ECLOGA EX PAPYRIS MAGICIS

                     a Johanne Opsopoeo

                         Liber III

                           * * *

               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   ***