KYP T-834

KYPRIANOS DATABASE OF ANCIENT RITUAL TEXTS

KYPRIANOS T834

Manuscript:	M15
Sigla:	P. Mich. Inv. 599 + 594 + 603 + 596 + 598 + 597 + 595
Text no. Position of the text within the manuscript.	41
Coptic Scriptorium:
Date:	501 – 700

Text position:	p. 13 (P. Mich. Inv. 597 ro) ll. 7–16, p. 14 (P. Mich. Inv. 597 vo) ll. 1–2
Type of text:	Love spell (magical, formulary)

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

Language:	Egyptian (Coptic)
Dialect:	Sahidic (non-standard)
Script:	Coptic
Image:	http://quod.lib.umich.edu/a/apis/x-2616/599r.tif & http://quod.lib.umich.edu/a/apis/x-2616/599v.tif

Text:

Translation:

p. 13 (P. Mich. Inv. 597 ro)

→
7. ⲛⲧⲟⲕ̅ ⲡⲉⲉⲓⲟⲩⲗ ⲡⲁⲡⲁⲧ̣ ⲡϫ̅ⲱ̅ ⲛⲛⲟⲩⲃ ⲛ̅ⲛⲏⲥⲉ ⲡⲁⲡⲟ-
8. ⲧ ⲛϩⲁⲧ ⲛ̅ⲛ⟦ⲉ̣⟧⧹ⲟⲩ⧸ⲥⲓⲣⲉ ⲁⲙⲟⲩ ⲧⲁⲁⲓϫ ⲛϩⲃ⟦ⲃ̣⟧ⲟⲩⲣ ⲛⲧⲁ̣-
9. ⲧⲁⲁⲕ ⲁⲧⲟⲟϥ ⲧⲁϭⲓϫ ⲛ̅ⲛⲟⲩⲛⲁⲙ ⲛⲧⲁϫⲁⲟⲩⲕ ⲉⲡⲱ̅ⲛ̅ⲉ
10. ⲕ︦ⲛ︦ⲁ︦ⲡⲟⲕϥ ⲡ︦ⲓ︦ⲛ︦ⲓⲡ︦ⲉ︦ ⲕⲁⲃⲟⲗϥ ⲁⲃ⧸ ⲑⲁⲗⲁⲥ̅ⲁ ⲛⲕⲡ︦ⲁ︦ϩ︦ⲥ︦
11. ⲛϣ̅ⲱ̅ ⲧⲏ̅ⲣⲟ̅ⲩ ⲙⲡⲕⲁϩ ⲡⲟ̅ⲣⲕⲟ̅ⲩ ⲧⲏ︦ⲣⲟ̣̅ⲩ̣̅ ⲙ̅ⲛ ⲧⲉⲩⲛⲟⲩ-
12. ⲛ̅ⲉ ⲉⲓϫⲁⲩ ⲙⲙⲟⲕ ⟦. .⟧ ⲁⲛ︦ ⲁ̅ⲛ̅ⲁ̅ⲓ̅ ϫⲉ ⲁⲣⲓⲥ⧹ⲩ⧸ⲟⲩ ⲁⲗⲗⲁ ⲉⲓ̣-
13. ⲉⲓϫⲁⲩ̣ ⲙⲙⲟⲕ ⲉϩⲣⲁⲓ ϫⲛ̣̅ ⟦ . . . ⟧ ⲡⲓⲁⲡⲟⲧ ⲛ̅ⲛⲏⲣⲡ
14. ⲇͅⲇͅ ϫⲉ ⲛⲧⲓⲟⲩⲛⲟⲩ ⲉⲣⲉⲇͅⲇͅ ϩⲛ ⲧⲉⲥ̣ϭⲟⲙ ⲕⲁ̅ⲕⲱ̅ⲏ̅ⲗ̅
15. ⲡⲉⲛ︦ⲧⲁϥⲉⲓⲛⲉ ⲁϩ⟦.⟧ⲣⲁⲓ ⲛⲛⲟⲩϭⲟⲙ ⲙⲁ︦ⲣⲓⲱ︦ⲑ︦
16. ⲡⲉⲧⲉⲣⲉϫⲱϥ

p. 14 (P. Mich. Inv. 597 vo)
↓
1. ⲙⲁⲣⲓ̈ⲱⲑ ⲡⲉⲧⲉ⧹ⲣⲉ⧸ϫⲱϥ ϩⲛ̅ ⲧ̅ⲡ̅ⲉ̅ ⲉⲣⲉⲣⲁⲧϥ ϩⲙ
2. ⲡ̅ⲛ̅ⲟⲩⲛ ⲏⲇⲏ ⲏⲇⲏ ⲧⲁⲭⲩ ⲧⲁⲭ̅ⲏ̅ ⲇ ⲥⲟⲡ

[p. 13 l. 7] “You are the deer, O cup, O golden chalice of Isis, O silver cup [8] of Osiris! Come to my left hand and I [9] will give you to my right hand, and I will send you to stone, [10] you will break it; iron, you will dissolve it; the sea you will split it; [11] to all the sands of the earth, uproot them all, and their root! [12] I do not send you for these saying “do them!”, but I [13] {I} send you upon this cup of wine [14] of NN, child of NN, so that straight away NN, child of NN, will be in her power, Kakōel, [15] he who brings power down/up, [p. 13 l. 16-p. 14 l. 1] Mariōth, he whose head is in the heavens, while his feet are in [2] the abyss, now, now, quickly, quickly!”

Four times.

Tableau:
Tracing by:

Apparatus:

p. 13 (P. Mich. Inv. 597 ro)

7. ⲡⲁⲡⲁⲧ̣ : ⲡⲁⲡⲁⲧ⟦.⟧ Bélanger Sarrazin | ⲛ̅ⲛⲏⲥⲉ i.e. Sahidic ⲛ̅-ⲏⲥⲉ
8. ⲛ̅ⲛ⟦ⲉ̣⟧⧹ⲟⲩ⧸ⲥⲓⲣⲉ ⟦ⲉ̣⟧ deleted by smudging, ⲣ corrected from ⲉ by overwriting, i.e. Sahidic ⲛ̅-ⲟⲩⲥⲓⲣⲉ : ⲛ̅ⲛ⟦.⟧⧹ⲟⲩ⧸ⲥⲓⲣⲉ Bélanger Sarrazin | ⲧⲁⲁⲓϫ i.e. Sahidic ⲉ-ⲧⲁ-ϭⲓϫ | ⲛϩⲃ⟦ⲃ̣⟧ⲟⲩⲣ deleted by washing : ⲛϩⲃⲃⲟⲩⲣ Bélanger Sarrazin
9. ⲁⲧⲟⲟϥ ⲧⲁϭⲓϫ i.e. Sahidic ⲉⲧⲟⲟⲧ⸗ϥ ⲛ-ⲧⲁ-ϭⲓϫ : l. ⲁⲧⲟⲟⲧ⸗ⲥ ⲛ-ⲧⲁ-ϭⲓϫ Bélanger Sarrazin | ⲛ̅ⲛⲟⲩⲛⲁⲙ i.e. Sahidic ⲛ̅-ⲟⲩⲛⲁⲙ
10. ⲕⲁⲃⲟⲗϥ i.e. Sahidic ⲕ-ⲛⲁ-ⲃⲟⲗ⸗ϥ | ⲁⲃ⧸ ⧸ corrected from ⲟ̣ by overwriting i.e. Sahidic ⲉⲃⲟⲗ : ⲁⲃ(ⲟⲗ) ⟦ⲟ⟧ Bélanger Sarrazin | ⲑⲁⲗⲁⲥⲁ i.e. Greek θάλασσα
11. ⲛϣ̅ⲱ̅ : l. ⲛϫⲱ ? Bélanger Sarrazin
12. ⟦. .⟧ deleted by inking out | ⲁⲣⲓⲥ⧹ⲩ⧸ⲟⲩ final ⲩ corrected from ? i.e. Sahidic ⲁⲣⲓ⸗ⲥⲟⲩ | ⲁⲗⲗⲁ i.e. Greek ἀλλά
12-13. ⲉⲓⲉⲓϫⲁⲩ̣ i.e. Sahidic ⲉ⸗ⲓ-ϫⲟⲟⲩ
13. ϫⲛ̣̅ i.e. ⲉϫⲛ̅ | ⟦ . . . ⟧ deleted by inking out | ⲛ̅ⲛⲏⲣⲡ i.e. Sahidic ⲛ̅-ⲏⲣⲡ
14. ⲇͅⲇͅ l. ⲇ(ⲉ)ⲓ(ⲛⲁ) ⲇ(ⲉ)ⲓ(ⲛⲁ) i.e. Greek δεῖνα δεῖνa | ⲛⲧⲓⲟⲩⲛⲟⲩ ⲓ corrected from ⲧ by overwriting | ⲇͅⲇͅ l. ⲇ(ⲉ)ⲓ(ⲛⲁ) ⲇ(ⲉ)ⲓ(ⲛⲁ) i.e. Greek δεῖνα δεῖνa
15. ⲁϩ⟦.⟧ⲣⲁⲓ ⟦.⟧ deleted by partial washing, perhaps unfinished ⲣ | ⲛⲛⲟⲩϭⲟⲙ i.e. Sahidic ⲛ-ⲟⲩ-ϭⲟⲙ

p. 14 (P. Mich. Inv. 597 vo)

2. ⲏⲇⲏ i.e. Greek ἤδη | ⲧⲁⲭⲩ i.e. Greek ταχύ | ⲧⲁⲭ̅ⲏ̅ i.e. Greek ταχύ | ⲥⲟⲡ : ⲥⲟⲡⲉ Bélanger Sarrazin

Notes:

Parallel in P. Mich. inv. 602 ll. 28-34 (KYP M18, T2794)

p. 13

7. ⲛⲧⲟⲕ̅ ⲡⲉⲉⲓⲟⲩⲗ “You are the deer” This reference to a deer is puzzling. Considering that the deer was one of the main animals associated with the Greek goddess Artemis, its presence here could be explained by the identification of Isis with Artemis within the process of interpretatio graeca that occurred in the Greco-Roman period (cf. Witt 1971: pp. 141-151; Malaise 2000). In another Coptic magical text, a doe appears in a narrative charm for childbirth (BKU I 1 = KYP M76, T143), where it receives help from Christ; cf. Dosoo 2022, p. 525. In the Life of Eustathius and Theopistae (cc0273), Christ appears to General Placidus as a stag. However, from the context, there is no reason to see a reference to Christ here. Other options would be to read ⲉⲓⲁⲗ for “mirror”, or perhaps a form of the related ⲓⲉⲗⲗⲉ “light”. If we parse ⲛⲧⲟⲕ̅ ⲡⲉ ⲉⲓⲟⲩ̅ⲗ, ⲉⲓⲟⲩ̅ⲗ could be the name of the being invoked (“You are Eioul”), although this specific name is not otherwise attested in Coptic magical texts.
9ff. “I will send you to stone, you will break it …” The powers to break stone and dissolve iron are attributed to various beings in Coptic magical texts, including the Virgin Mary in the Prayer of Mary ‘ad Bartos’ (BL.Or. 6796.1-3 (KYP M118, T337); Coptic Museum inv. 4958 (KYP M130, T642); PCM I 25 (KYP M186, T238); Collège de France 2 (KYP M573, T744); BL.Or. 4714 (KYP M117, T99)), the archangel Michael (BKU I 7 (KYP M88, T33)), Afboure (PCM I 9 (KYP M122, T179)), the angel of divine punishment Tartaruchus (BKU I 3 (KYP M77, T58)) and Miak (Hay 1 (KYP M302, T1441)). Quite often, this expression follows the structure “if I sent you to do X, you would do it. But I do not send you to do X; instead, I send you to do Y”; for discussions of this structure, cf. Zellmann-Rohrer 2022, p. 98; PCM I p. 61; Bélanger Sarrazin 2025: pp. 198-202.
9. ⲁⲧⲟⲟϥ ⲧⲁϭⲓϫ Here we understand Sahidic ⲉ-ⲧⲟⲟⲧ⸗ϥ̅ ⲛ̅-ⲧⲁ-ϭⲓϫ, but there is a problem of gender agreement – ϭⲓϫ is feminine and so we would expect ⲉ-ⲧⲟⲟⲧ⸗ⲥ̅. Since there does not seem to be any other candidate for the possessor of ⲧⲟⲟⲧ⸗, we understand this as a simple error, but it may be that this reflects a deeper problem in the transmission of this text – a passage with another possessor who has dropped out, or d The genders here do not agree (masculine ⸗ϥ and feminine ⲧ-ϭⲓϫ)
10. ⲑⲁⲗⲁⲥ̅ⲁ ⲛⲕⲡ︦ⲁ︦ϩ︦ⲥ︦ Splitting the sea is another feat of biblical proportion attributed to the being invoked here; cf. Exodus 14.21, ⲁϥⲡⲱϩ ⲛϭⲓ ⲡⲙⲟⲟⲩ (“the water was divided”), describing the parting of the waters of the Red Sea.
11-12. ⲛϣ̅ⲱ̅ ⲧⲏ̅ⲣⲟ̅ⲩ ⲙⲡⲕⲁϩ ⲡⲟ̅ⲣⲕⲟ̅ⲩ ⲧⲏ︦ⲣⲟ̣̅ⲩ̣̅ ⲙ̅ⲛ ⲧⲉⲩⲛⲟⲩⲛ̅ⲉ “all the sands of the earth, uproot them all, and their root!” ϣⲱ means “sand”, but this makes little sense with the following action. We would rather expect a word denoting some kind of plant, such as ⲉϣⲟ “bran”, or ϫⲟ “seed” (cf. Bélanger Sarrazin 2025: p. 267), but neither is attested with the spelling ϣⲱ. It could be for ϣⲱⲛ (Crum CD 568b), with the final ⲛ dropped, which is perhaps a variant of ϣⲏⲛ “tree”; cf 2 Kings 16.4: ϩⲁⲣⲟϥ ⲛϣⲱⲛ ⲛⲓⲙ ⲉϥⲟ ⲛϩⲁⲓⲃⲉⲥ “under every shady tree”. Alternatively, ϣⲱ could have originally belonged with the previous statement about the sea (perhaps ⲑⲁⲗⲁⲥⲥⲁ ⲛⲅⲡⲁϩⲟⲩ ⲛⲛⲉⲥϣⲱ ⲧⲏⲣⲟⲩ “the sea, you will divide (or disperse?) all its sands), so that there would be a missing word for what should be uprooted in the following statement. Compare BM EA 75406 (KYP M555) ll. 6-7: ϯⲁⲃⲟⲗ ⲃⲟⲗ ⲡϣⲱ ⲛⲑⲁⲗⲁⲥⲁ ϯⲛⲁϣⲧⲏⲃ̣ ⲉϩⲣⲁ (“I will scatter the sand of the sea, I will lay it low”). In Hay 1 ro l. 23 (KYP M302, T1441), it is the roots of the Amente that are uprooted (ⲛⲛⲟⲩⲛⲉ ⲛⲁ[ⲙⲛⲧⲉ] ϯ̣ⲛ̣[ⲁ]ⲡⲟⲣⲕⲟⲩ).
14. ⲇͅⲇͅ The lack of a preposition before ⲇͅⲇͅ makes the meaning unclear. It could be “of NN” or “for NN”, depending on whether the first NN is the recipient or the victim and if the cup belongs to them or is intended for them.
14. ⲧⲉⲥ̣ϭⲟⲙ “her power” The parallel text in P. Mich. inv. 602 l. 32 (KYP M18, T2794) has the expected ⲧⲉⲕ̅ϭⲟⲙ̅ (“your power”), but a ⲕ does not match shape of the letter here.

p. 14

1. ⲙⲁⲣⲓ̈ⲱⲑ ⲡⲉⲧⲉ⧹ⲣⲉ⧸ϫⲱϥ Here and elsewhere the scribe uses “counter-catchwords” at the beginning of new pages, repeating the last words of the previous page so that the reading order is clear. For a discussion of this practice in the context of earlier Greek magic, see Blanco Cesteros 2024.

Bibliography:

Bélanger Sarrazin, Roxanne. Les divinités gréco-égyptiennes dans les textes magiques coptes. Leuven: Peeters, 2025, p. 268.

Blanco Cesteros, Miriam. “‘Counter-Catchwords’ in the Codices of the Theban Magical Library.” Symbolae Osloenses, 98.1 (2024): 189-215.

Budge, E. A. Wallis. 1914.Coptic Martyrdoms Etc. in the Dialect of Upper Egypt. London: British Museum.

Dosoo, Korshi. “Suffering Doe and Sleeping Serpent: Animals in Christian Magical Texts from Late Roman and Early Islamic Egypt”, in Korshi Dosoo and Jean-Charles Coulon (eds.), Magikon Zōon: Animal et magie dans l’Antiquité et au Moyen Âge | Animal and Magic from Antiquity to the Middle Ages. Paris-Orléans: Institut de recherche et d’histoire des textes, 2022, 495-544.

Malaise, Michel. 2000. “Le problème de l’hellénisation d’Isis”, in De Memphis à Rome, edited by L. Bricault. Leiden: Brill, 1-19.

Witt, Regional E. 1971. Isis in the Graeco-Roman World. Ithaca: Cornell University Press.

Zellmann-Rohrer, Michael. 2022. “Catalogue: Hay 1–7”, in The Hay Archive of Coptic Spells on Leather: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Materiality of Magical Practice, edited by Elisabeth O’Connell. London: British Museum Press, 76-178.

Editor:

KD, MPS, RBS (23/7/2026)

How to cite:

[Editor names]. "KYP T834: 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-834. Accessed on 11/10/2026
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