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KYPRIANOS T179

Manuscript: M122
Sigla:

PCM 1 9
PCM I 9
Berlin P. 5565
BKU 1 22
BKU I 22

Text no. question mark icon Position of the text within the manuscript.1
Coptic Scriptorium:
Date: 501 – 800

Text position:

Ro ll. 1-13

Type of text:

Sleep (healing, magical, formulary)

Original title:
Original title (translated):
Conventional title: Charm for sleep

Language:

Egyptian (Coptic)

Dialect:

Sahidic (non-standard)

Script:

Coptic

Image:

Text: Translation:


1. ⲁϥⲃⲟⲩⲣⲉ ⲁϥⲃ̣ⲟ̣ⲩ̣ⲣⲉ ⲉⲓ̣̈ⲥ ⲡ̣ⲁ̣ⲡⲁⲧ ⲛ͞ⲛⲟ̣ⲩⲃ ⲛ̅ⲧⲟⲟ⧹ⲧ⧸ⲕ ⲉⲓ̣ϫⲟⲟⲩⲕ ⲙ̅ⲡ̅ⲁϩⲱ̣ⲃ̣ ⲕⲛⲁ̅ⲉ̅ⲓ̈ ⲁⲉⲓ̣ ⲉ̣ⲡϣⲱⲧ̣
2. ⲕⲛⲁⲙ̅ⲙ̅ⲟϩ̣ⲥ ⲉⲧⲃⲉ ⲡ̣ⲁⲓ̈ ⲉⲕϫⲟⲟⲩⲧ ⲉⲡⲙⲟⲟⲩ ⲧⲁⲡⲁⲅⲕⲱϥ ⲁⲡⲣ̅ⲉⲓⲟ̣ ⲧⲁⲉⲓⲛ ⲡϥ̅ⲗ̅ⲩϩϩⲉ
3. ⲙ̅ⲡ̅ⲉ ⲙ̅ⲡ̅ⲉⲓ̈ϫⲟⲟⲩⲕ̣ ⲛ͞ⲥⲁ ⲛⲁⲓ̈ ⲙ̅ⲡ̅ⲉⲓ̈ϩⲁⲃⲕ ⲛ̅ⲥ̅ⲁ ⲛⲓⲕⲟⲟⲩⲉ ⲉⲓ̣ⲓ̣ⲁϫⲟⲩ̣ⲕ ⲉϩⲟⲩⲛ ⲉⲛⲓⲙ
4. ⲡϣⲏ ⲛ̅ⲛⲓⲙ ϫⲉ ⲉⲕⲁⲛⲧⲕⲓⲧⲉ ⲁϫⲱϥ ⲙⲛ̅ ⲡⲫⲓⲛⲏⲃ ϣⲁⲛⲧⲉⲡⲣⲏ ⲙ̅ⲡ̅ⲭⲟⲩⲥⲓ ⲉⲓ̈ ⲉϩⲣⲁⲓ̈
5. ϫⲉ ⲡⲣⲁⲛ ⲙ̅ⲙ̅ⲏⲧ ⲡⲁⲡⲗⲏⲩ ⲡⲉ ⲁϫⲉ ⲉⲥⲥⲉ ⲧⲉ ⲧⲃⲭ̣ : ⲥⲃ̅ⲑⲱ ⲧⲉ ⲧⲁⲓ̈ ⲧⲁⲓ̈ⲥⲛⲧⲉ ⲛ̅ⲥ̅ⲱⲛⲉ
6. ⲉⲧⲙⲟⲟⲩⲕ ⲛ̅ϩ̅ⲏⲧ ⲉⲧⲗ̣ⲩ̣ⲡ̣ⲉ ⲛϩⲏⲧ ⲉⲧⲁ⧹ϣ⧸ϣⲉ ⲉϩⲣⲁⲓ̈ ϩⲁ ⲧⲡⲉ ⲙⲛ ⲡⲕⲁϩ ⲉⲧϩⲙ̅ ⲡⲛⲟⲩⲛ
7. ϫⲉ ⲉⲓ̈⧹ⲥ⧸ ϩⲱⲣ ⲡϣⲏⲣⲉ ⧹ⲉ̣⧸ⲛ̅ⲛⲉⲥ̣ⲥⲉ ϩ̣ϥ̣ vac. ⲛ̅ⲁ̣ϭ̣ⲛ̣̅ⲟⲩ ⲉ̣ⲓ⧹ⲥ⧸ⲉ ⲥⲟⲩⲟⲩⲉ ⲙ́ⲙⲟϥ̣ ⲁϩⲣⲱ ⲧⲁ ⲧⲥ. ⧹ⲧⲥ̣̣..ⲉ⧸
8. ⲉⲥⲕⲱⲧⲉ ⲁⲡⲣⲏ ⲉϫⲁⲗⲁⲩ ⧹ⲕⲱⲧⲉ ⲁⲡⲟϩ⧸ ⲛ̅ⲧⲙⲏⲧⲉ ⲛ̅ⲧ̣ⲡⲉ · ⲉⲧⲕⲛ̅ⲙⲟⲩⲧ ⲛ́ⲧⲙⲏ̣ⲧ̣ⲉ ⲛ̅ⲧ̅ⲡⲉ ⲉⲥⲥⲉ
9. ⲙⲛ ⲥⲃ̣̅ⲑⲱ ⲧⲉⲥ⧹ⲉ⧸ⲛ̣ⲧⲉ ⲛ vac. ⲥⲱⲛⲉ ⲉⲧⲙⲟⲟⲩⲕϩ ⲛ̅ϩ̣ⲏⲧ ⲉⲧⲗⲩⲡⲏ ⲛ́ϩⲏⲧ
10. ⲉⲧϩⲙ̣̅ ⲡⲛⲟⲩⲛ ϫⲉ ⲛ́ⲧⲟⲕ ⲡⲉ ⲁⲝ ⲛ́ⲧⲟⲕ ⲡⲉ ⲁⲃⲣⲁⲍⲁⲭ ⲡⲁⲅⲅⲓ̈ⲗⲟⲥ
11. ⲉⲧϩⲙ̣ⲙⲟⲟⲥ ϩⲓϫⲙ̣̅ ⲡ̣ϣⲏⲛ ⲙ́ⲡⲡⲁⲣⲁⲇⲓⲥⲟⲥ ⲉⲧⲁϩϩⲉ ⲛⲧⲕⲓⲧⲉ ϫⲛ ⲁⲃⲧⲓⲙⲉⲗ-
12. ⲗ̣ⲉⲭ ⲛ̅ⲥϩⲃⲩⲧⲏ ⲛ̅ⲣ̣ⲙⲡⲉ ⲉⲕⲁⲉⲓⲛ ⲧⲕⲓⲧⲉ ⲉϫⲛ̅ ⲛⲓⲙ ⲡϣⲏ ⲛⲓ̣ⲙ
13. ⲉⲧⲏ ⲉⲧⲏ 〚. .〛 ⲧⲁⲭⲏ ⲧⲁⲭⲏ

[1] Afboure, Afboure! Look, the golden cup is in your hand! If I send you on my work, you will go, yea (?), to ⟨my⟩ need, [2] you will fulfil it. “Because of this, if you send me to the water, I will draw it, ⟨if⟩ to the river, I will bring its mud.” [3] No, I did not send you concerning those, I did not send you concerning those other things; I shall send you to NN, [4] the son of NN, so that you (s.) might bring sleep upon him, and slumber until the sun of the Kushite (?) rises, [5] because the true name is Paplēu.” Say, “It is Isis … This is Sbthō, these two sisters [6] who are afflicted within, who are grieved within, who have gone up to heaven and earth, who are in the abyss, [7] for, behold, Horus, the son of Isis … find them (?), behold, they are far from him. What is wrong with you (f.s.)? … The arrow [8] goes around the sun, the water-wheel goes around the moon in the midst of the sky, as the Pleiades are in the midst of the sky, Isis [9] and Sbthō, the two sisters who are afflicted within, who are grieved within, [10] who are in the abyss, for you are Ax, you are Abrazakh, the angel [11] who sits upon the tree of Paradise, who brought (?) sleep upon Ebed-Melech [12] for seventy-five (?) years, you (s.) will bring sleep upon NN, the son of NN! [13] Now, now! Quickly, quickly!

Tableau:
Tracing by:

Apparatus:

1. ⲁϥⲃ̣ⲟ̣ⲩ̣ⲣⲉ : ⲁϥⲃ̣ⲟ̣ . ⲣⲉ Erman 1904 understands ⲃⲟⲩⲣⲉ as verb : -ⲃⲟⲩⲣⲉ l. ⲡⲱⲱⲣⲉ ? Crum CD 42a | ⲉⲓ̣̈ⲥ : ⲉⲓ̈ⲥ Erman 1904 | ⲡ̣ⲁ̣ⲡⲁⲧ : ⲡⲁ̣ⲡⲁⲧ Erman 1904 | ⲛ͞ⲛⲟ̣ⲩⲃ : ⲛ̅ⲛⲟⲩⲃ Erman 1904 | ⲉⲓ̣̈ϫⲟⲟⲩⲕ : ⲉ . ϫⲟⲟⲩⲕ Erman 1904 | ⲙ̅ⲡ̣̅ⲁϩⲱ̣ⲃ̣ ; ⲙ̅ⲡⲁϩⲱⲃ̣ Erman 1904 | ⲕⲛⲁ̅ⲉ̅ⲓ̈ ⲁⲉⲓ̣ i.e. Sahidic ⲉⲓⲉ or dittography? : ⲕⲛ̅ⲁ̅ⲉ̣ⲓⲁⲉⲓ̈ Erman 1904 : {ⲁⲉⲓ} Bélanger Sarrazin | ⲉ̣ⲡϣⲱⲧ̣ or correct to ⲧ-ϣⲱⲧⲉ “the well”? : ⲉⲡϣⲱⲧ l. ⲉⲡϣⲟⲓ Erman 1904
2. ⲙ̅ⲙ̅ⲟϩ̣ⲥ i.e. Sahidic ⲙⲁϩⲥ Bélanger Sarrazin : l. ϩⲙⲟⲟⲥ Erman 1895, Kropp and Meyer/Smith translating “sitzen”, “niedersetzen”, and stay respectively : ⲙ̅ⲙⲟⲟⲥ Erman 1905 | ⲡ̣ⲁⲓ̈ : ⲡⲁⲓ̈ Erman 1904 | ⲡⲁⲅⲕⲱ= i.e. Sahidic ⲡⲟⲛⲕ= | ⲁⲡⲣ̅ⲉⲓⲟ̣ i.e. Sahidic ⲉ-ⲡ-(ⲉ)ⲓⲉⲣⲟ : ⲁⲡⲣ̅ⲉⲓⲟ Erman 1904 | ⲣ̅ⲉⲓⲟ̣ i.e. Sahidic (ⲉ)ⲓⲉⲣⲟ | ⲡϥ̅ⲗ̅ⲩϩϩⲉ i.e. Sahidic ⲡⲉϥ-ⲗⲟⲓϩⲉ
3. ϫⲟⲟⲩⲕ̣ : ϫⲟⲟⲩⲕ Erman 1904 | ⲉⲓ̣ⲓ̣ⲁ- l. Sahidic ⲉⲓⲉ- or ⲉⲓⲛⲁ- | ϫⲟⲩ̣ⲕ : ϫⲟⲟⲩⲕ Erman 1904
4. ⲡⲫⲓⲛⲏⲃ l. ⲡ-ϩⲓⲛⲏⲃ | ⲭⲟⲩⲥⲓ i.e. Greek Χουσί from Hebrew כושי ?
5. ⲡⲣⲁⲛ or l. ⲡⲁⲣⲁⲛ ? | ⲁϫⲉ l. ⲁϫⲓ ? | ⲧⲃⲭ̣ Bélanger Sarrazin l. ⲧⲁⲓ ? Kropp : ⲧ̣ⲃⲁ̣̅ Erman | ⲧⲁⲓ̈ⲥⲛⲧⲉ i.e. Sahidic ⲧⲉⲓ-ⲥⲛ̅ⲧⲉ
6. ⲙⲟⲟⲩⲕ i.e. Sahidic ⲙⲟⲕϩ+ cf. ⲙⲟⲟⲩⲕϩ in l. 9 | ⲛϩⲏⲧ : ⲛ̅ϩⲏⲧ Erman 1904 | ⲗ̣ⲩ̣ⲡ̣ⲉ i.e. Greek λυπεῖν : ⲗⲩⲡⲉ Erman 1904| ⲉⲧⲁ⧹ϣ⧸ϣⲉ i.e. Sahidic ⲛ̅ⲧⲁ-ⲩ-ϣⲉ
7. ⲉⲓ̈⧹ⲥ⧸ ⲓ̈ corrected from ⲥ and ⲥ added subsequently : ⲉⲥ Erman 1904 | ⧹ⲉ̣⧸ⲛ̅ⲛⲉⲥ̣ⲥⲉ : ⲛⲉⲉⲥⲉ Erman 1904 : ⧹ⲟ⧸ ⲛⲛⲉⲥⲥⲉ | ϩ̣ϥ̣ vac. ⲛ̅ⲁ̣ϭ̣ⲛ̣̅ⲟⲩ ⲉ̣ⲓ⧹ⲥ⧸ⲉ : ⲁϥ ⲛ . ⲟ ⲛ̅ⲟⲩϩⲓ⧹ⲥ⧸ⲉ Erman 1904 : ϩ̣ⲕ̣ⲟ̣ ⲛⲟⲩϩⲓ⧹ⲥ⧸ⲉ Bélanger Sarrazin | ⲥⲟⲩⲟⲩⲉ l. ⲥⲟⲩ⟨ⲟⲩ⟩ⲟⲩⲉ (haplography) i.e. Sahidic ⲥⲟⲩ-ⲟⲩⲏ(ⲏ)ⲩ | ⲙ́ⲙⲟϥ̣ : ⲙ̅ⲙⲟ . Erman 1904 : ⲙⲙⲟϥ Crum | ⲁϩⲣⲱ i.e. Sahidic ⲁϩⲣⲟ⸗∅ suggested by Kropp and perhaps Crum | ⲧⲥ. ⧹ⲧⲥ̣..ⲉ⧸ l. {ⲧⲥⲁ} ⧹ⲧⲥⲁⲧⲉ⧸ or ⧹ⲧⲥⲟⲧⲉ⧸ ? cf. P. Mil. Vogl. Copt. 16 (T341) p. 4 l. 1
8. ⲁⲡⲣⲏ i.e. Sahidic ⲉ-ⲡⲣⲏ | ⲉϫⲁⲗⲁⲩ i.e. Sahidic ⲉ-ⲧ-ϣⲁⲗⲁⲩ : l. Sahidic ⲉ-ϫⲱⲗⲉ-ⲩ translating “to confine them” (?) Crum CD 769a, Meyer/Smith | ⲕⲛ̅ⲙⲟⲩⲧ i.e. Sahidic ϭⲓⲛⲙⲟⲩⲧ | ⲛ́ⲧⲙⲏ̣ⲧ̣ⲉ : ⲛ̅ⲧⲙⲏⲧⲉ Erman 1904
9. ⲙⲛ : ⲙⲛ̅ Erman 1904 | ⲥⲃ̣̅ⲑⲱ : ⲥ̅ⲃⲑⲱ Erman 1904 | ⲙⲟⲟⲩⲕϩ i.e. Sahidic ⲙⲟⲕϩ+ | ⲛ̅ϩ̣ⲏⲧ ; ⲛ̅ϩⲏⲧ Erman 1904 | ⲗⲩⲡⲉ i.e. Greek λυπεῖν
10. ⲉⲧϩⲙ̣ : ⲉⲧϩ[ⲙ̅] Erman 1904 | ⲁⲅⲅⲓ̈ⲗⲟⲥ i.e. Greek ἄγγελος
11. ⲉⲧϩⲙ̣ⲙⲟⲟⲥ i.e. Sahidic : ⲉⲧ-ϩⲙⲟⲟⲥ | ⲙ́ⲡⲁⲣⲁⲧ̣ⲟ̣ⲓⲥⲟⲥ i.e. i.e. Greek παράδεισος : ⲙ̅ⲡⲁⲣⲁⲧⲟⲓⲥⲟⲥ Erman 1904 | ⲉⲧⲁϩϩⲉ i.e. Sahidic ⲛ̅ⲧⲁϩⲉ or ⲉⲧⲁϩϩⲉ i.e. Sahidic ⲛ̅ⲧⲁϥϩⲉ note that the transitive use of ϩⲉ is not attested in Crum CD s.v. | ϫⲛ i.e. Sahidic ⲉϫⲛ̅ haplography
12. ⲥϩⲃⲩⲧⲏ i.e. Sahidic ϣϥⲉⲧⲏ (?) i.e. Sahidic ⲣⲟⲙⲡⲉ | ⲛ̅ⲣ̣ⲙⲡⲉ : ⲛⲉ̣ⲙⲡⲉ Erman 1904 | ⲉⲕⲁⲉⲓⲛ ⲧⲕⲓⲧⲉ i.e. Sahidic ⲉⲕⲉⲉⲓ̈ⲛⲉ ⲛ̅ⲛ̅ⲕⲟⲧⲕ | ⲛⲓ̣ⲙ : ⲛ[ⲓ]ⲙ Erman 1904
13. ⲉⲧⲏ i.e. Greek ἤδη (twice) |〚. .〛erased by wiping | ⲧⲁⲭⲏ i.e. Greek ταχύ (twice)

Notes:

1-2. Erman 1894, Kropp, and Pernigotti understand this first phrase as a question “If I send you to my work, will you go…”; Meyer/Smith note it as a possibility.
4. ⲭⲟⲩⲥⲓ: Previous translations have understood this word as a vox magica, although ⲭⲟⲩⲥⲓ is the Coptic spelling of Hushai the Archite, the friend of King David who appears in 2 Samuel. However, the meaning of the phrase “sun of Hushai” is not clear, and the definite article before ⲭⲟⲩⲥⲓ seems to imply another word. Χους is the Greek writing of Cush, the eldest son of Ham in inter alia Genesis 10.6, and Χουσι is the transliteration of Hebrew כושי (kushi), “Kushite”, generally translated in Greek as Αἰθίοψ; awareness of this meaning by Greek-language authors appears in e.g. John Chrysostom, Exposition of Psalm 7 (καὶ ἀντὶ τοῦ «Χουσὶ,» Αἰθίοπός φησιν) and the Sortes Astrampsychi (ecdosis altera), in which the name Hushai (Χουσί) is interpreted as “my Ethiopian” (Αἰθίοψ μου, presumably understanding the final iota as the possessive suffix). Alternatively we might understand χοῦς, “soil”, “dust”, or in LXX Psalm 22 “the grave” (as χοῦς θανάτου); as a masculine noun, this last might fit well, although the meaning is would be less clear. See the note below for a proposal of the meaning of this phrase.
5. ⲡⲁⲡⲗⲏⲩ Cf. ⲡⲁⲡⲗⲉⲟⲩ in British Library MS Or 5525 (T105) l. 132.
5. ⲉⲥⲥⲉ … ⲥⲃ̅ⲑⲱ: ⲉⲥⲥⲉ is “Isis”, more usually written ⲏⲥⲉ in Coptic. ⲥⲃ̅ⲑⲱ is likely a miswriting of ⲛⲃⲑⲱ “Nephthys”, although cf. the combined deity Esenephthys (“Isis-Nephthys”) discussed e.g. in Love 2016: p. 34.
7-8. ⲁϩⲣⲱ ⲧⲁ ⲧⲥ … ⲉϫⲁⲗⲁⲩ Bélanger Sarrazin 2020: p. 188 suggests to understand ⲁϩⲣⲟⲧⲁⲧⲥ and ϫⲁⲗⲁⲩ as constellations, by analogy with the Pleiades mentioned later. ϣⲁⲗⲁⲁⲩ means “water wheel” and so Bélanger Sarrazin suggests that this may be “Aquarius”, although the name of Aquarius in Demotic was “the water” (pꜣ mw i.e. ⲡⲙⲟⲟⲩ); an alternative might be to understand Scorpio, attested in Coptic as ϯϭⲗⲏ (Spiegelberg 1910: p. 147). We might imagine that, if a stellar body, ⲁϩⲣⲟⲧⲁⲧⲥ would refer to one of the planets or constellations identified with Horus, whose name might be found in -ϩⲣ-. Here we interpret ⲁϩⲣⲱ as a question, and tentatively propose to read the following word as ⲧⲥⲟⲧⲉ by analogy with P. Mil. Vogl. Copt. 16 (T341) p. 4 l. 1, with the meaning “arrow”, which, if a constellation, might refer to Sagittarius (Bélanger Sarrazin 2020: p. 188).
11-12. ⲁⲃⲧⲓⲙⲉⲗⲗ̣ⲉⲭ This is likely Ebed-Melech (Αβδεμελεχ) the Kushite, who appears both in Jeremiah LXX 45-46 (=38-39), and in 4 Baruch/Paraleipomena Ieremiou as Abimelech (Ἀβιμέλεχ), in which he is put to sleep for 66 years to be spared the destruction of Jerusalem. Ebed-Melech is thus likely the “Kushite” referred to in l. 4: the target of the spell is to sleep until the sun of the Kushite (i.e. Ebed-Melech) rises, that is, until he awakens.

Bibliography:

Bélanger Sarrazin, Roxanne. “Les divinités gréco-égyptiennes dans les textes magiques coptes : Une étude du syncrétisme religieux en Égypte tardo-antique et médiévale”. PhD Diss, University of Ottawa, 2020.

Crum, Walter E., hand-written notes on the copy of Adolf Erman, Aegyptische Urkunden aus dem Koeniglichen Museen zu Berlin: Koptische Urkunden. Vol. 1. Berlin: Weidmannsche Buchhandlung, 1904, p. 21 in the Sackler Library, Oxford consulted by Edward O.D. Love.

Erman, Adolf. Aegyptische Urkunden aus dem Koeniglichen Museen zu Berlin: Koptische Urkunden. Vol. 1. Berlin: Weidmannsche Buchhandlung, 1904, p. 21, no. 22.Erman, Adolf. “Heidnisches bei den Kopten”. Zeitschrift für Ägyptische Sprache und Altertumskunde 33 (1895): 47–51.

Kropp, Angelicus. Ausgewählte koptische Zaubertexte. Übersetzungen und Anmerkungen. Vol. 2, Bruxelles: Édition de la Fondation Égyptologique Reine Élisabeth, 1931, p. 12-14, no. 4.

Meyer, Marvin W., and Richard Smith. Ancient Christian Magic: Coptic Texts of Ritual Power. Princeton (New Jersey): Princeton University Press, 1999, p. 92-93, no. 47.

Pernigotti, Sergio. Testi della magia copta, Imola: Editrice La Mandragora, 2000, no. 22.Berlin and New York: Walter de Gruyter, 1995, p. 56-57, no. 22.

Spiegelberg, Wilhelm. “Die ägyptischen Namen und Zeichen der Tierkreisbilder in demotischer Schrift”, Zeitschrift für Ägyptische Sprache 48 (1911): 146-151.


Editor:

EL’s working edition from consultation of the original (17/10/18), improved through KD’s translation and given full apparatus by EL (17/6/2020); edited by team and Roxanne Bélanger Sarrazin (25/11/2020); edited by KD (30/11/2020); minor edits MPS (20/1/2023)

How to cite:
Korshi Dosoo, Edward O.D. Love & Markéta Preininger (chief editors). "KYP T179: Charm for sleep," Kyprianos Database of Ancient Ritual Texts and Objects, www.coptic-magic.phil.uni-wuerzburg.de/index.php/text/kyp-t-179. Accessed on 29/03/2024

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