Greek · AI translation
Supplementum Magicum, Suppl. Mag. 42: Love spell (lesbian) with assistance of a demon, partly in iambic trimeter and choliambics
English for the 3 passages of this work that the Atlas of Ancient Myth, Magic in the Ancient Texts and a study of demons and angels quote or cite, and which the library holds in no published English. The numbers are the edition's own references.
1.1–1.18
στυγνοῦ σκότους ἕδρασμα, καρχαρόστομε
Seat of hateful darkness, jagged-toothed
σκύλαξ, δρακονθελικτέ, τρικαρανοστρεφῆ,
hound, serpent-coiled, turner of three heads,
κευθμωνοδῖτα, μόλε, πνευματηλάτα, σὺν Ἐρινύσιν
roamer of the depths, come, driver of spirits, with the Erinyes
πικραῖς μάστιξιν ἠγριωμέναις· δράκοντες ἱεροί, μαινάδες
made savage with bitter whips; sacred serpents, maenads,
, φρικταὶ κόραι, μόλετ’ ἐς [ἐπα]οιδὰς τὰς ἐμὰς θυμουμέ-
dread maidens, come to my wrathful [incan]tations;
νας· πρὶν ἤ με ἀνάγκῃ τοῦτον ἐκπ̣ε̣ῖ̣σαί ⟨σε⟩ τε ῥοπῇ ποίησον πυρσόπνευ-
before I must win ⟨you⟩ over by force, swiftly make this fire-breathing
στον δαίμονα· ἄκουε καὶ ποίησον ἅπαντα ἐν τάχει δρᾶσαι μηδὲν ἐναντι-
daimōn [spirit] [act]; listen, and make everything be done quickly, setting yourself against
ωθεὶς ἐμοί· ὑμεῖς γάρ ἐστε τῆς γαίης ἀρχ̣ηγέται. αλαλαχος αλληχ Ἁρμαχι-
me in nothing; for you are the rulers of the earth. alalachos allēch Harmachi-
μενευς μαγιμενευς αθινεμβης ασταζαβαθος αρταζαβαθος ωκουμ
meneus magimeneus athinembēs astazabathos artazabathos ōkoum
φλομ λογχαχιναχανα θου Αζαηλ καὶ Λυκαηλ καὶ Βελιαμ καὶ Βελενηα
phlom lonchachinachana thou Azaēl and Lykaēl and Beliam and Belenēa
καὶ σοχσοχαμ σομοχαν σοζοχαμ ουζαχαμ βαυζαχαμ ουεδδουχ· διὰ τούτου τοῦ
and sochsocham somochan sozocham ouzacham bauzacham oueddouch; through this
νεκυοδαίμονος φλέξον τὴν καρδίαν, τὸ ἧπαρ, τὸ πνεῦμα Γοργονίας, ἣν ἔτεκεν Νιλογενία,
corpse-daimōn burn the heart, the liver, the spirit of Gorgonia, whom Nilogenia bore,
ἐπ’ ἔρωτι καὶ φιλίᾳ Σοφία, ἣν αἴτεκεν Ἰσάρα· καταναγκάσατε Γοργονίαν, ἣν ἔτεκεν Νιλογε-
with love and affection for Sophia, whom Isara bore; compel Gorgonia, whom Nilogenia
νία, βληθῆναι Σοφίᾳ, ἣν ἔτεκεν Ἰσάρα, εἰς τὸ βαλανεῖον, καὶ γενοῦ βαλάνισσα{ν}· καῦσον, πύρωσον
bore, to be cast to Sophia, whom Isara bore, into the bath-house; and become a bath-woman; burn, set on fire,
, φλέξον τὴν ψυχήν, τὴν καρδίαν, τὸ ἧπαρ, τὸ πνεῦμα ἐπ’ ἔρωτι Σοφίας, ἣν ἔτεκεν Ἰσάρα· ἄξατε
inflame the soul, the heart, the liver, the spirit with love for Sophia, whom Isara bore; lead
Γοργονίαν, ἣν ἔτεκεν Νιλογενία, ἄξατε αὐτήν, βασανίσατε αὐτῆς τὸ σῶμα νυκτὸς καὶ ἡμέρας, δαμάσατε
Gorgonia, whom Nilogenia bore, lead her, torment her body night and day, force
αὐτὴν ἐκπηδῆσαι ἐκ παντὸς τόπου καὶ πάσης οἰκίας φιλοῦσα⟨ν⟩ Σοφίαν, {η}ἣν ἔτεκεν Ἰσάρα, ἐκδότην αὐτὴν
her to rush out from every place and every house, loving Sophia, whom Isara bore, handed over
ὡς δούλην ἑαυτὴν αὐτῇ παρέχουσα⟨ν⟩ καὶ τὰ ἑαυτῆς [κ]τήματα πάντα, ὅτι τοῦτο θέλει καὶ ἐπιτάσσει ὁ μέγας
like a slave, giving herself and all her possessions to her, because this is willed and commanded by the great
Translator's note. 1.6 is syntactically difficult and the sense of its opening clause is uncertain. ‘Become a bath-woman’ (1.14) is addressed to the daimon. Gorgonia, Nilogenia, Sophia and Isara are personal names.
1.24–1.30
ἐστὶν πά{ι}σσοφος καὶ πα⟨ῖ⟩ς, σὸς δ’ ἐστὶν Ἄνουβις, εὐσεβὴς φθιτῶν κῆρυξ· δεῦρο ἐλθέ, τὰς ἐμὰς γνώμας
is all-wise and a boy, and yours is Anubis, the pious herald of the dead; come here, my purposes
τέλει, ἐπεί σε κρυπτοῖς τοῖσδε συμβόλοις κλῄζω· αχαιφω θωθω αιη ιαη αι ια ηαι ηια ωθωθ ωφιαχα
fulfil, since I call on you with these secret symbols: achaiphō thōthō aiē iaē ai ia ēai ēia ōthōth ōphiacha
εμεν βαρασθρομουαι μωνσυμφιρις τοφαμμιεαρθειαηαιμα σααωωευασε ενβηρουβα αμεν ου[ρα]-
emen barasthromouai mōnsymphiris tophammieartheiaēaima saaōōeuase enbērouba amen ou[ra]-
λις σωθαλις σωθη μου ρακτραθασιμουρ αχωρ αραμε χρειμιει μοιτβιψ θαβαψραβου θλιβαρφ[ιξ]
lis sōthalis sōthē mou raktrathasimour achōr arame chreimiei moitbips thabapsrabou thlibarph[ix]
ζαμενηθ ζαταρατα κυφαρταννα αννε Ερεσχιγαλ επλανγαρ⟦βω⟧βωθιθοηαλιθαθθα διαδ[αξ]
zamenēth zatarata kyphartanna anne Ereschigal eplangarbōthithoēalithattha diad[ax]
σωθαρα σιερσειρ συμμυθα φρεννωβαθα ωαη.. λειχοιρετακεστρευ ιωαξειαρνευ κορυνευκν[υορο]
sōthara sierseir symmytha phrennōbatha ōaē.. leichoiretakestreu iōaxeiarneu koryneukn[yoro]
αλις σωθεωθ δωδεκακιστη ἀκρουροβόρε σωκ̣..ρουμε σουχιαρ ανοχ ανοχ βριττανδρα σκυλμ̣[.]
alis sōtheōth dōdekakistē, tail-tip-devourer, sōk..roume souchiar anoch anoch brittandra skylm[.]
Translator's note. 1.25–30 are almost wholly voces magicae, transliterated and not translated; Ereschigal is the Mesopotamian underworld goddess Ereshkigal. ‘Tail-tip-devourer’ (1.30) renders the Greek epithet ἀκρουροβόρε. In 1.24 ‘all-wise and a boy’ is uncertain in sense; the ‘messenger’ is perhaps Hermes.
1.54–1.58
χιβηρθυλιθα χαραβρα θωβωθ· καῦσον, πύρωσον τὴν ψυχήν, τὴν καρδίαν, τὸ ἧπαρ, τὸ πνεῦ-
chibērthylitha charabra thōbōth; burn, set on fire the soul, the heart, the liver, the spirit
μα Γοργονίας, ἣν ἔτεκεν Νιλογενία, ἐπ’ ἔρωτι καὶ φιλίᾳ Σοφίας, ἣν ἔτεκεν Ἰσάρα, [- - -] φίλτρον, πόθον, ..
of Gorgonia, whom Nilogenia bore, with love and affection for Sophia, whom Isara bore, [...] love charm, longing, ..
ἔρωτι· ηνωρ θηνωρ Αβρασαξ Μιθρα πευχρη Φρη Αρσενοφρη αβαρι μαμαρεμβω Ιαω Ιαβωθ·
with love; ēnōr thēnōr Abrasax Mithra peuchrē Phrē Arsenophrē abari mamarembō Iaō Iabōth;
ἄξον, Ἥλιε μελιοῦχε μελικέ⟨ρ⟩τωρ μελιγενέ{σ}τωρ κμη.μ̣ Αβλαναθαναλβα Ακραμμα-
lead, Helios, honey-holder, melike⟨r⟩tōr, honey-begetter, kmē.m Ablanathanalba Akramma-
χαμμαρι Σεσενγεν Βαρφαραγγης⟦Βαρφαραγγη.⟧, ἄξον Γοργονίαν, ἣν ἔτεκεν Νιλογενία, ἐπὶ τοῦ ἔ-
chammari Sesengen Barpharangēs, lead Gorgonia, whom Nilogenia bore, to the love
Translator's note. ‘melike⟨r⟩tōr’ (1.57), between the epithets ‘honey-holder’ and ‘honey-begetter’, is left untranslated: its sense is unclear. A lacuna of unknown length in 1.55.
The whole original: papyri.info.