Latin curse tablets, Curse tablets from Britannia, in Latin (Epigraphic Database Heidelberg)

ABCDEFX

ABCDEFX

Primurudem

Primurudem

Basilia donat in templum Martis ani-

Basilia gives to the temple of Mars a

lum (!) argenteum si servus si liber

silver ring, [so that] whether slave or free

m(e)dius fuerit vel aliquid de hoc

[whoever] has been a go-between or anything of this

noverit ut sanguin(e) et liminibus (!) ob (!)

has known, that in blood and eyes and

omnibus (!) membris (!) configatur vel et-

all his limbs he be transfixed, or even

iam intestinis excomesis (om)nibus habe(at)

have all his intestines eaten away.

Valaune⟨c=IC⟩us#Valaune⟨c⟩us#VALAUNEICUS

Valaunecus

{a}Belia()

Belia(...)

Minervae

To Minerva,

de(ae) Suli donavi

the goddess Sulis, I have given

furem qui

the thief who

caracallam

the hooded cloak

meam invo-

of mine has stolen,

lavit si servus

whether slave,

si liber si ba-

whether free, whether

ro si mulier

man, whether woman.

hoc donum non

This gift he may not

redemat (!) nessi (!)

buy back except

sangu(i)ne suo

with his own blood.

Execro (!) qui involaver-

I curse [him] who has stolen

it (!) qui Deomiorix de hos-

what Deomiorix, from his house,

Severia{a}nus

Severianus

Seni⟨i⟩la

Seni⟨i⟩la

[D]eae Suli donavi [- - -][arg]-

To the goddess Sulis I have given [...]

[e]ntiolos sex quos perd[idi]

six [silver] coins which I have lost,

a nomin[i]bus infrascript[is]

from the names written below;

deae exactura est

the goddess is to exact [them]:

Senicianus (!) et Saturni{i}nus se[d]

Senicianus and Saturninus, and

et Ann[i]ola carta picta perscri[pta]

also Anniola. The painted sheet [is] written out in full.

An(n)[i]ola

Anniola

Senicianus (!)

Senicianus

Saturninus

Saturninus

Severa

Severa

Dracontius

Dracontius

Austus

Austus

Carinianu(s)

Carinianus

Docilianus

Docilianus,

Bruceri

[son] of Brucerus,

deae sanctissim(a)e

to the most holy goddess

Suli

Sulis:

devoveo eum [q]ui

I curse him who

caracellam (!) meam

my hooded cloak

involaverit si

has stolen, whether

vir si femina si

man or woman, whether

servus si liber

slave or free,

ut [- - -]um dea Sulis

that [...] the goddess Sulis

maximo letum

to the greatest death

[a]digat nec ei so-

may drive [him], and may not allow him

mnum permit

sleep

tat nec natos nec

or children now born or

nascentes do-

yet to be born, un-

[ne]c caracallam

[til] the hooded cloak

meam ad tem-

of mine to the temple

plum sui numi-

of her divinity

nis per[t]ulerit

he has brought.

Uricalus Do[c]ilosa uxor sua

Uricalus, Docilosa his wife,

Docilis filius suus et Docilina

Docilis his son, and Docilina,

Decentinus frater suus Alogiosa

Decentinus his brother, Alogiosa:

nomina {a}eorum qui iuraverunt

the names of those who have sworn

{qui iuraverunt} ad fontem deae Suli(s)

at the spring of the goddess Sulis

prid(i)e Idus Apriles quicumque illic per-

on the day before the Ides of April. Whoever there has

iuraverit deae Suli facias illum

sworn falsely to the goddess Sulis, may you make him

sanguine suo illud satisfacere

pay for it with his own blood.

Br⟨p⟩ituenda

Br⟨p⟩ituenda

Marinus

Marinus

le#DESTRALE involave-

bracelet has

rit

stolen.

Deae Suli Minervae Docca

To the goddess Sulis Minerva: [I,] Docca,

dono numini tuo pecuniam quam

give to your divinity the money which

[- - -][a]misi id est |(denarios) V et is [q]ui

[...] I have lost, that is, five denarii; and he who

[eam involaveri]t si ser[vu]s s[i liber]

[has stolen it], whether slave or [free,]

[si vir si femina] ex{s}igatur [- - -]

[whether man or woman], let him be made to pay [...]

[- - - - - -]

[...]

Seu gen(tili)s seu C-

Whether pagan or

h(r)istianus quaecumque (!) utrum vir

Christian, whoever, whether man

utrum mulier utrum puer utrum puella

or woman, whether boy or girl,

utrum servus utrum liber mihi Annian-

whether slave or free, [who] from me, Annianus

o mantutene (!) de bursa mea s(e)x argente[o]s

[son of] Matutina, from my purse six silver coins

furaverit tu d[o]mina dea ab ipso perexi[g]-

has stolen, you, lady goddess, exact from him

e [- - -][eo]s si mihi per [f]raudem aliquam INDEP

[...] [them]. If through some fraud he has given me INDEP

REG[[.]]STVM dederit nec sic ipsi dona sed ut sangu-

REG[.]STUM, do not even so pardon him, but that you charge it to his

inem suum (r)eputes qui mihi hoc inrogaverit

blood, his who has brought this upon me.

Postum[ianu]s Pisso

Postum[ianu]s, Pisso,

Locinna Alauna

Locinna, Alauna,

Materna Gunsula

Materna, Gunsula,

Cnadidina (!) Eutic(h)ius (!)

Candidina, Eutychius,

Peregrinus

Peregrinus,

Latinus

Latinus,

Senicianus

Senicianus,

Avitianus

Avitianus,

Victor

Victor,

Scu[tri]us

Scu[tri]us,

Aessicunia

Aessicunia,

Paltucca

Paltucca,

Calliopis

Calliopis,

Celerianus

Celerianus.

A Nase[- - -]

From Nase[...]

eve(h)it Vroc[- - -]-

carries off Vroc[...]

fasciam tenet fur e

the thief has the sash; from

carta s(upra) s(cripta) ratio(n)e

the sheet written above, by account.

A[e]n[um me]um qui levavit [e]xc-

[My] bronze pot: he who has lifted [it]

on(f)ic[tu]s [e]st templo Sulis

is utterly accursed. To the temple of Sulis

dono si mulier si baro si ser-

I give [him], whether woman or man, whether slave

vus si liber si pu⟨er=RE⟩#pu⟨er⟩#PURE si puella

or free, whether boy or girl.

in fano ubi

in the shrine where

destina(t)

[he] appoints.

Deo Mercurio

To the god Mercury:

Cenacus queritur

Cenacus complains

de Vitalino et Nata-

about Vitalinus and Natalinus

lino filio ipsius d(e)

his son, concerning

iument[o] quod ei rap-

the draught animal which was stolen

tum est e[t] rogat

from him, and he asks

deum Mercurium

the god Mercury

ut nec ante sa-

that they may not have

nitatem

health

habeant nissi (!) {nissi} repraese[n]-

until they have promptly returned

taverint mihi iu-

to me the animal

mentum quod r[a]puerunt et deo

which they seized, and to the god

devotionem qua[m]

the devotion which

ipse ab his ex-

he himself has required

postulaverit

of them.

Commonitorium deo

A memorandum to the god

Mercurio ⟦Marti Silvano⟧ a Satur-

Mercury ⟦Mars Silvanus⟧ from Saturnina,

nina muliere de lintia-

a woman, about the linen cloth

mine quod amisit ut il-

which she has lost: that he

le qui ho[c] circumvenit non

who has cheated [her] of this may not

ante laxetur nissi (!) quand[o]

be released until such time as

res s(upra)dictas ad fanum s(upra)d[ic]-

the aforesaid things to the aforesaid shrine

tum attul[e]rit si vir si mu-

he has brought, whether man or

lier si servus s[i] liber

woman, whether slave or free.

deo s(upra)dicto tertiam

To the aforesaid god a third

partem donat ita ut

part she gives, on condition that

exsigat (!) istas res quae s(upra)s(crip)ta sunt

he exact these things which are written above,

ACA quae (!) per(didi)t deo Silvano

ACA, which she has lost. To the god Silvanus

tertia pars donatur ita ut

a third part is given, on condition that

hoc exsigat (!) si vir si femina si s[erv]-

he exact this, whether man or woman, whether slave

us si liber [- - -]at

or free [...]

Deo M(a)rti Mercuri[o][- - -]

To the god Mars Mercury [...]

anulus aureus de hos[pitiolo [- - -]]

a gold ring from the [lodging] [...]

er[it] et pedica ferre[a][- - -]

will [be], and an iron fetter [...]

s qui fraudem fec-

-s who has committed the fraud

[it][- - -]

[...]

r[[.][.]] deus inveni[a]t

r[...] may the god find [him].

Rotas

rotas [wheels]

opera

opera [works]

cias perduci [r]em ra[ptam]

[...] cause the [stolen] thing to be brought back

[- - -]um

[...]

Biccus dat M-

Biccus gives to Mercury

ercurio quidquid

whatever

pe(r)d(id)it si vir si m-

he has lost: whether man or

ascet ne meiat (!)

male, may he not piss,

ne cacet ne loqua-

nor shit, nor speak,

tur ne dormiat

nor sleep,

n[e] vigilet nec s[a]-

nor stay awake, nor [have] well-being

[l]utem nec sa-

nor health,

nitatem ne-

unless

ss[i] (!) in templo

in the temple

Mercurii per-

of Mercury he brings [it];

tulerit ne co(n)-

nor may he

scientiam de

gain awareness of [it]

perferat (!) ness[i] (!)

unless

me interceden-

with me

te

interceding.

Tibi rogo Metu-

I ask you, Metunus,

nus u(t) m(e) vendic-

that you avenge me

as de iste (!) nu-

for that name;

mene (!) me ven-

avenge me

dicas ante q(u)o-

before

d ven(iant) die(s) no-

nine days come;

vem rogo te

I ask you,

Metunus ut (t)u

Metunus, that you

mi vend[i]cas

avenge me

ante q(u)o[d]

before

ven(iant) di(es) n[o]ve-

nine days

m

come.

(E)x(s)uperanti(us)#(E)x(s)up⟨e⟩ranti(us)#XUPARANTI

Exsuperantius

Silviola,#Silvi⟨o⟩l⟨a⟩,#SILVIELE, Sat(t)avil(l)a,#Sat(t)avil(l)⟨a⟩,#SATAVILE,

Silviola, Sattavilla,

[- - -]eocorotis perdedi (!) la[enam]

[...]eocorotis: I have lost a [cloak],

[pa]lleum sagum paxsam (!) do[navi]

a mantle, a cape, a paxsa; [I have given]

[- - -][S]ulis ut hoc ante dies novem

[...] Sulis, that this, before nine days,

[si li]ber si ser(v)us si [li]bera si serva

[whether] free or slave, whether free woman or slave woman,

[si] pu(er) si puell[a i]n rostr[o] s[uo]

[whether] boy or girl, in [his own] beak

defera[t]

may deliver.

caballarem s[i ser(v)us si liber si]

the horse-cloth; [whether slave or free, whether]

serva si libera si puer [si puella]

slave woman or free woman, whether boy [or girl]

Digni ut in corpore

Dignus, that in his own body

suo in brevi temp[or]e

within a short time

pariat donatur

he may pay. There is given

deo esto decima pars

to the god — let it be — the tenth part

eius pecuniae quam

of that money which

[so]lverit

he pays.

Vetus

Old

quomodo sanies

as putrid gore

et pecuni(a)e quam exesuerit

and of the money which he has made away with,

Mercurio dona et Virtuti s(acra)

gifts to Mercury, and sacred to Virtus.

Tretia(m) Maria(m) defig#defi⟨g⟩#DEFIC et

I bind with a curse Tretia Maria and

illius#ill⟨i⟩us#ILLEUS vita(m) et me(n)tem

her life and mind

et memoriam [e]t iocine-

and memory and liver,

ra pulmones interm{x}ix{i}-

lungs mixed up together,

ta fata cogitata memor-

words, thoughts, memory;

iam s⟨ic=CI⟩#s⟨ic⟩#SCI no(n) possit{t} loqui

thus may she not be able to speak

(quae) secreta#s⟨e⟩creta#SICRETA si(n)t neque SINIT a-

what things are secret, nor SINIT

mare#a-

love

m⟨a⟩re#AMERE possit neque [[.]]

may she be able, nor [...]

[- - -] cl(a)udo

[...] I shut up.

Dom(i)na Ne-

Lady Nemesis,

mesis do ti-

I give to you

bi palleum (!)

a cloak

et galliculas

and shoes;

qui tulit non

let him who took [them] not

redimat ni

redeem [them] except

vita sanguinei

by life, by blood

suo

of his own.

T(itus) Egnatius

Titus Egnatius

Tyran(n)us defic(t)us

Tyrannus, cursed

ninus Domitia Atti-

-ninus, Domitia Atti-

ola et si qui afuere

ola, and if any were absent.

[D]eae Dia[na]e#D⟨i⟩a[na]e#DEAE dono

To the goddess Diana I give

capitularem et fas-

a head-covering and a

[c]iam minus parte

band, less one part,

tertia si quis hoc feci[t]

the third. If anyone has done this,

[s]i p[u]er si [p]uella s[i]

whether boy or girl, whether

[s]er[vus] s[i liber]

[slave] [or free]

[[.][.]]ESVNT sus[pe]cti sunt inter [- - -]

[..]ESUNT; they are suspected among [...]

[[.]]LLVS[[.][.]]EVSRE[[.]]VMINVENETET[- - -] lami[l]la (!) una et anulli (!) quat(tu)or [- - -]

[.]LLUS[..]EUSRE[.]UMINVENETET[...] one small plate and four rings [...]

Domine Neptune

Lord Neptune,

t(i)b(i) d(o)no (h)ominem qui

I give you the man who

|(solidum) involav[it] Mu-

has stolen the solidus from

coni et argenti[olo]s

Muco, and silver coins,

sex ide(o) dono nomi(n)a

six. Therefore I give the names

qui decepit si mascel si

[of him] who deceived, whether male or

femina si puuer (!) si puue-

female, whether boy, whether

lla (!) ideo dono tibi Niske (!)

girl. Therefore I give to you, Niskus,

et Neptuno vitam vali-

and to Neptune, the life, health,

tudinem sanguem eius

blood of him

qui conscius fueris (!) eius

who has been privy to that

deceptionis animus qui hoc involavit et

deception. The mind which stole this and

rit domino Neptuno

has committed [it], to the lord Neptune

corulo pare(n)tatur

with hazel he is offered to the dead.

S(i) servus si [l]ib[e][(r)] [qu]-

Whether slave or free,

i [f]uravit su[st]uli-

who has stolen, has carried

t [ne ei] dimitte

off: [do not] forgive [him]

[male]fic(i)um d(u)m

the [mis]deed until

tu vindi[c]a[s]

you take vengeance.

Ante dies (!) nov[e(m)] si pa-

Within nine days, whether a

[g]a[n]us [qui]

civilian [who]

su[s]tu[l]it

has carried off

Deo DAVIIS [- - -] Seni{s}lis

To the god DAVIIS [...] Senilis

Senni[- - -]

Senni[...]

Martia

Martia

sive Martina

or Martina

Deo sancto Mercurio Honoratus

To the holy god Mercury: [I,] Honoratus,

conqueror numini tuo me per-

complain to your divinity that I have lost

didisse rotas duas et vaccas quat-

two wheels and four cows

tuor et resculas plurimas de

and very many small belongings from

hospitiolo meo

my little house.

rogaverim genium nu-

I would ask the genius of your

minis tuui (!) ut ei qui mihi fraudem

divinity that to whoever has defrauded me

fecerit sanitatem ei non per-

you do not allow health,

mittas nec iacere nec sedere nec

nor to lie down nor to sit nor

bibere nec manducare si baro

to drink nor to eat, whether man

si mulier si puer si puella si servus

or woman, whether boy or girl, whether slave

si liber nissi (!) meam rem ad me

or free, unless he has brought my property back to me

pertulerit et meam concordiam

and has my goodwill.

habuerit iteratis praecibus (!) ro-

With repeated prayers I ask

go numen tuum ut petitio mea

your divinity that my petition

statim pareat me vindica-

may at once make it plain that I

tum esse a maiestate tua

have been avenged by your majesty.

[Don]atur deo Merc[urio si]

[It is given] to the god Mercury, [if]

q[u]is involaverit C[- - -]LAM

anyone has stolen C[...]LAM

[- - -]

[...]

Dad[- - -]

Dad[...]

Divo#D⟨i⟩vo#DEVO

To the god

Nodenti Silvianus

Nodens: Silvianus

anel(l)um#an⟨e⟩l(l)um#ANILUM perdedit

has lost a ring;

dimidiam#d⟨i⟩m⟨i⟩diam#DEMEDIAM partem

half its value

donavit Nodenti

he has given to Nodens.

inter quibus nomen

Among those [who bear] the name

Seniciani <non illis=NOLLIS>#illis=NOLLIS>#ILLIS=NOLLIS>

of Senicianus, do not

permittas#pe⟨r⟩mittas#PETMITTAS sanita-

permit them health

tem donec perfera(t)

until he brings [it]

usque templum [No]-

right to the temple of

dentis

[No]dens.

Rediviva

Rediviva [renewed]

Si puer si puella

Whether boy or girl,

[- - -] Cunovinna [- - -]

[...] Cunovinna [...]

[- - - - - -]

[...]

Divo Marti [- - -]

To the god Mars [...]

[- - - - - -]

[...]

[- - - - - -]

[...]

B

B

[- - -]AT[- - -]AD[- - -]ITAMO[- - -]

[...]AT[...]AD[...]ITAMO[...]

conq[u]{a}er[or] tibi Sulis Arminia

I, Arminia, complain to you, Sulis:

Verecundinum Ter[en]ti c[ons]umas

may you consume Verecundinus, [son] of Terentius,

qui argenteolos#argent⟨e⟩olos#ARGENTIOLOS duos mihi

who two little silver coins from me

[- - -]revavit no[n il]l[i p]er-

[...]revavit: do not allow [him]

mittas nec sedere nec iacere [ne]c

to sit or to lie [or]

[- - -] a[m]bulare n[ec]

[...] to walk, [or]

somn[um nec] sanitatem [illu]m()

sleep [or] health; [him]

quantocius consumas et iter[u]m

may you consume as quickly as possible, and again

[- - - - - -]

[...]

[- - - - - -]

[...]

[- - -] nisi e[- - -]

[...] unless e[...]

[- - - - - -]

[...]

Deae Suli Minerv(a)e Soli-

To the goddess Sulis Minerva: [I,] Solinus,

nus dono numini tuo ma-

give to your divinity [and]

iestati pax{s}a(m) ba(ln)earem et [pal]-

majesty a bathing-tunic and a

leum [nec p]ermitta[s so]mnum

cloak. [Do not] allow sleep

nec san[ita]tem ei qui mihi fr(a)u-

or health to him who has done me

dem [f]ecit si vir si femi[na] si servus s[i] l[ib]er nis{s}i [s]e retegens istas

wrong, whether man or woman, whether slave or free, unless, revealing himself, he has brought those

s[p]ecies ad [te]mplum tuum detulerit

goods to your temple.

[- - -][li]beri sui sua e[t()] qui [- - -]deg[- - -]

[...] his children, his things, [and] who [...]deg[...]

ei quoque [- - -]xe[- - -]

to him also [...]xe[...]