KYP T-343

KYPRIANOS DATABASE OF ANCIENT RITUAL TEXTS

KYPRIANOS T343

Manuscript:	M129
Sigla:	PCM 1 8 PCM I 8 P. Mich. Inv. 4932f
Text no. Position of the text within the manuscript.	1
Coptic Scriptorium:
Date:	501 – 700

Text position:	Ro ll. 1-20, Vo ll. 1-10
Type of text:	Love spell (magical, formulary, erotic)

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

Language:	Egyptian (Coptic)
Dialect:	Sahidic with Fayumic features (?)
Script:	Coptic
Image:	https://quod.lib.umich.edu/a/apis/x-2349/4932fv.tif

Text:

Translation:

Recto
Hair

1. ⳨ ⲡⲛⲉϩ ⲡⲛⲉϩ ⲡⲛⲉϩ • ⲡⲛⲉϩ ⲉⲧⲟⲩⲁⲁⲃ
2. ⲡⲛⲉϩ ⲉⲧϩⲁⲧⲉ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲁ ⲡⲉⲑⲣⲟⲛⲟⲥ ⲛⲓⲁⲱ
3. ⲥⲁⲃⲁ[vacat]ⲱⲑ • ⲡⲛⲉϩ ⲛ̅ⲧⲁⲏⲥⲉ ⲧⲁϩⲥϥ ⲛⲕⲉ-
4. ⲉⲥ ⲛⲉⲩⲥⲓⲣ • ϯⲙⲟⲩⲧⲉ ⲉⲣⲟⲕ ⲡⲛⲉϩ • ⲡⲣⲏ ⲙⲛ̣
5. ⲡⲟⲟϩ • ⲙⲟⲩⲧⲉ ⲉⲣⲟⲕ • ⲛⲥⲓⲟⲩ ⲛⲧⲡⲉ ⲙⲟⲩⲧⲉ
6. ⲉⲣⲟⲕ • ⲛ̅ⲣⲉϥⲡⲱϣⲛ ⲙⲡⲣⲏ ⲙⲟⲩⲧⲉ ⲉⲣⲟⲕ
7. ϯⲟⲩⲱϣ ⲉϫⲟⲟⲩⲕ ⲉⲕⲉⲃⲱⲕ • ⲧⲁⲛⲧⲕ ⲛⲅ-
8. ⲉⲓⲛⲉ ⲇͅⲇͅ ⲉⲣⲁⲧ ⲁⲛⲟⲕ ⲇͅⲇͅ ⲛⲅⲧⲣⲉⲡⲁⲙⲏ̣
9. ϣ̣ⲱ̣[ⲡⲉ] ϩⲙ ⲡⲉⲥϩⲏⲧ ⲛ̅ⲧⲉⲡⲱⲥ ϣⲱⲡⲉ ϩⲙ ⲡⲱⲓ
10. [ⲛⲑⲉ] ⲛⲟⲩⲥⲱⲛ ⲙⲛ ⲟⲩⲥⲱⲛⲉ • ⲙⲛ̅ ⲟⲩⲗⲁⲃⲟⲓ
11. [ⲉⲥⲟⲩ]ⲱϣ ⲉϯ ϫⲓ ⲛⲉⲥϣⲏⲣⲉ • ⲁⲓⲟ ⲁⲓⲟ ϯ-
12. [ⲧⲁⲣ]ⲕⲁ ⲙⲙⲟⲕ ⲡⲉⲧⲉⲣⲉϫⲱϥ ϩⲛ ⲧⲡⲉ
13. ⲉⲣⲉⲣⲁⲧϥ ϩⲙ ⲡⲛⲟⲩⲛ ⲉⲣⲉϩⲏ ⲙⲙⲟϥ ⲟ ⲛϩⲁ
14. ⲛⲉⲥⲟⲟⲩ ⲉⲣⲉⲡⲁϩⲟⲩ ⲙⲙⲟϥ ⲟ ⲛϩⲁ ⲇⲣⲁⲕⲱ̅
15. ⲡⲉⲧⲉⲣⲉⲧⲡⲉ ⲧⲏ ⲛ̅ⲕⲁ’ⲕⲓ ⲛⲓⲙ ⲁϣⲉ ⲛⲥ̣ⲟ̣ⲕ̣
16. ⲉⲣⲉⲡⲣⲓⲕⲉ ⲛⲉ[ . ] . [ ca. 17 ]
17. ⲛ̣ⲉϩⲓⲟⲙⲉ ⲉⲧ[ ca. 18 ]
18. [ . ]. ⲥ ⲉⲧϩⲓϫ[ⲛ ca. 17 ]
19. [ . . ]ⲭⲟⲩⲃⲁ . [ ca. 18 ]
20. [ . . . . ] . . [ ca. 20 ]
—————————————————————

Verso
Flesh

1. ⧸⳨⧹ ϯⲛⲁⲡⲟⲣⲕϥ ⲟⲩⲡⲉⲛⲓⲡⲉ ϯⲛⲁⲃⲟⲗϥ
2. ⲉⲃⲟⲗ • ⲙⲡⲱⲣ ⲡⲁϫⲟⲉⲓⲥ • ⲙⲡⲣⲧⲁⲁⲧ
3. ⲉⲧⲟ̣ⲟ̣ⲧϥ ⲛ̅ⲇⲓⲙⲉⲗⲟⲩⲭⲟⲥ ⲡⲉⲧϩⲣⲁⲓ
4. ⲉϫⲛ̅ ⲧⲕⲣⲓⲥⲓⲥ • ⲁⲗⲗⲁ ϯⲟⲩⲱϣ ⲉⲧ-
5. ⲣⲉⲕⲃⲱⲕ ⲉⲡⲉⲥⲏⲧ ⲉⲁⲙⲛⲧⲉ ⲛ̅ⲅ̅ⲡⲱ-
6. ⲣ̅ⲕ̅ ⲛⲙⲙⲉⲉⲩⲉ ⲧⲏⲣⲟⲩ ⲙⲡⲇⲓⲁⲃⲟⲗⲟⲥ
7. ⲉϩⲣⲁⲓ̈ ⲉϫ̅ⲛ̅ ⲙⲉϣⲉ ⲛⲓⲙ̅ ⲡⲇͅⲇͅ •
8. ⲛ̅ⲅ̅ⲧⲣⲉⲡⲁⲙⲉ ϣⲱⲡⲉ ϩⲙ ⲡⲉⲥϩ̣[ⲏⲧ]
9. ⲛ̅ⲧⲉⲡⲱⲥ ϣⲱⲡⲉ ϩⲙ ⲡⲱⲓ̈ ϫⲉ ⲁⲛ[ⲟⲕ]
10. ⲡ̣[ⲉ]ⲧⲙⲟⲩⲧⲉ ⲛⲧⲟⲕ ⲡⲉⲧⲉⲣⲉ ⲡⲟⲩⲱϣ
_______________________________

[1] ⳨ O oil, O oil, O oil, O holy oil! [2] O oil which flows from beneath the throne of Iao [3] Sabaoth! O oil with which Isis anointed the bones [4] of Osiris! I call to you, O oil! The sun and [5] the moon call to you! The stars of the sky call [6] to you! The servants of the sun call to you! [7] I want to send you; you will go and I will bring you so that you will [8] bring NN, child of NN, to me, I, NN, child of NN, and you will cause my love [9] to be in her heart, and hers to be in mine [10] [like] a brother and a sister, and ⟨like⟩ a she-bear [11] [who] wants to suckle her offspring, yea, yea! I [12] adjure you, he whose head is in heaven, [13] whose feet are in the abyss, whose forepart has the appearance of a [14] sheep, whose hindpart has the appearance of a serpent, [15] he from whom the whole (?) sky and (?) of all darkness hangs, [16] while the turning … [17] the women who … [18] … which is upon […] [19] …khouba…

“…, [Verso, 1] ⳨ I will tear it out; iron, I will dissolve it”.

[2] “No, my lord, do not hand me [3] over to Temeluchus, he who is set [4] over the judgement, rather I want [5] you to go down to hell and tear out [6] all the thoughts of the Devil [7] concerning NN, the ⟨child of⟩ NN [8] and you cause my love to be in her [heart] [9] and hers to be in mine, for it is I [10] who recites, ⟨and⟩ you are the one who does the wish.”

Tableau:
Tracing by:

Apparatus:

Recto

2. ⲑⲣⲟⲛⲟⲥ i.e. Greek θρόνος
3. ⲥⲁⲃⲁⲱⲑ : ⲥⲁⲃ ⲁⲱⲑ pap. vacat due to hole in parchment
3-4. ⲛⲕⲉⲉⲥ i.e. Sahidic ⲉ-ⲛ-ⲕⲉⲉⲥ : i.e. Sahidic ⲛ̅-ⲛ-ⲕⲉⲉⲥ PCM
4. ⲙⲛ̣ : ⲙ i.e. Sahidic ⲙⲛ̅ Worrell
8. ⲇͅⲇͅ l. ⲇ(ⲉ)ⲓ(ⲛⲁ) ⲇ(ⲉ)ⲓ(ⲛⲁ) i.e. Greek δεῖνα δεῖνa (twice)
9. ϣⲱ̣[ⲡⲉ] : ϣ[ⲱⲡⲉ] Worrell
11. [ⲉⲥⲟⲩ]ⲱϣ Crum CD 752a : [ϯⲟⲩ]ⲱϣ Worrell | ⲛⲉⲥϣⲏⲣⲉ l. ⲛ̅ⲛⲉⲥϣⲏⲣⲉ (haplography)
12. [ⲧⲁⲣ]ⲕⲁ : [ⲡⲁⲣⲁ]ⲕⲁ i.e. Greek παρακαλεῖν Worrell
13. ⲉⲣⲉϩⲏ corrected from ⲉⲣⲉⲓ̣ⲏ by overwriting | ⲟ ⲛϩⲁ : ⲟⲛ ϩⲁ Worrell, Skiles
14. ⲟ ⲛϩⲁ : ⲟⲛ ϩⲁ Worrell, Skiles | ⲇⲣⲁⲕⲱ̅ l. ⲛ̅ⲇⲣⲁⲕⲱⲛ i.e. Greek δράκων
15. ⲧⲏ l. ⲡⲉⲧⲉⲣⲉⲧⲡⲉ ⲧⲏ⟨ⲣⲥ ⲙ⟩ⲛ ⲕⲁⲕⲉ ? : i.e. Sahidic ⲛ̅ⲧⲉ Worrell : i.e. Old Coptic ⲧⲏ “underworld” Crum CD 392a Polotsky | ⲛ̅ⲕⲁ’ⲕⲓ pap. : ⲛ̅ⲕⲁⲕⲓ Worrell | ⲛⲥ̣ⲟ̣ⲕ̣ i.e. Sahidic ⲛ̅ⲥⲱ⸗ⲕ : ⲛ̅ⲛ̣[ⲁϩⲣⲁϥ] : Worrell
17. ⲛ̣ⲉϩⲓⲟⲙⲉ : [ . ]ⲉϩⲓⲟⲙⲉ Worrell
19. ⲭⲟⲩⲃⲁ corrected from ⲃⲟⲩⲃⲁ by overwriting

Verso

1. ⲟⲩⲡⲉⲛⲓⲡⲉ l. ⲛ̅ⲟⲩⲡⲉⲛⲓⲡⲉ Worrell, Skiles
2. ⲉⲃⲟⲗ indented
4. ⲕⲣⲓⲥⲓⲥ i.e. Greek κρίσις | ⲁⲗⲗⲁ i.e. Greek ἀλλά
6. ⲇⲓⲁⲃⲟⲗⲟⲥ i.e. Greek διάβολος
7. ⲡⲇͅⲇͅ l. ⲡ⟨ϣⲉ⟩ ⲛ̅-ⲇ(ⲉ)ⲓ(ⲛⲁ) ⲇ(ⲉ)ⲓ(ⲛⲁ) i.e. Greek δεῖνα δεῖνa
8. ⲛ̅ⲅ̅ⲧⲣⲉⲡⲁⲙⲉ corrected from ⲛ̅ⲅ̅ⲧⲑ̣ⲉⲡⲁⲙⲉ by overwriting
10. ⲡ̣[ⲉ]ⲧⲙⲟⲩⲧⲉ : [ⲡⲉ]ⲧⲙⲟⲩⲧⲉ Worrell | ⲡⲉⲧⲉⲣⲉ i.e. Sahidic ⲡ-ⲉⲧ-ⲣ̅ : l. ⲡⲉⲧⲉⲓⲣⲉ Worrell | ⲡⲟⲩⲱϣ l. ⲙⲡⲟⲩⲱϣ Worrell

Notes:

Recto

2–3. ⲡⲛⲉϩ ⲉⲧϩⲁⲧⲉ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲁ ⲡⲉⲑⲣⲟⲛⲟⲥ ⲛⲓⲁⲱ ⲥⲁⲃⲁⲱⲑ : cf. Gessel 1988, discussing stone reliquaries from Apamaea (Syria) constructed so that oil poured into the top flows out of the bottom, sanctified by proximity to the saint. For formulae directly addressing materia, compare GEMF 4/PGM CXXII (KYP M488) ll. 31–52; GEMF 57/PGM IV (KYP M3) ll. 1496–1595; GEMF 68/PGM XXXVI (KYP M181) ll. 333–360 (all addressing myrrh burnt in offerings); BKU I 3 (KYP M77); GEMF 18/PGM LXI (KYP M183) ll. 159–196 (both oil); GEMF 156/PGM VII (KYP M156) ll. 643–651 (wine).
3–4. ⲡⲛⲉϩ ⲛ̅ⲧⲁⲏⲥⲉ ⲧⲁϩⲥϥ ⲛⲕⲉⲉⲥ ⲛⲉⲩⲥⲓⲣ : The love of Isis and Osiris serves as a paradigm in many Graeco-Egyptian love spells, as does the claim that Isis used a particular procedure (Dosoo 2021: 212 nn. 93, 94). The reference here seems to be to the resurrection of Osiris by Isis and Anubis, god of embalming, followed by her conception of their son *Horus. The oil used to anoint Osiris’ bones is implicitly powerful enough both to raise the dead, and to ensure love beyond death. Compare GEMF 4/PGM CXXII (KYP M488) ll. 31–32, adressing myrrh as that with which Isis anointed herself when she went to Osiris; GEMF 16/PDM xiv (KYP M162) ll. 610–620 in which Isis addresses oil in order to anoint and heal her son Anubis. In the Coptic magical corpus, Isis is also mentioned in PCM I 4 p. 4; PCM I 6, 7, 9, 16, 20; BKU I 1 front col. 2 & back; Mich.Ms. 136 (Zellman-Rohrer/Love 2022; KYP M128) p. 5 l. 1–p. 6 l. 5.
10. ⲙⲛ̅ ⲟⲩⲗⲁⲃⲟⲓ Worrell, (following Youtie) sees a translation of an originally Greek καὶ γὰρ οὕτως (“and indeed thus”) miscopied as καὶ ἄρκτος; he reconstructs ll. 9–11 as “and make my love arise in her heart and hers in mine, in the manner of a brother and a sister, and indeed thus I desire to beget (ⲉϯϫⲓ) her children”. This seems unnecessary, however, given the frequent use of animal metaphors to describe emotion; cf. the notes to PCM I 7 ll. 35–36. Polotsky proposes “a lioness whose children one wants to take” (“eine Löwin, deren Junge man [sic] wegnehmen will”, [ⲉⲩⲟⲩ]ⲱϣ ⲉ{ϯ}ϫⲓ ⲛⲉⲥϣⲏⲣⲉ). Here we translate “she-bear”, but the word ⲗⲁⲃⲟⲓ originally, and still, had the alternative meaning of “lioness”.
13-14. ⲉⲣⲉϩⲏ ⲙⲙⲟϥ ⲟ ⲛϩⲁ ⲛⲉⲥⲟⲟⲩ ⲉⲣⲉⲡⲁϩⲟⲩ ⲙⲙⲟϥ ⲟ ⲛϩⲁ ⲇⲣⲁⲕⲱ̅ Worrell translates “in front of him being (what is) under the Sheep, behind him being (what is) under Draco”, with Skiles following him (“before whom is (what) is also under the Sheep (pl.), behind whom is (what) is also under Draco”). Both understand “the Sheep” to be a constellation, paralleling Draco. This seems unnecessary, since descriptions of such polymorphic cosmic beings are common in Coptic magical texts; see Dosoo 2022c: 501–503; Bélanger Sarrazin forthcoming a: chapter 4
16. ⲉⲣⲉⲡⲣⲓⲕⲉ ⲛⲉ[ : Polotsky and Pernigotti read ⲡⲣⲓⲕⲉ ⲛⲛⲉ[ϥⲃⲁⲗ] and translate “while the winking of his eyes…” (“mentre l’ammiccare dei suoi occhi…”).

Verso

1–2. ⲟⲩⲡⲉⲛⲓⲡⲉ ϯⲛⲁⲃⲟⲗϥ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ : For the topos of destroying stone and metal, cf. the notes to PCM I 3 (KYP T610) front col. 1 ll. 7–9.
3. ⲛ̅ⲇⲓⲙⲉⲗⲟⲩⲭⲟⲥ : For this figure, see *hell in the glossary, and cf. P.Berol. 10587 (Beltz 1983: no. I 555; KYP M510) ll. 3–7: “send Temeluchus to me, he who is over the punishment of the (pl.)… he who tortures the lawless and the liars and those who swear falsely, that he wreak vengeance for me upon them!” (ⲙⲁⲧⲛ̣ⲟⲟⲩ ⲛ̅ⲛⲁⲓ̣̈ ⲧⲉⲙⲉⲗⲟⲩ̣ⲭⲟⲥ ⲡⲉⲧϩⲓϫⲛ ⲛ̅ⲕⲟⲗⲁⲥⲓⲥ ⲛ̅ⲛ . . . ⲗ ⲡⲉⲧⲃⲁⲥⲁⲛⲓⲍⲉ ⲛ̣̅ⲛ̅ⲁⲛⲟⲙⲟⲥ ⲙⲛ̅ ⲛ̅ⲣⲉϥϫⲓϭⲟⲗ : ⲙ̅ⲛ̅ ⲛ̣̅ⲛ̅ⲣⲉϥⲱⲣ̅ⲕ̅ ⲛ̅ⲛⲟⲩϫ ⲉⲧⲣⲉϥⲣ̅ ⲡⲁⲕⲃⲁ ⲛ̅ⲙ̅ⲙⲁⲩ).
4. ⲁⲗⲗⲁ ϯⲟⲩⲱϣ : Compare the rhetorical device described in the notes to PCM I 3 (KYP T610) front col. 1 ll. 15–16, although the construction of the argument here is less clear. The example here may rather represent a threat in which the speakers have become confused; we might expect (i) the first speaker to threaten to hand the second to Temeluchus, (ii) the second to beg for this not to happen, and (iii) the first to reply with a command based upon the threat. Here parts ii and iii of this hypothetical dialogue seem to have been merged together.
5-7. ⲛ̅ⲅ̅ⲡⲱⲣ̅ⲕ̅ ⲛⲙⲙⲉⲉⲩⲉ ⲧⲏⲣⲟⲩ ⲙⲡⲇⲓⲁⲃⲟⲗⲟⲥ ⲉϩⲣⲁⲓ̈ ⲉϫ̅ⲛ̅ ⲙⲉϣⲉ ⲛⲓⲙ̅ ⲡⲇͅⲇͅ Polotsky understands this phrase to mean something like “fill NN child of NN with thoughts snatched from the Devil”, comparing P. Heid. Kopt. 684 p. 5, ll. 22-23 (M148/T15; PCM I 28 p. 5): “her mind will have devilish thoughts” (ⲡⲉⲥⲛⲟⲩⲥ ⲉⲣ ⲙⲉⲟⲩⲉ ⲛ̅ⲧⲓⲁⲃⲱⲗⲓⲕⲱⲛ), but this would seem to require the addition of another verb, such as ϯ (“give”) rather than “tear out”. As Michael Zellmann-Rohrer points out (private communication), this passage may imply that the goal of the ritual is not to create a new sexual or romantic relationship, but rather to maintain an existing one, in this passage by preventing one partner from having negative thoughts concerning the other. This would correspond to the Greek rituals identified by Faraone (2009: 27–30 et passim) which have the goal of “maintain[ing] or increas[ing] affection” used by social inferiors (including women) on higher status men.
9–10. ⲁⲛ[ⲟⲕ] ⲡ̣[ⲉ]ⲧⲙⲟⲩⲧⲉ ⲛⲧⲟⲕ ⲡⲉⲧⲉⲣⲉ ⲡⲟⲩⲱϣ : For parallels, see the notes to PCM I 7 (KYP T340) ll. 36–37.

Bibliography:

Beltz, Walter. “Die koptischen Zauberpapyri der Papyrus-Sammlung der Staatlichen Museen zu Berlin.” Archiv für Papyrusforschung und verwandte Gebiete 29 (1983): 59–86.

Dosoo, Korshi. “Isis in Christian Egypt: The Cultural Context of Michigan Ms. Copt. 136 ll.17–34”. In Hymnen und Aretalogien im antiken Mittelmeerraum: Von Inana bis Isis, edited by Laurent Bricault and Martin Stadler, 195–232. Philippika 154. Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz Verlag, 2021.

Faraone, Christopher A. Ancient Greek Love Magic. Cambridge, MA./London: Harvard University Press, 2009.

Gessel, Wilhelm. “Das Öl der Martyrer. Zur Funktion und Interpretation der Ölsarkophage von Apamea in Syrien.” Oriens Christianus 72 (1988): 185–204.

Skiles, Stephen H., in Marvin W. Meyer, and Richard Smith. Ancient Christian Magic: Coptic Texts of Ritual Power. Princeton (New Jersey): Princeton University Press, 1999, p. 175-176, no. 82.

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. 3713-3714, no. 18.

Polotsky, Hans Jakob. “Zwei koptische Liebeszauber”, Orientalia N.S. 6 (1937): 119-131

Worrell, William H. “Coptic Magical and Medical Texts. (Continued).” Orientalia, NOVA SERIES 4 (1935): 184-187, no. 5.

Van der Vliet, Jacques. “Coptic Magic Coming of Age” (Review Korshi Dosoo and Markéta Preininger, Papyri Copticae Magicae I, 2023), Bibliotheca Orientalis, forthcoming.

Zellmann-Rohrer, Michael W., and Edward O. D. Love. Traditions in Transmission. The Medical and Magical Texts of a Fourth-Century Greek and Coptic Codex (Michigan Ms. 136) in Context. Archiv für Papyrusforschung und verwandte Gebiete – Beihefte 47. Berlin: De Gruyter, 2022.

Editor:

Transcript by Worrell entered by KD (22/3/2019); edition by EL (27/5/2020); KD and Roxanne Bélanger Sarrazin from photographs (28/7/2021); team (30/7/2021); JS (12(1/2023); updated to PCM version by SG + KD (22/7/2026); JS (9/1/2023)

How to cite:

[Editor names]. "KYP T343: Love spell invoking oil," Kyprianos Database of Ancient Ritual Texts and Objects, Korshi Dosoo, Markéta Preininger, & Roxanne Bélanger Sarrazin (principal editors), www.coptic-magic.phil.uni-wuerzburg.de/index.php/text/kyp-t-343. Accessed on 27/07/2026
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