KYP T-74

KYPRIANOS DATABASE OF ANCIENT RITUAL TEXTS

KYPRIANOS T74

Manuscript:	M120
Sigla:	PCM 1 6 PCM I 6 Hs. Schmidt 1
Text no. Position of the text within the manuscript.	1
Coptic Scriptorium:
Date:	501 – 700

Text position:	Ro ll. 1-25
Type of text:	Sleep (?) (healing, magical, formulary) Love spell (?) (magical, formulary)

Original title:
Original title (translated):
Conventional title:	Formula for sleep (or love spell ?)

Language:	Egyptian (Coptic)
Dialect:	Sahidic (non-standard)
Script:	Coptic
Image:

Text:

Translation:

↓
1. ⳨ ⲥⲱⲧⲙ ⲉϩⲱⲣ ⲉϥⲣⲓⲙⲉ · ⲥⲱⲧⲙ ⲉϩⲱⲣ
2. ⲉϥⲁϣⲁϩⲟⲙ ϫⲉ ⲁⲓϩⲓⲥⲉ ⲟⲩⲟⲑ ⲉⲥⲁϣϥⲉ ⲛ̅-
3. ⲛⲟⲩⲥⲉ ϫⲓⲛ ⲉⲡϣⲟⲙⲧⲉ ⲙⲡⲉϩⲟⲟⲩ ϣⲁ ϫⲡ-
4. ϥⲧⲟ ⲛ̅ⲧⲉⲩϣⲏ ⲙⲡⲉⲟⲩⲉⲓ ⲙⲙⲟⲩ ϩⲓⲛⲏⲃ
5. ⲙⲡⲉⲓ̈ⲟⲩⲉⲓ ⲙⲙⲟⲩ ϫⲓ ⲣⲉⲕⲣⲓⲕⲉ · ⲁⲏⲥⲉ ⲧⲉϥ-
6. ⲙⲁⲁⲩ ⲣ̅ ⲟⲩⲱ ⲛⲁϥ ⲛ̅ϩⲟⲩⲛ ⲉⲡⲣ̅ⲡⲉ ⲛ̅ϩⲁⲃⲓⲛ ·
7. ⲉⲣⲉⲡⲉⲥϩⲟ ⲕⲉⲧ ⲉϩⲟⲩⲛ ⲉϫⲛ̅ ⲥⲁϣϥⲉ ⲛⲟⲩⲥⲉ
8. ⲉⲣⲉⲥⲁϣϥⲉ ⲛⲟⲩⲥⲉ ⲕⲏⲧ ⲉϩⲟⲩⲛ ⲉϫⲙ ⲡⲉⲥ-
9. ϩⲟ · ϫⲉ ϩⲱⲣ ⲁϩⲣⲟⲕ ⲉⲕⲣⲓⲙⲉ ϩⲱⲣ ⧹ⲁ⧸ϩⲣⲟⲕ ⲉⲕ-
10. ⲁϣⲁϩⲟⲙ ϫⲉ ⲛ̣̅ⲧⲉ̣ⲟⲩⲱϣ ⲧⲁⲣⲓⲙⲉ ⲁⲛ ⲛ̅ⲧⲉ-
11. ⲟⲩⲱϣ ⲧⲁⲁϣⲁϩⲟⲙ ⲁⲛ ϫⲓⲛ ⲉⲡϫⲡϣⲟⲙⲧⲉ
12. ⲙⲡⲉϩⲟⲟⲩ ϣⲁ ϫⲡϥⲧⲟ ⲛ̅ⲧⲉⲩϣⲏ · ⲉⲓⲟⲩⲱⲑ
13. ⲉⲥⲁϣϥⲉ ⲛⲟⲩⲥⲉ ⲙⲡⲉⲟⲩⲉⲓ ⲙⲙⲟⲩ ϩⲓⲛⲏϥ
14. ⲙⲡⲉⲟⲩⲉⲓ ⲙⲙⲟⲩ ϫⲓ ⲣⲉⲕⲣⲓⲕⲉ · ⲕⲁⲉⲓ ⲙⲡⲉ̣[ⲕϭⲛⲧ]
15. ⲙⲡⲉⲕϭⲓⲛⲉ ⲙⲡⲁⲣⲁⲛ · ϫⲓ ⲛⲁⲕ ⲛⲟⲩⲁⲡⲟ[ⲧ ϩⲓ]
16. ⲟⲩϣⲏⲙ ⲙⲟⲟⲩ · ⲉⲓⲉ ⲟⲩⲕⲟ[ⲩⲓ ⲛⲛⲓ-]
17. ⲃⲉ ⲉⲓⲉ ⲛⲛⲓⲃⲉ ⲛ̅ⲣⲱⲕ ⲉⲓⲉ̣ ⲛⲛⲓϥⲉ ⲛ̅ϣ̣[ⲁⲛⲧⲕ]
18. ⲛ̅ⲅ̅ⲙⲟⲩⲧⲉ ⲉⲡⲉⲥⲏⲧ ⲉϫⲱⲟⲩ ϫ̣ⲉ ⲡⲕⲉ̅ⲭⲏ̣[ . . . . ]
19. ⲡⲁⲅⲅⲉⲗⲟⲥ ⲥⲛⲁⲩ ⲛⲧⲁⲩⲟⲩⲱϩ ⲉⲧⲟⲟⲧⲟⲩ ⲁⲩ[ϩⲓ-]
20. ⲛⲏϥ ⲉϫⲛ ⲁϥⲧⲓⲙⲉⲗⲉⲭ ⲛ̅ϣⲃⲉ ⲥⲛⲟⲟⲥ̣ ⲉⲛ[ⲣⲟⲙⲡⲉ]
21. ⲟⲩⲱϩ ⲉⲧⲟⲟⲧⲧⲏⲩⲧⲛ ⲉϩⲣⲁⲓ ⲉϫⲙ̅ ⲇͅⲇͅ ⲛ̅ⲧⲉⲧ[ⲛ-]
22. ϩⲣⲟϣ ⲉϫⲛ̅ ⲧϥⲁⲡⲉ ⲛⲑⲉ ⲛⲟⲩⲕⲟⲧ ⲛ̅ⲥⲓⲕⲉ ⲉϫⲛ ⲛϥ-
23. ⲃⲁⲗ ⲛⲑⲉ ⲛⲟⲩϭⲟⲟⲩⲛⲉ ⲛϣⲱ ϣⲁⲛϯϫⲱⲕ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ
24. ⲙⲡⲁⲏⲧⲏⲙⲁ ⲧⲁⲉⲓⲣⲉ ⲙⲡⲟⲩⲱϣ ⲙⲡⲁϩⲏⲧ
25. ⲉⲧⲓ ⲉⲧⲓ ⲧⲁⲭⲏ ⲧⲁⲭⲏ

[1] ⳨ Listen to Horus, crying, listen to Horus, [2] groaning: “I have suffered, melting for seven [3] women (?) from the third ⟨hour⟩ of the day until the [4] fourth hour of the night. Not one of them has slept, [5] not one of them has dozed.”

Isis, his [6] mother, replied to him from within the temple of Habin, [7] her face turned towards seven women (?), [8] seven women (?) turned towards her face. “Horus, why are you crying? Horus, why are you [10] groaning?”

“Do you not want me to cry? Do you [11] want me not to groan from the third hour [12] of the day to the fourth hour of the night? I am melting [13] for seven women (?). Not one of them has slept, [14] not one of them has dozed.”

“Even if (?) [you] did not [find me], [15] and you did not find my name, take a cup [and] [16] a little water, whether a little [17] breath or a breath of your mouth or a breath of [your nose], [18] and recite down over them, ‘O … [19] O two angels who [20] imposed sleep upon Abdemelech for seventy-two [years], [21] set sleep upon NN, child of NN, make [22] his head heavy like a millstone, upon his [23] eyes like a sack of sand, until I complete [24] my demand, and I fulfil the desire of my heart, [25] now, now, quickly quickly!’”

Tableau:
Tracing by:

Apparatus:

2. ⲟⲩⲟⲑ i.e. Sahidic ⲟⲩⲱⲑ l. ⲉ⸗ⲓ̈-ⲟⲩⲱⲑ ? cf. l. 12 : translate “desiring” ? (“indem ich begehre”, “di desiderio”) l. ⲟⲩⲱϣ or ⲱⲧϩ ? Kropp, Pernigotti : l. ⲱⲧϩ Martín Hernández/Torallas Tovar : l. ⲟⲩⲁⲁⲧ⸗⊘ Blumell/Dosoo
2-3. ⲛ̅ⲛⲟⲩⲥⲉ l. ⲛ̅-ⲟⲩⲥⲉ ? (dittography)
3. ϫⲓⲛ ⲉⲡϣⲟⲙⲧⲉ l. ϫⲓⲛ ⲉ-ⲡ-ϫⲡ-ϣⲟⲙⲧⲉ cf. the same in l. 11
5. ⲙⲡⲉⲓ̈ⲟⲩⲉⲓ i.e. Sahidic ⲙ̅ⲡⲉ-ⲟⲩⲉⲓ
7. ⲕⲉⲧ i.e. Sahidic ⲕⲏⲧ
11. ϫⲓⲛ ⲉⲡϫⲡϣⲟⲙⲧⲉ : l. ϫⲓⲛ ⲉϫⲡϣⲟⲙⲧⲉ Kropp
12. ⲙⲡⲉϩⲟⲟⲩ i.e. Sahidic ⲙ̅-ⲡ-ϩⲟⲟⲩ | ⲉⲓⲟⲩⲱⲑ : translate “that I desire” ? (“da ich begehre”, “io desiderio”) l. ⲟⲩⲱϣ or ⲱⲧϩ ? Kropp, Pernigotti : l. ⲱⲧϩ Martín Hernández/Torallas Tovar
14. ⲕⲁⲉⲓ i.e. Greek κἄν ?
17. ⲉⲓⲉ̣ : ⲉⲓ[ⲉ] Kropp
18. ⲡⲕⲉ̅ⲭⲏ̣[ . . . . ] : ⲡⲕⲉ̅ⲭⲡ̣[ l. ⲡⲕⲉⲭⲉⲣⲟⲃ ⲃ̅ ? Kropp
19. ⲁⲅⲅⲉⲗⲟⲥ i.e. Greek ἄγγελος
19-20. ⲁⲩ[ϩⲓ]ⲛⲏϥ i.e. Sahidic ⲉ-(ⲟ)ⲩ-ϩⲓⲛⲏⲃ
20. ⲉⲛ[ⲣⲟⲙⲡⲉ] i.e. Sahidic ⲛ̅-ⲣⲟⲙⲡⲉ
21. ⲇͅⲇͅ l. ⲇ(ⲉ)ⲓ(ⲛⲁ) ⲇ(ⲉ)ⲓ(ⲛⲁ) i.e. Greek δεῖνα δεῖνα
22. ⲧϥⲁⲡⲉ i.e. Sahidic ⲧⲉ⸗ϥ-ⲁⲡⲉ | ⲛϥ i.e. Sahidic ⲛⲉ⸗ϥ-
24. ⲏⲧⲏⲙⲁ i.e. Greek αἴτημα
25. ⲉⲧⲓ i.e. Greek ἤδη (twice) | ⲧⲁⲭⲏ i.e. Greek ταχύ (twice)

Notes:

Horus-Isis Narrative Charms: This text represents an example of a narrative charm in which the main protagonists are Horus and Isis; see the notes to PCM I 7 (KYP T340) front.
2. ⲟⲩⲟⲑ : Kropp and Pernigotti translate “desiring” (ⲟⲩⲱϣ), Martín Hernández/Torallas Tovar “tied” (ⲱⲧϩ), and Blumell and Dosoo “alone” (ⲟⲩⲁⲁⲧ). Here we understand the stative form of the verb ⲟⲩⲱⲧϩ (Crum CD 498b), following Bélanger Sarrazin forthcoming a. For the motif of love is fire, upon which this would seem to draw, see the notes to PCM I 3 front col. 2 ll. 33–38.
3, 7, 8, 13. ⲛⲟⲩⲥⲉ This word does not seem to be otherwise attested in Coptic. It may derive from the Demotic nsy (“prostitute (?)”; see Blumell/Dosoo 2018 228-229, n. 76), or else represent a contraction of the Greek παρθένος (“maiden”). We here choose the neutral translation “women”. Ritner (1998) suggests that the seven women derive from the seven scorpion wives of Horus who appear in earlier Egyptian healing charms, which seem to draw upon a myth in which Horus is stung by his wife during intercourse, and must be healed; here the drama of Horus’ healing would be replaced by a narrative of his infatuation with the scorpion-women (cf. Blumell/Dosoo 2018: 229–231).
6. ⲉⲡⲣ̅ⲡⲉ ⲛ̅ϩⲁⲃⲓⲛ This is the temple of Habin (Hebenu), the Graeco-Roman Alabastron Polis, modern Kom el-Ahmar (TM Geo ID 2684), which is known to have had a temple to Isis (see Blumell/Dosoo 233, n. 89).
16. ⲙⲟⲟⲩ · ⲉⲓⲉⲓ There is a large space between the two words; from the only image available to us, it is impossible to know if there is erased or damaged text here; there are traces of what might have been a vertical stroke approximately in the middle of the space, printed here as a mid-point.
20. ⲁⲃⲧⲓⲙⲉⲗⲗ̣ⲉⲭ Abdemelech (Ἀβδεμέλεχ) is a Kushite official who appears in Jeremiah LXX 45-46 (=38-39) and in 4 Baruch/Paraleipomena Ieremiou and the History of the Captivity in Babylon (CAVT 227 (=CC576?); see Kuhn 1970; Piovanelli 2000) as Abimelech (Ἀβιμέλεχ). In the latter works he is said to have been put to sleep for 66 or 70 years in order to be spared the destruction of Jerusalem; cf. Martín Hernández/Sofía Torallas Tovar 311. Abdemelech also appears in PCM I 9 (KYP T179) ll. 11–12.

Bibliography:

Bélanger Sarrazin, Roxanne. Les divinités gréco-égyptiennes dans les textes magiques coptes. Leuven: Peeters, 2025, p. 236-237.

Blumell, Lincoln and Korshi Dosoo. “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.

Dosoo, Korshi & Preininger, Markéta. Papyri Copticae Magicae. Coptic Magical Text, Volume 1. Formularies, Archiv für Papyrusforschung Beihefte, Berlin/Boston:De Gruyter, 2024, p. 82–85, no. 6.

Kropp, Angelicus. Ausgewählte koptische Zaubertexte. Textpublikation. Vol. 1. Bruxelles: Édition de la Fondation Égyptologique Reine Élisabeth, 1931, p. 11-12, no. A.

Kropp, Angelicus. Ausgewählte koptische Zaubertexte. Übersetzungen und Anmerkungen. Vol. 2. Bruxelles: Édition de la Fondation Égyptologique Reine Élisabeth, 1931, p. 3-6, no. 1.

Kuhn, Karl H. “A Coptic Jeremiah Apocryphon.” Muséon 83 (1970): 95–135, 291–350

Meyer, Marvin W., and Richard Smith. Ancient Christian Magic: Coptic Texts of Ritual Power. Princeton (New Jersey): Princeton University Press, 1999, p. 94-95, no. 48.

Piovanelli, Pierluigi. “Le sommeil séculaire d’Abimélech dans l’Histoire de la captivité babylonienne et les Paralipomènes de Jérémie. Textes–intertextes–contextes.” In Intertextualités: La Bible en échos, edited by Daniel Marguerat and Adrian H.W. Curtis, 73–96. Le Monde la Bible 40. Geneva: Labor et Fides, 2000.

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, no. 1.

Pernigotti, Sergio. Testi della Magia Copta. Imola: Editrice La Mandragora, 2000, p. 52-53, no. 17.

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 Convegno internazionale Contesti magici, contextos magicos edited by Marina Piranomonte and Francisco Marco Simón. Rome, 2012, p. 309-312.

Ritner, Robert K. “The Wives of Horus and the Philinna Papyrus (PGM XX).” In Egyptian Religion the Last Thousand Years: Studies Dedicated to the Memory of Jan Quaegebeur 2, edited by Willy Clarysse, Antoon Schoors, and Harco Willems, 1026–1041. Orientalia Lovaniensia Analecta 85. Leuven: Peeters, 1998.

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

Editor:

EL’s edition from photograph of the original, incorporating Kropp (14/10/2018) (26/7/2021); KD, EL, RBS (28/7/2021); KD and Roxanne Bélanger Sarrazin from photograph (28/7/2021); team (30/7/2021); JS (9/1/2023); updated to PCM version by SG + KD (22/7/2026); JS (9/1/2023)

How to cite:

[Editor names]. "KYP T74: Formula for sleep (or love spell ?)," 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-74. Accessed on 10/10/2026
For the "editor names", see the abbreviated names in the field "Editor", and to resolve the abbreviations, see the help page.

How to cite:

Found a mistake? Let us know!