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KYPRIANOS T340

Manuscript: M121
Sigla:

PCM 1 7
PCM I 7
Hs. Schmidt 2

Text no. question mark icon Position of the text within the manuscript.1
Coptic Scriptorium:
Date: 501 – 700

Text position:

Ro. ll. 1-38

Type of text:

Love spell (magical, formulary)

Original title:
Original title (translated):
Conventional title: Love spell containing Horus-Isis historiola-based charm

Language:

Egyptian (Coptic)

Dialect:

Sahidic (non-standard)

Script:

Coptic

Image:

Text: Translation:

1. ⳨ ⲁⲛⲟⲕ ⲇͅⲇͅ ⲁⲓⲃⲱⲕ ⲉϩⲟⲩⲛ
2. ϩⲛ̅ ⲟⲩⲣⲟ ⲛⲱⲛⲉ ⲁⲉⲓ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲛ ⲟⲩ-
3. ⲣⲟ ⲙⲡⲉⲛⲓⲡⲉ ⲁⲓⲃⲱⲕ ⲉϩⲟⲩⲛ ⲛⲥⲁ ϫⲱⲓ̈
4. ⲁⲓⲉⲓ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ⲛ̅ⲥⲁ ⲣⲁⲧ ⲁⲓϭⲓ̈ⲛⲉ ⲛ̅ⲥⲁϣϥ
5. ⲙⲡⲁⲣⲑⲉⲛⲟⲥ ⲉⲩϩⲙⲟⲟⲥ ϩⲓϫⲛ̅ ⲟⲩ-
6. ⲡⲩⲅⲏ ⲙ̅ⲙⲟ̅ⲟ̅ⲩ ⲁⲓⲟⲩⲱϣ ⲙⲡ̇ⲟⲩⲱϣ
7. ⲁⲓⲡⲓⲑⲉ ⲙⲡⲟⲩⲡⲓⲑⲉ · ⲁⲓⲟⲩⲱϣ ⲉ-
8. ⲙⲉⲣⲉ ⲛⲓⲙ̅ ⲧϣ ⲛ̅ⲛⲓⲙ · ⲧⲟⲥ ⲇⲉ ⲙ-
9. ⲡⲉⲥⲟⲩⲱϣ ⲉϫⲓ̈ ⲛⲧⲁⲡⲓ̈ · ⲁⲓⲧⲟⲕⲧ ⲁⲓ̅-
10. ⲁϩⲉⲣⲁⲧ ⲁⲓⲣⲓⲙⲉ ⲁⲓⲁϣⲁϩⲟⲙ ϣⲁⲛ-
11. ⲧⲉⲛⲣⲙⲉⲓⲟⲟⲩⲉ ⲛⲁⲃⲁⲗ ϩⲱⲃⲥ ⲛ̅ϭⲟⲡ
12. ⲛⲣⲁⲧ ⲁⲏ̅ⲥⲉ ⲣ̅ ⲟⲩⲱ ϫⲉ ⲁϩⲣⲟⲕ ⲡⲣⲱⲙⲉ
13. ⲡϣⲏⲣⲉ ⲙⲡⲣⲉ · ⲉⲕⲣⲓⲙⲉ ⲉⲕⲁϣⲁϩⲟⲙ
14. ϣⲁⲛⲧⲉⲛⲣⲙ̅ⲉⲓⲟⲟⲩ ⲛⲉⲕⲃⲁⲗ ϩⲱⲃⲥ
15. ⲛϭⲟⲡ ⲛⲣⲁⲧⲕ̅ · ϫⲉ ⲛⲥⲁⲟⲩ ⲏⲥⲉ
16. ⲛ̅ⲧⲉⲟⲩⲱϣ ⲧⲁⲣⲓⲙⲉ ⲁⲛ̅ · ⲛ̅ⲧⲁⲓ̈ⲃⲱⲕ
17. ⲉϩⲟⲩⲛ̅ ϩⲛ ⲟⲩⲣⲱ ⲛⲱⲛⲉ · ⲁⲓⲉⲓ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ
18. ϩⲛ ⲟⲩⲣⲟ ⲙ̅ⲡⲉⲛⲓⲡⲉ · ⲁⲓⲃⲱⲕ ⲉϩⲟⲩⲛ
19. ⲛⲥⲁ ϫⲱⲓ̈ ⲁⲓ̈ⲉⲓ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ⲛ̅ⲥⲁ ⲣⲁⲧ ⲁⲓϭⲓⲛⲉ
20. ⲛⲥⲁϣϥⲉ ⲙⲡⲁⲣⲑⲉⲛⲟⲥ ϩⲓϫⲛ ⲟⲩⲡⲏⲅⲏ
21. ⲙ̅ⲙⲟⲟⲩ ⲁⲓⲟⲩⲱϣ ⲙ̅ⲡⲟⲩⲱ̅ⲱ ⲁⲓⲡⲓⲑⲉ
22. ⲙ̅ⲡⲟⲩⲡⲓⲑⲉ ⲁⲓⲟⲩⲱϣ ⲉⲙⲉⲣⲉ ⲛⲓⲙ
23. ⲧϣ ⲛⲛⲓⲙ ⲛ̅ⲧⲟⲥ ϭⲉ ⲙ̅ⲡⲉⲥⲟⲩⲱϣ ⲉϫⲓ
24. ⲛ̅ⲧⲁⲡⲓ · ϫⲉ ⲕⲁⲃⲱⲕ ⲉϩⲟⲩⲛ ϩⲛ ⲟⲩⲣⲟ
25. ⲛⲱⲛⲉ ⲛ̅ⲥⲁ ⲟⲩ ⲛⲅ̅ⲉⲓ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲛ̅ ⲟⲩⲣⲟ ⲙⲡⲉ-
26. ⲛⲓⲡⲉ ⲛⲅ̅ϭⲓⲛⲉ ⲛ̅ⲥⲁϣϥ ⲙⲡⲁⲣⲑⲉⲛⲟⲥ
27. ⲛⲅⲟⲩⲱϣ ⲛⲥⲉⲧⲙ̅ⲟⲩⲱϣ ⲛⲅ̅ⲟⲩⲱϣ
28. ⲉⲙⲉⲣⲉ ⲛⲓⲙ̅ ⲧϣ ⲛ̅ⲛⲓⲙ ⲛ̅ⲧⲟⲥ ⲇⲉ ⲛⲥ-
29. ⲧⲙⲟⲩⲱϣ ⲉϫⲓ ⲛⲧⲉⲕⲡⲓ̈ · ⲙⲡⲉⲕ-
30. ⲧⲟⲕ ⲛⲅ̅ⲁϩⲉⲣⲁⲧⲕ ⲛⲅ̅ⲧⲉⲕ ⲥⲁϣϥ
31. ⲛ̅ⲗⲁⲥ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϫⲉ ⲑⲏⲧϥ̅ · ⲍ
32. ⲡⲛⲟϭ ⲉϩⲛ̅ ⲛ̅ⲉⲡ̅ⲛ̅ⲁ̅ ⲉⲓ̈ⲟⲩⲱϣ ⲉⲧⲣⲉ-
33. ⲛⲓⲙ̅ ⲧϣ ⲛⲛⲓⲙ ⲣ̅ ϩⲙ̣ⲉ ⲛ̅ϩⲟⲟⲩ
34. ⲙⲛ̅ ϩⲙⲉ ⲛⲟⲩϣⲏ ⲉⲥⲁϣⲉ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ
35. ⲛ̅ⲥⲱⲓ ⲛⲑⲉ ⲛⲟⲟⲩϩⲟⲣ⧹ⲉ⧸ ϩⲁ ⲟⲩϩⲟⲣ
36. ⲛⲑⲉ ⲛⲟⲩϣⲟⲩ ϩⲁ ⲟⲩⲕⲁⲡⲣ̅ⲥ
37. ϫⲉ ⲁⲛⲟⲕ ⲡⲉⲧⲙⲟⲩⲧⲉ ⲛⲧⲟⲕ ⲉⲧ-
38. [ⲣ̅] ⲡⲉⲟⲩⲱϣ ·

[1] ⳨ I, NN, went in [2] through a door of stone, I came out through a [3] door of iron. I went in headfirst, [4] I came out feet first. I found seven [5] maidens sitting by a [6] well of water. I desired, but they did not desire. [7] I was seduced but they were not seduced. I wanted to [8] love N, the daughter of N, but she, [9] she did not want me to kiss her. I fortified myself, I [10] stood, I cried, and I groaned until [11] ⟨the⟩ tears of my eyes covered ⟨the⟩ soles [12] of my feet.

Isis replied, “What is wrong with you, O man, [13] O child of the sun, crying and groaning [14] until ⟨the⟩ tears of your eyes cover [15] ⟨the⟩ soles of your feet?”

“Why, Isis, [16] do you not want me to cry? I went in [17] through a door of stone, I came out [18] through a door of iron. I went in [19] headfirst, I came out feet first. I found [20] seven maidens by a well [21] of water. I desired but they did not desire. I was seduced [22] but they were not seduced. I wanted to love N, [23] the daughter of N, but she, she did not want me to [24] kiss her.”

“Why did you go in through a door of [25] stone, and come out through a door of [26] iron, and find seven maidens, [27] and desire, and they did not desire, want [28] to love N, the daughter of N, but she [29] did not want you to kiss her, ⟨why⟩ did you not [30] fortify yourself and stand up, and cast out seven [31] tongues, saying ‘Thētf’ seven ⟨times⟩, [32] ‘O great one among the spirits, I want to make [33] N, the daughter of N, spend forty nights [34] and forty days clinging [35] to me like a bitch under a dog, [36] like a sow under a boar, [37] for it is I who calls you, and you who [38] [does] the desire!”

Tableau:
Tracing by:

Apparatus:

3. ⲛ̅ⲥⲁϫⲱⲓ̈ : ⲛⲥⲁϫⲱⲓ̈ Kropp
4. ⲥⲁϣϥ i.e. Sahidic ⲥⲁϣϥⲉ
5. ⲡⲁⲣⲑⲉⲛⲟⲥ i.e. Greek παρθένος
6. ⲡⲩⲅⲏ i.e. Greek πηγή | ⲙ̅ⲙⲟ̅ⲟ̅ⲩ : ⲙ̅ⲙⲟⲟⲩ Kropp | ⲙⲡⲟⲩⲱϣ i.e. Sahidic ⲙ̅ⲡ⸗ⲟⲩ-ⲟⲩⲱϣ
7. ⲡⲓⲑⲉ i.e. Greek πείθειν (twice)
8. ⲧⲟⲥ corrected from ⲧⲟⲟ i.e. Sahidic ⲛ̅ⲧⲟⲥ | ⲇⲉ i.e. Greek δέ
9. ⲡⲉⲥⲟⲩⲱϣ ⲥ corrected from ⲟ̣ | ⲁⲓⲧⲟⲕⲧ : translate “I threw myself down” (“Ich warf mich hin”) Kropp, Richter
11. ⲛⲁⲃⲁⲗ i.e. Sahidic ⲛ̅-ⲛⲁ-ⲃⲁⲗ (haplography) | ⲛ̅ϭⲟⲡ i.e. Sahidic ⲛ̅-ⲛ-ϭⲟⲡ (haplography)
12. ⲁⲏ̅ⲥⲉ : ⲁⲏⲥⲉ Kropp
13. ⲡϣⲏⲣⲉ ⲙⲡⲣⲉ translate “son of Re” (“Sohn des Re”) Kropp, Richter
14. ⲣⲙ̅ⲉⲓⲟⲟⲩ i.e. Sahidic ⲣⲙⲉⲓⲟⲟⲩⲉ | ⲛⲉⲕⲃⲁⲗ i.e. Sahidic ⲛ̅-ⲛⲉ⸗ⲕ-ⲃⲁⲗ (haplography)
15. ⲛϭⲟⲡ i.e. Sahidic ⲛ̅-ⲛ-ϭⲟⲡ (haplography) | ⲏⲥⲉ ⲏ corrected from unclear letter by overwriting
20. ⲡⲏⲅⲏ i.e. Greek πηγή
21. ⲙ̅ⲡⲟⲩⲱ̅ⲱ l. ⲙ̅ⲡⲟⲩⲱ̅ϣ i.e. Sahidic ⲙ̅ⲡ⸗ⲟⲩ-ⲟⲩⲱϣ | ⲡⲓⲑⲉ i.e. Greek πείθειν
22. ⲡⲓⲑⲉ i.e. Greek πείθειν
24. ⲕⲁⲃⲱⲕ l. ⲁⲕⲃⲱⲕ ? : l. ⲉ⸗ⲕ-ⲁ-ⲃⲱⲕ Richter (cf. note below)
26. ⲡⲁⲣⲑⲉⲛⲟⲥ i.e. Greek παρθένος
28. ⲇⲉ i.e. Greek δέ
30. ⲧⲟⲕ l. ⲧⲟⲕ⸗ⲕ (haplography) : translate “throw yourself down” (“dich … hingeworfen”) Kropp, Richter
32. ⲉϩⲛ̅ i.e. Sahidic ⲉⲧ-ϩⲛ̅ ? | ⲡⲛ̅ⲁ̅ l. ⲡⲛ̅(ⲉⲩⲙ)ⲁ̅ i.e. Greek πνεῦμα
35. ⲛⲟⲟⲩϩⲟⲣ̅⧹ⲉ⧸ i.e. Sahidic ⲛ̅-ⲟⲩ-ⲟⲩϩⲟⲣⲉ
36. ⲕⲁⲡⲣ̅ⲥ i.e. Greek κάπρος
37-38. ⲛⲧⲟⲕ ⲉⲧ[ⲣ̅] ⲡⲉⲟⲩⲱϣ cf. P. Mich. Inv. Verso l. 10 (KYP M129, T343) 4932f: ⲛⲧⲟⲕ ⲡⲉⲧⲉⲣⲉ ⲡⲟⲩⲱϣ: ⲛⲧⲟⲕ ⲉⲧ[ϫ]ⲡⲉ ⲟⲩⲱϣ “you are the one who produces love” (“der Liebe erzeugt”) ? Kropp : l. ⲛⲧⲟⲕ ⲉⲧ-ϫⲡⲓ-ⲟⲩⲱϣ “You are the one who must obey” (“der willfahren muß”) ? Kropp, Crum in Kropp : translate “you are the one who must desire” Meyer/Smith

Notes:

The present location of this papyrus is unknown. The only surviving image is printed in Kropp (AKZ I) as plate 1; this only contains ll. 1-20, and the leftmost parts of ll. 15-20 are hidden by the overlapping Schmidt 1. We accept Kropp’s readings in all cases for parts not visible in the image, except where he has restored text.
7. ⲁⲓⲡⲓⲑⲉ ⲙⲡⲟⲩⲡⲓⲑⲉ For πείθειν with the sense of “be seduced” cf. Pseudo-Chrysostom, On Susannah 26: ⲡⲉⲓⲑⲉ ϭⲉ ⲛⲁⲛⲟⲩ ⲛⲧⲉϣⲱⲡⲉ ⲛⲙⲙⲁⲛ (“be seduced, then, it is good for you to sleep with us”) (Budge p. 51 l. 17).
24. ϫⲉ ⲕⲁⲃⲱⲕ Here we translate this as a first perfect, understanding ϫⲉ ⲁⲕⲃⲱⲕ, since this is the tense used throughout for this narrative section, which recurs in the juxtaposed negative first perfect in ll. 29-30 (ⲙⲡⲉⲕⲧⲟⲕ), and used in the texts which offer the closest parallels to this narrative (see Blumell/Dosoo p. 234-235 et passim). The form however resembles a third or fourth future (l. ϫ⟨ⲉ⟩ ⲉϫ(ⲛ)ⲁⲃⲱⲕ); this is how it is translated in Richter. It is perhaps possible that the discrepancy is caused by a typo in Kropp, since he also translates this as a past tense.

Bibliography:

Blumell, Lincoln and Dosoo, Korshi. “Horus, Isis, and the Dark-Eyed Beauty: A Series of Magical Ostraca in the Brigham Young University Collection.” Archiv für Papyrusforschung 64 (2018): 199-259.

Kropp, Angelicus. Ausgewählte koptische Zaubertexte. Textpublikation. Vol. 1, Bruxelles: Édition de la Fondation Égyptologique Reine Élisabeth, 1931, p. 13-14, no. B.

Kropp, Angelicus. Ausgewählte koptische Zaubertexte. Übersetzungen und Anmerkungen. Vol. 2. Bruxelles: Édition de la Fondation Égyptologique Reine Élisabeth, 1931, p. 6-8, no. 2.

Meyer, Marvin W., and Richard Smith. Ancient Christian Magic: Coptic Texts of Ritual Power. Princeton (New Jersey): Princeton University Press, 1999, p. 152-153, no. 72.

Pernigotti, Sergio. “La magia copta: I testi.” In Aufstieg und Niedergang der römischen Welt II 18.5, edited by Hildegard Temporini and Wolfgang Haase. Berlin and New York: Walter de Gruyter, 1995, p. 3698-3699, no. 2.

Pernigotti, Sergio. Testi della Magia Copta. Imola: Editrice La Mandragora, 2000, p. 53-54, no. 18.

Richter, Tonio Sebastian. “Texte und Riten in koptischer Schrift”. In Altägyptische Zaubersprüche, edited by Hans.-W, Fischer-Elfert. Stuttgart: Philipp Reclam, 2005, p. 123-124, 171-172, no. 98.


Editor:

EL’s edition from photograph of the original, incorporating Kropp and Meyer/Smith (14/10/2018) (26/7/2021); edited by KD, EL and Roxanne Bélanger Sarrazin based on photo and Kropp (22/9/2021); minor correction of line number MPS (16/1/2023)

How to cite:
Korshi Dosoo, Edward O.D. Love & Markéta Preininger (chief editors). "KYP T340: Love spell containing Horus-Isis historiola-based charm," Kyprianos Database of Ancient Ritual Texts and Objects, www.coptic-magic.phil.uni-wuerzburg.de/index.php/text/kyp-t-340. Accessed on 20/04/2024

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