Selections from Magical Papyri by John Opsopaus

Book III

Introduction

Contents

This is the book of love spells, charms, prayers, rituals etc. from the Greek magical papyri and Demotic spells. They are not suitable for public consumption.

The information in [brackets] following each selection indicates the collection (PGM = Papyri Graecae Magicae, PDM = P. Demoticae M.), the papyrus number and the lines where the spell can be found. The source for these translations is Hans Dieter Betz (ed.), "The Greek Magical Papyri in Translation Including the Demotic Spells," Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 1986.

Pronunciation of Magical Names

In general, most of the "voces magicae" (magical names) are written in Old Coptic, which used Greek letters, so you will do best if you think Greek. Thus, Y sounds between English "u" and "y", something like German umlauted "u". Pronounce CH as in German "ach" or Scotch "loch". The symbol E' represents eta, so pronounce like a long "a"; O' represents omega, so pronounce like a long "o". The symbols PH (phi) and TH (theta) probably should be aspirated "p" and "t", but may have been pronounced like English "f" and "th" by the time the papyri were written.

The symbol "NN" in a spell means "fill in the blank," generally with the name of the one on whose behalf the spell is cast (thus, "NN" or "the NN man"), or with the question or problem to which the spell is addressed (thus, "the NN matter").

SPELLS

i. Love Spell

Aphrodite's Name, which becomes known to No One quickly, is NEPHERIE'RI [i.e. Nfr-iry.t, "the beautiful eye", an epithet for Aphrodite/Hathor] -- this is the Name. If you wish to win a Woman who is beautiful, be Pure for 3 days, make an offering of Frankincense, and call this Name over it. You approach the Woman and say it seven times in your Soul as you gaze at her, and in this way it will succeed. But do this for 7 days. [PGM IV.1265-74]

ij. Love Spell Which Acts in the Same Hour

Take a Seashell and write the Holy Names with the Blood of a Black Ass.

Spell: "I adjure you, Shell, by Bitter Necessity, (MASKELLI formula) [i.e., MASKELLI MASKELLO' PHNOUKENTABAO' OREOBAZAGRA RHE'XICHTHO'N HIPPOCHTHO'N PYRIPE'GANYX] and by those who have been placed in charge of the Punishments, LAKI LAKIO' LAKIMOU MOUKILA KILAMOU IO'R MOUO'R MOUDRA MAXTHA MOUSATHA: attract her, NN, whom NN bore" (add the usual, whatever). "Do not be stubborn, but attract her, OUCH OUCH CHAUNA MOUCHLIMALCHA MANTO'R MOURKANA MOULITHA MALTHALI MOUI E'IE'I YYY AE' AIE' YOO' AE'I AE'I AE'I AO'A AO'A AO'A IAO' O'AI O'AI AIO' O'AI IO'A IAO' O'AI, attract her, NN" (add the usual).

As the Moon waxes in Aries or in Taurus [add the usual, whatever you wish]. [This line may belong to another spell.] [PGM VII.300a-310]

iij. Love Spell

For Love say while kissing passionately: "I am THAZI N EPIBATHA CHEOUCH CHA I am I am CHARIEMOUTH LAILAM" (add the usual). [PGM VII.405-6]

iv. To Appear in Someone's Dreams

If you wish to appear to Someone at Night in Dreams, say to the Lamp that is in daily use, say frequently: "CHEIAMO'PSEI ERPEBO'TH, let her, NN, whom NN bore, see me in her Dreams, immediately, immediately; quickly, quickly!" (and add the usual, whatever you wish). [PGM VII.407-10]

v. Excellent Love Charm

Inscribe by scratching on a Tin Lamella. Write and lay it down, walking over it. And what is written is this: "I adjure you by the Glorious Name of Bacchios" [i.e., Bacchus] (add the usual, whatever you wish). [PGM VII.459-61]

vi. Excellent Love Charm

Inscribe by scratching on a Tin Lamella the Characters and the Names, and after making it Magically Potent with some Magical Material, roll it up and throw it in the Sea.

The Characters are these: "[omitted]ICHANARMENTHO' CHASAR, cause her, NN, to love me" (add the usual). Write with a Copper Nail from a Shipwrecked Vessel. [PGM VII.462-66]

vij. From "The Diadem of Moses"

Take the Plant Snapdragon and hold it under your Tongue while lying asleep. And rise early and before you speak to Anyone recite the Names, and you will be Invisible to Everyone.

But when you say them over Drinking Cups and give them to a Woman, she will love you, since this Spell has Power over Everything:

"ARESKILLIOUS THOUDALESAI KRAMMASI CHAMMAR MOULABO'TH LAUABAR CHOUPHAR PHOR PHO'RBAO' SACHI HARBACH MACHIMASO' IAO' SABAO'TH ADO'NAI."

For what you wish, say: "Get her, NN, for me, NN" (add the usual, whatever you wish). [PGM VII.619-27]

viij. Cup Spell, Quite Remarkable

Say the Spell that is spoken to the Cup 7 times: "You are Wine; You are not Wine but the Head of Athena. You are Wine; You are not Wine, but the Guts of Osiris, the Guts of IAO' PAKERBE'TH SEMESILAM O'O'O' E' PATACHNA IAAA." (For the spell of compulsion: "ABLANATHANALBA AKRAMMACHAMAREI EEE, who has been stationed over Necessity, IAKOUB IA IAO' SABAO'TH ADO'NAI ABRASAX.").

"At whatever Hour You descend into the Guts of her, NN, let her love me, NN, for all the Time of her Life." [PGM VII.643-51]

ix. Love Spell

In Conversation, while kissing passionately, say: "ANOK THARENEPIBATHA CHEOUCHCHA ANOA ANOK CHARIEMOCHTH LAILAM." [PGM VII.661-63]

x. A Good Potion

Take a piece of Hieratic Papyrus and write on it: "IAO' O' ESTABISASE' TOUREO'SAN ATHIACHIO'OUE'NOU ACHE'MACHOU. Let her, NN, whom NN bore, love me, NN when she has drunk this Drink. [PGM VII.969-72]

xi. Love Spell of Attraction

Purify yourself from Everything for ... Days and say this Spell at Sunrise: "Helios ... but come here to me, Mistress AKTIO'PHIS ERESCHIGAL PERSEPHONE'; attract to me and bind her, NN, whom NN bore, to the Man who is pining away with Passion for her; at this very moment, inflame her that she fulfill the Nightly Desires of NN, whom NN bore. Aye Lord NETHMOMAO' Helios, enter into the Soul of her, NN, whom NN bore, and burn her Heart, her Guts, her Liver, her Spirit, her Bones. Perform successfully for me this Charm, immediately, immediately; quickly, quickly!" [PGM VII.981-93]

xij. Love Spell

"ARMIOYT SITHANI YTHANI ARIAMYSI SOBRTAT BIRBAT MISIRITHAT AMSIETHARMITHAT, bring NN, whom NN bore, out of her Abodes in which she is, to any House, any Place in which NN, whom NN bore, is while she love him and craves him, she making the Gift of his Heart at every moment!"

You should write this in Myrrh Ink on a Scrap of Clean Byssus and put it in a Clean New Lamp, which is filled with Genuine Oil, in your House from Evening until Dawn. If you find the Hair of the Woman, put it in the Wick! It is good! [PDM xiv.1063-69]

xiij. Love Spell of Attraction

"I adjure You, Evangelos, by Anubis and Hermes and all the Rest Down Below; attract and bind Sarapias whom Helen bore, to this Herais, whom Thermoutharin bore, now, now; quickly, quickly! By her Soul and Heart attract Sarapias herself, whom Helen bore from her own Womb, MAEI OTE ELBO'SATOK ALAOUBE'TO' O'EIO ... AE'N. Attract and bind the Soul and Heart of Sarapias, whom Helen bore, to this
Herais, whom Thermoutharin bore from her Womb now, now; quickly, quickly!" [PGM XXXII.1-19]

*** FINIS ***