KYP T-342

KYPRIANOS DATABASE OF ANCIENT RITUAL TEXTS

KYPRIANOS T342

Manuscript:	M127
Sigla:	PCM 1 20 PCM I 20 P. Donadoni
Text no. Position of the text within the manuscript.	1
Coptic Scriptorium:
Date:	701 – 900

Text position:	Ro ll. 1-16
Type of text:	Love spell (magical, formulary, charm)

Original title:
Original title (translated):
Conventional title:	Love spell

Language:	Egyptian (Coptic)
Dialect:	Sahidic with Fayumic features
Script:	Coptic
Image:

Text:

Translation:

1. ⳨̣ ⲁⲉⲓ̈ⲙⲟⲟϣⲉ ϩⲓ̈ⲣⲉⲛ ⲉⲡⲉⲣⲉ ⲛⲁⲙⲉⲛⲧ̣ⲉ̣ ⲁ̣ⲓ̣̈ϩⲉ ⲟⲩⲥⲁⲓ̈ⲉ
2. ⲛⲁⲣⲁⲩ ⲛⲕⲁⲙ ϥⲁⲣ ⲉⲥϩⲙⲟⲟⲥ ϩⲉϫⲉ ⲟⲩϣⲱⲧⲉ ⲛⲱⲛⲉ
3. ⲉⲣⲉⲟⲩϥⲉⲥⲉⲕⲓ̈ⲛ ϩⲓ̈ϫⲱⲥ ⲉⲥⲥⲱⲕ ⲙⲟⲩ ⲉⲕⲁⲧⲉⲥ ⲛϩⲟ-
4. ⲙⲉⲧ ⲉⲥ . . . ⲣϭ . ⲥ̣ ⲙⲡⲓ̈ⲛⲓ̈ⲡⲉ ⲙⲉϫⲁⲓ̈ ⲛⲁⲥ ϫⲉ ⲇⲥⲁ-
5. ⲓ̣̈ⲉ ⲇⲓ̈ ⲟⲩⲡⲉ ⲉⲣⲱ̣ⲓ̈ ⲙⲉϫ̣ⲁ̣ⲥ̣ ⲛ̣ⲁⲓ̈ ϫ̣ⲉ̣ ⲥ̣ⲁϩⲱ̣ⲕ ⲥⲁⲃⲁ-
6. ⲣ̣ ⲙⲱ̣ⲓ̈ ⲡⲉⲥⲇⲱ̣ . . . ⲉⲛ̣ . ⲓ̣ . . . ϩ̣ⲓ̣ⲣ̣ⲉ̣ⲛ̣ ⲉ̣ⲡ̣ⲉⲣⲉ ⲛⲁⲙⲉ-
7. [ⲛⲧⲉ] ⲁⲓ̈ⲡⲱⲧ ⲥⲁⲃⲟⲣ ⲙⲟⲥ ⲁⲓ̈ϩⲓ̈ⲥⲉ ⲁⲓ̈ⲣⲓ̈ⲙⲉ ⲁⲓ̈ⲁϣⲁϩⲟⲙ ⲙⲉ-
8. [ϫⲉ] ⲏ̣ⲥⲉ ⲛⲁⲓ̈ ϫⲉ ⲁϩⲣⲟⲕ ⲕⲣⲓ̈ⲙⲉ ⲕⲁϣⲁϩⲟⲙ ϫⲉ ⲁϩⲣⲟⲓ̈ ⲁⲛ
9. [ⲧⲁⲣ]ⲓ̣̈ⲙⲉ ⲛⲇⲁⲓ̈ϭⲓ̈ⲛ ⲟⲩⲥⲁⲓ̈ⲉ ⲛⲥϩⲓ̈ⲙⲉ ⲉⲓ̈ⲟⲩⲱϣ ⲉⲇⲓ̈ ⲟⲩⲡ-
10. [ⲉ ⲉ]ⲣ̣ⲱⲥ ⲙⲡⲉⲥⲇⲱ ⲡⲁϩⲉⲧ ⲙⲉϫⲁⲥ ϫⲉ ⲕⲁⲛ ⲙⲡⲉⲕϩⲉ
11. [ⲉⲣⲱ]ⲓ̈ ⲙⲡⲉϩⲉ ⲡⲁⲣⲁⲛ ⲙⲡⲉⲕϩⲉ ⲡⲣⲁⲛ ⲙⲡⲉⲓ̈ϣⲟⲙⲉ-
12. [ⲧ] ⲛ̣ⲁⲛⲕⲉⲣⲟⲥ ⲕⲓ̈ⲣⲓ̈ⲉ ⲕⲓ̈ⲣⲓ̈ⲉ ⲡⲣⲟⲥⲕⲉⲉⲩⲛⲓ̈ ⲯ-
13. [ . . ] . ⲉⲧⲛⲓ̈ⲛⲉ ⲉⲣⲁⲧ ⲇ ⲛⲓⲙ ⲇϣⲉ ⲛⲛⲓ̈ⲙ ⲇⲁϣⲱ-
14. [ⲡⲉ] ⲛ̣ⲉⲙⲁⲥ ⲇⲁⲛⲟⲩϫⲉ ⲛⲇⲁⲉⲡⲉⲑⲉⲙⲓ̈ ⲉⲣⲟⲥ ⲛⲥ-
15. [ . . ]ⲩ ⲉϩⲟⲩⲛ ⲉⲇ̣ⲉⲥ̣ⲟⲟⲇⲉ ⲡⲉϣϥⲉ ⲙ̣ⲟⲩⲧ ⲉⲩⲕⲱⲧⲉ
16. [ⲉ]ⲣⲟⲥ ⲉⲡⲕⲱⲧⲉ ⲧⲁⲭⲉ ⲧⲁⲭⲉ

[1] ⳨ I walked by the door of hell, I found a beauty, [2] white with black eyes, sitting upon a well of stone, [3] a bag (?) beside her, drawing water with a bronze jar, [4] … of iron. I said to her, “O [5] beauty, give me a kiss!” She said to me, “Get away from [6] me! She did not … by the door of Hell. [7] I ran away from her. I suffered, I cried, I groaned. [8] Isis said to me, “Why do you cry, why do you groan?” ⟨I said⟩, “It is not my fault [9] that I cry. I found a beautiful woman whom I wanted to kiss, [10], but she did not return (?) my heart.” She said to me, “Even if you did not find [11] me, if you did not find my name, if you did not find the name of these three [12] angels, Kirie, Kirie, prostrate (?) … [13] … you (pl.) shall bring NN daughter of NN to my, NN, feet, that I might be [14] with her, that I might cast my desire at her, and it … [15] into her womb, ⟨to⟩ (?) the seventy nerves which surround [16] it! Quickly, quickly!

Tableau:
Tracing by:

Apparatus:

1. ⲁⲉⲓ̈ⲙⲟⲟϣⲉ i.e. Sahidic ⲁⲓ̈ⲙⲟⲟϣⲉ | ϩⲓ̈ⲣⲉⲛ ⲉⲡⲉⲣⲉ i.e. Sahidic ϩⲓⲣⲙ̅ ⲡⲣⲟ | ⲁ̣ⲓ̣̈ϩⲉ ⲟⲩⲥⲁⲓ̈ⲉ i.e. Sahidic ⲁⲓ̈ϩⲉ ⲉⲟⲩⲥⲁⲓ̈ⲉ (haplography)
2. ⲁⲣⲁⲩ i.e. Sahidic ⲁⲗⲁⲩ | ϥⲁⲣ i.e. Sahidic ⲃⲁⲗ : ϣⲁⲁⲣ Donadoni | ⲉⲥϩⲙⲟⲟⲥ corrected from ⲉⲉϩⲙⲟⲟⲥ | ϩⲉϫⲉ- i.e. Sahidic ϩⲓϫⲛ- | ⲟⲩϣⲱⲧⲉ corrected from ⲟⲩ . ⲱⲧⲉ ?
3. ϥ̣ⲉⲥⲉⲕⲓ̈ⲛ i.e Latin bisaccium van der Vliet, cf. Greek σάκκιον | ⲉⲥⲥⲱⲕ ⲙⲟⲩ i.e. Sahidic ⲉⲥⲥⲱⲕ ⲙ̅ⲙⲟⲟⲩ | ⲉⲕⲁⲧⲉⲥ i.e. Sahidic ⲛ̅ⲕⲁⲧⲉⲥ i.e. Greek κάδος Förster WBGW 357 : Donadoni translates “water-wheel” (noria)
3-4: ϩⲟⲙⲉⲧ corrected from ϩⲉⲙⲉⲧ | ⲛϩⲟⲙⲉⲧ : ⲛ̅ϩⲟⲙⲉⲧ Donadoni
4. ⲉⲥ . . . ⲣϭ . ⲥ̣ i.e. Sahidic ϩⲁⲗϭⲓⲥ ? : ⲉⲥ[ . . . . ]ⲣⲁϩⲉ Donadoni | ⲙⲉϫⲁ⸗ i.e. Sahidic ⲡⲉϫⲁ⸗ | ⲇ i.e. Sahidic ⲧ-
4-5. ⲇⲥⲁⲓ̈ⲉ : ⲁⲥⲁⲓ̈ⲉ Donadoni
5. ⲇⲓ̣ i.e. Sahidic ϯ | ⲙⲉϫ̣ⲁ̣⸗ i.e. Sahidic ⲡⲉϫⲁ⸗ | ϫ̣ⲉ̣ ⲥ̣ⲁϩⲱ̣ⲕ ⲥⲁⲃⲁ- : [ … ] Donadoni
6. ⲡⲉⲥⲇⲱ̣ i.e. Sahidic ⲙ̅ⲡⲉⲥⲧⲱⲡ ? cf. l. 10 | for this line : . ⲛ̣ⲟ̣ⲓ̣̈ⲡ̣ⲉ̣ⲥ̣ⲇ̣ . . . . . ϥ̣ⲉⲙ̣ [ . . ] . . [ . . . . . . . ] . . . . ⲉⲣⲉ ⲡ̣ⲁ̣ⲙ̣ⲉ̣ Donadoni
7. [ⲛⲧⲉ] ⲁⲓ̈ⲡⲱⲧ ⲥⲁⲃⲟⲣ ⲙⲟⲥ i.e. Sahidic ⲁⲓ̈ⲡⲱⲧ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ⲙ̅ⲙⲟⲥ : [ⲧⲁⲗ]ⲁⲓ̈ⲡⲱⲣ[ⲟ]ⲥ ⲁⲃⲟⲣⲙⲟⲥ i.e. Greek ταλαίπωρος ἄφορμος Donadoni
7-8. ⲙⲉϫⲉ- i.e. Sahidic ⲡⲉϫⲉ-
8. ⲏ̣ⲥⲉ : [ⲏ]ⲥⲉ Donadoni
9. ⲛⲇⲁ- i.e. Sahidic ⲛ̅ⲧⲁ- | ⲉⲇⲓ̈- i.e. Sahidic ⲉϯ-
10. ⲙⲡⲉⲥⲇⲱ l. ⲙⲡⲉⲥⲇⲱ⟨ⲡ⟩ Donadoni | ϩⲉⲧ i.e. Sahidic ϩⲏⲧ | ⲙⲉϫⲁ⸗ i.e. Sahidic ⲡⲉϫⲁ⸗ | ⲕⲁⲛ i.e. Greek κἄν
11. [ⲉⲣⲱ]ⲓ̈ : [ⲉⲣⲟ]ⲓ̈ Donadoni | ⲙⲡⲉϩⲉ ⲡⲁⲣⲁⲛ i.e. Sahidic ⲙ̅ⲡⲉⲕϩⲉ ⲉⲡⲁⲣⲁⲛ | ⲙⲡⲉⲕϩⲉ ⲡⲣⲁⲛ i.e. Sahidic ⲙ̅ⲡⲉⲕϩⲉ ⲉⲡⲁⲣⲁⲛ
12. [ⲧ] ⲛⲁⲛⲕⲉⲣⲟⲥ i.e. Greek ἅγγελος van der Vliet : [ . ] ⲛⲁⲛⲕ ⲉⲣⲟⲥ Donadoni | ⲕⲓ̈ⲣⲓ̈ⲉ (twice) i.e. Greek κύριε ? | ⲡⲣⲟⲥⲕⲉⲉⲩⲛⲓ̈ ⲯ- i.e. Greek προσκυνεῖν : ⲡⲣⲱⲥⲕⲉ ⲉⲩⲏⲓ̈ⲯ Donadoni
13. [ . . ] . ⲉⲧⲛⲓ̈ⲛⲉ i.e. Sahidic ⲉⲧⲉⲧⲛ̅ⲉⲉ̈ⲓⲛⲉ : [ … ]ⲁⲉⲧⲛⲓ̈ⲛⲉ Donadoni | ⲇ l. ⲇ(ⲉⲓⲛⲁ) i.e. Greek δ(εῖνα) | ⲇⲁ- i.e. Sahidic (ⲛ̅)ⲧⲁ-
14. ⲇⲁⲛⲟⲩϫⲉ i.e. Sahidic (ⲛ̅)ⲧⲁⲛⲟⲩϫⲉ : ⲇ ⲁⲙⲟⲩ ϫⲉ Donadoni | ⲛⲥ- Roxanne Bélanger Sarrazin (private communication 26/3/2020) : ⲛⲅ Donadoni | ⲉⲡⲉⲑⲉⲙⲓ̈ i.e. Greek ἐπιθυμία
14-15. ⲛⲥ[ . . ]ⲩ : ⲛⲅ[ⲛⲟ]ⲩ Donadoni
15. ⲉⲇ̣ⲉⲥ̣ⲟⲟⲇⲉ i.e. Sahidic ⲉⲧⲉⲥⲟⲟⲧⲉ : ⲉϫⲉ ⲥⲟⲟⲇⲉ Donadoni i.e. Greek ζῴδιον Donadoni | ⲡⲉϣϥⲉ i.e. Sahidic ⟨ⲉ⟩ⲡⲉϣϥⲉ (haplography) : ⟨ⲉ⟩ⲡⲉϣϥⲉ Donadoni | ⲙ̣̣ⲟⲩⲧ ⲉⲩⲕⲱⲧⲉ : ⲛⲟⲩⲧ⟨ⲉ⟩ ⲉⲩⲕⲱⲧⲉ i.e. Sahidic ⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ ⲉⲩⲕⲱⲧⲉ Donadoni
16. ⲉⲡⲕⲱⲧⲉ i.e. Sahidic ⲙ̅ⲡⲕⲱⲧⲉ | ⲧⲁⲭⲉ i.e. Greek ταχύ (twice)

Notes:

1. ⲁⲉⲓ̈ⲙⲟⲟϣⲉ ϩⲓ̈ⲣⲉⲛ ⲉⲡⲉⲣⲉ ⲛⲁⲙⲉⲛⲧ̣ⲉ̣ We might expect “I walked through the door of hell here”; this is how it has been translated in all other editions. If the preposition is indeed ϩⲓⲣⲛ̅ rather than ϩⲓⲧⲛ̅, however, this does not seem possible, unless we are dealing with an idiom otherwise unknown to us.
3. ϥ̣ⲉⲥⲉⲕⲓ̈ⲛ Jacques van der Vliet translates “travelling bag”, understanding this to be a writing of the Latin bisaccium. This seems phonologically plausible (compare spellings of σάκκιον in Förster WBGW), but the word is not otherwise attested in either Coptic or Greek (through which most Latin loanwords were transmitted into Coptic). The normal Greek equivalent is δισάκκιον (E.A. Sophocles, “A Glossary of Later and Byzantine Greek”, Memoirs of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences N.S. 7A (1860), p. 260), a term which appears in several documentary papyri from Egypt.
12. ⲕⲓ̈ⲣⲓ̈ⲉ Roxanne Bélanger Sarrazin (private communication 26/3/2020) proposes that the final invocation should be understood as beginning here, supplying (say) before this word. This seems like a promising possibility, since we might expect an invocation to begin here.
14. “Desire” might refer to male genitals, as in P. Heid. Inv. Kopt. 683 ll. 32-33 (KYP T48).

Bibliography:

Donadoni, Sergio. “Un incantesimo amatorio copto.” Atti della Reale Accademia delle Scienze di Torino, scienze morali, storiche e filologiche no. 100 (1965–1966): 285–292 (transcription, translation, image).

Martín Hernández, Raquel, and Sofía Torallas Tovar. “‘You Who Impose Sleep Upon Abimelech for Seventy-Two Years’: An Egyptian Spell against Insomnia.” In Contesti magici/Contextos mágicos, edited by Marina Piramonte and Francisco Marco Simón. Rome: De Luca Editori d’Arte, p. 309-312.

Pernigotti, Sergio. “La magia copta: I testi.” In Aufstieg und Niedergang der römischen Welt, edited by Hildegard Temporini and Wolfgang Haase, II.18.5, 3685–3730. Berlin and New York: Walter de Gruyter, 1995, p. 3714-3715, no. 20.

van der Vliet, Jacques. “Christian Spells and Manuals from Egypt”. In Guide to the Study of Ancient Magic, edited by David Frankfurter. Leiden : Brill, 2019, p. 344.

Editor:

Edition by Korshi Dosoo based on text in Donadoni; edited based on photograph by KD (18/2/2020); transcription and translation checked, and apparatus updated by EL (27/2/20); team work by KD, MPS and EL (2/3/2020); edits suggested by Roxanne Bélanger Sarrazin (private communication 26/3/2020) added by KD (27/3/2020); team edit and final check (16/10/2020)

How to cite:

Korshi Dosoo, Edward O.D. Love & Markéta Preininger (chief editors). "KYP T342: Love spell," Kyprianos Database of Ancient Ritual Texts and Objects, www.coptic-magic.phil.uni-wuerzburg.de/index.php/text/kyp-t-342. Accessed on 23/04/2024

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