexten." Orientalia 4 (1935): 417-420. |
| Editor: | Transcript from DDGLC entered by KD; MPS (23/6/2020) checking transcription with the image of the original; MPS (23/6/2020) apparatus; MPS (24/6/2020) apparatus (first 4 pages); MPS p. 5 (2/7/2020); checked with apparatus augmented by EL (27/7/2020) (31/7/2020); team (15/9/2020); minor edits KD & MPS (18/9/2020); format checked KD (1/10/2020) |