ANCIENT EGYPTIAN MAGICAL TEXTS ANCIENT EGYPTIAN RELIGIOUS TEXTS TRANSLAn ON SERIES NISABA ~ MAGICAL TEXTS EDITED BY M. S. H. G. HEERMA VAN Voss, D. J. HOENS, TRANSLATED BY J. KNAPPERT, R. P. KRAMERS, B. A. VAN PROOSDIJ, J. D. J. W AARDENBURG J F BORGHOUTS \NO\AN~ UN\'JERsn~ L\BR"R\£.S VOLUME NINE BlOOM\NG10N E:J. BRILL - LEIDEN - 1978 E. J. BRILL - LEIDEN - 1978 NISABA is the name of the Sumerian goddess of vegetation and writing, CONTENTS whose symbol is the calamus' (the instrument with which the writing was impressed on the soft clay) on an altar. The Sumerians were the first people to us~ writing, for keeping accounts and, by extension, inter alia, Introduction VII as a substitute for the oral tradition. For this reason, the goddess has been Sigla XII given pride of place here. Texts translated. 1 Ab breviat ions 98 Notes to the translation 100 Indexes of terms ll3 Sources of spells . ll9 ISBN 90 04 05848 6 Copyright 1978 by E. J. Brill, Leiden, The Netherlands All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or translated in any form, by print, photoprint, microfilm, microfiche or any other means without written permission from the publisher. PRINTED IN BELGIUM INTRODUCTION The collection of magical spells offered here in translation is a mere selection from a much larger corpus of several hundreds, many of them still unedited, belonging to what might be called 'everyday magic'.1 Protective texts from non-private sources- like rituals in temples and similar ones, properly belonging to the sphere of royalty- have been largely excluded.2 It is hoped that the texts included here (many of which are translated for the first time) are fairly representative of the larger collection. They have been scrutinized anew, and translations and interpretations often differ from those of predecessors. This is partly accounted for in the brief notes at the end, a few words about which will be said later on. Further, the present chrestomathy does not include spells from Demotic and Coptic sources, where procedures, purposes and mythological themes often differ. They certainly deserve a volume of their own. Magical spells are rather individualistic compositions, more or less like hymns, and the larger part of them is known in one version only- a quite different matter from the many spells in funerary corpora. Even parallel versions have often not survived in their original forms and consequently many magical spells are preserved incompletely. Again, such spells- as interesting as they may be~-have been excluded for the present purpose as much as possible. 1 Cf. the author's article Magical Texts in Textes et tangages de l'Egypte pharaonigue. Hommage a Jean-Fl'anyois Champollion, Le Caire 3 (1974), p.7-19. 2 An exception is no. 12-a standard execration text against the enemies of Egypt and its king. Its inclusion makes up for the absence of texts of this kind of a private nature (private rites d'envoutement are however, known). VIII INTRODUCTION INTRODUCTION IX Apart from a few exceptions3 most spells of this kind have archaeological. 7 The spells are the verbalized core matter been transmitted to us in copies from the Middle Kingdom of the rite. (i.e. from ca. 2000 B.C.) and later. From the New Kingdom The spells themselves" are either an immediate, unmythical on, even spells in other languages are attestcd.4 Magic from confrontation between the magician or sufferer and an adjoining countries, especially Nubia and Libya, was held enemy,9 or the speaker draws on examples from mythology. in great esteem by the Egyptians. In its most simple form mythologizing a spell consists of Sources are to be found mainly on papyri, ostraca and evoking the mere presence of certain divinities,lO which may stelae including the so-called 'cippi of Horus' as well as occur illustrated in 'vignettes' in the mss, too. In other statues, including 'healing statues' inscribed with spells. instances the earthly 'case' is similarized to a mythical Rolled up and worn about the neck as amulets in the case antecedent by way of association, completely (at least, as of many of the former category or set up in particular places, complete as the magician thinks necessary)ll or by way of as in the case of the latter two categories, such texts afford allusion only.l2 This linking mechanism is of prime importance protection to the owner or the user. Others are found in to make the spell work. In the mythical sphere created by magical reference books or they occur together with hymnical, the magician13 consequences can be far-reaching should the belletristic and especially with medical texts. Whatever intended parallelism be broken up by reluctance or refusal on their provenance or their actual Sitz im Leben, no spell can be detached from an accompanying magical action to 7 For instance the execration rites attested by a closed depot found which certain preliminary conditions pertain, too. Some of near the lI1irgissa fortress. Cf. A. Vila, Un rituel d'envo,itement au Moyen this information may be gained from the spell itself- usually Empire egyptien, p. 625-639 in : L'homme hier et aujourd'hui. Recueil d'etudes en hommage it Andre Leroi-Gourhan, Paris, 1973. towards the end, in the directions for use. Thus some spells 8 For the terms, see section no. 4 in the Indexes. give explicit hints on the use of the paraphernalia, necessary 9 As in the oldest example in this collection, no. 122. Other examples to the carrying out of the act such as staffs, substitute objects, are 38 and 47. masks, amulets, etc. The close interdependence of the magical 10 E.g. in nos. 118 and 128. Sometimes a divine origin is claimed for spell and, for instance, the medicine is expressly stated.5 spells, as in the case of nos. 53 and 84. In general, however, much of the documentation about 11 E.g. nos. 96 and 112. Very detailed is no. 87 with its catalogus membrorum, or no. 91 where the sufferer is systematically implicated in magical procedures comes from other sources, textua16 or the mythical healing. 12 As in no. 30, where the word wnw.t, 'moment', draws in Wnw, 3 Like the Old Kingdom spell of no. 122. 'Hermopolis'.-Word -play in general is very important in these texts; 4 An example in this collection is no. 57 (in some Cretan language ?). homophony is supposed to testify to deeper underlying interrelationships, 5 See no. 72. cf. e.g. nos. 65 and 121. 6 Espp.cially in stories about magicians. In general, see S. Sauneron, 13 For instance in nos. 116-118 and especially 139. A very characteristic Le monde du magicien egyptien, p. 27-65 in: Le monde du sorcier, Paris, instance is no. 41, where the 'tapers' first occur on a divine plan, and 1966 (= Sources orientales, vii). next--in the directions for use- as actual amuletic objects. x INTRODUCTION INTRODUCTION XI the part of the divine or demoniac parties involved. Since diseases (46-49), vague demoniac influences that affect several myth reflects the order of the world, threats, or perhaps parts of the body (50-57), blindness (58), the semen of a rather predictions, with a cosmic or cultic (the two are basically demon (59) and women's ailments, especially those connected identical) disaster are thus a rational outcome of this system with child bearing (60-64). There are protective spells for of thought. Quite naturally the magician sometimes excuses children (65-70) and spells accompanying the administration himself by declining responsibility for having used harsh of medicines (71-81). In a rural sphere there are a few spells words. He did so functionally; he expresses the will of super for the ordinary peasant against various dangerous animals natural powers by impersonating them, hence, elsewhere, (82-83). By far the largest collection, however, is constituted the frequent initial presentative clause 'I am god X'. by charms against scorpions (84-123), crocodiles (124-135), Productive magic, as a form of witchcraft, is surprisingly snakes (136-143) and, finally, against the chief of all these: little attested in the 'classical' stage of Egyptian magical Apap, the demon of chaos (144-146). The latter subject spells. This may be bound up with the secrecy about the properly belongs to the sphere of the king as the maintainer use of magic found as an advice in certain spells (cf. nos. 40 on earth of the order of nature and is therefore more and 126 in this collection) rather than testifying to unproble extensively attested in temple rituals. matic social intercourse in Ancient Egypt.l4 On the other Magical spells are strongly emotionally coloured and they hand, much of this belonged to a wider sphere of interest often make use of a variety of mythological themes at one and was perhaps under the regular ritual care of temple time as e.g. in nos. 119-120. This alacrity of the magician's institutions. mind is not always easy to follow and certain themes are The selection presented here has been subdivided according hardly known from other sources. There is, however, not a to subject matter, rather than to mythology which gives shred of proof that a specific kind of 'unorthodox' mythology magical spells their greatest interest. Thus there is a (rare) was especially coined a bout portant for this genre. love chatm (no. 1); there are spells against certain classes Crucial words, sometimes involving a specific interpretation, of dangerous people, mostly deceased persons (2-5 and 12, have been rendered in bracketed transliteration. What is including one against the evil eye [5]), against alarming offered as an explanation in the brief notes at the end is nightly visions (6-8), evil influences, including various forms not meant as an exhaustive commentary. For this, the original of death (9-11), dangers during the epagomenal days (13-21), publications, listed on p. 119-125 should be consulted. Of the against specific demons causing various diseases (22-27), variants, only the more important deviations from a standard everyday ailments like a bone stuck in the throat (28-29), text have been noted. For many details on the mythology haemorrhages (30-33), burns (34-36), headaches (37-45), belly involved the reader may be referred to H. Bonnet's Real 14 In a literary text lamenting the social changes endangering the state lexikon der agyptischen Religionsgeschichte (Bedin, 1952, of Egypt during a transitory period. the free use of magical spells is reprinted 1972). especially noted (Admonitions of Ipuwer, 6,6-7). 1 XII INTRODUCTION Finally, the author acknowledges his debt to JH D Leer fo t' rs . van TEXTS TRANSLATED r correc mg and making critical remarks on his E ngl i s h text. 1. (A LOVE CHARM FOR A MAN) Hail to you, Re'horachte, father of the gods! Hail to you, seven Hathors who are clothed in wrappings of red linen! Hail to you, gods, lords of heaven and earth- let (the woman) SIGLA NN born of NN come after me like a cow after grass, like < > omitted in the text a maidservant after her children, like a herdsman after J lost in the text his cattle. ( ) supplied by the translator If they fail to make her come after me I will set <fire to> [ ... J short lacuna; a few words Busiris and burn up < Osiris> ! [... . .. J longer lacuna (can amount to a clause) 2. ANOTHER ONE, FOR STRIKING (~wl) A MAN Oh you who come for me < as> a young bull (mn~ n b), whose horn has tasted (the effect of) a fight- Montu has come that he may take hold of your horn. Seth has come that he may strike you. In case you seize my feet-I am Montu! In case you kill [me]- I am Osiris! Oh Re', oh Atum, oh very ancient one (~ lsw lsw) of the gods! I will take earth in my right hand and I will throw it over into my left (hand). I will say: 'Come to me, Montu, the lord of this day. Come, that you may put NN born of NN into my hand like a fluttering bird (l~lD in the beak of an 'l?y-bird.- You will stand still! Where are you going < with regard to> me ~ I am Montu, the star of the gods! I will sever your bones and devour your flesh. I [will] take away your strength (l?ps) , < to> put it <into> my hand'! Words to be said over earth upon your hand. 3. ANOTHER SPELL You will stand still, you who are coming! I am somebody who enters a sleeping mat (sq,r?) that is covered (~), who 2 TEXTS TRANS LA TED TEXTS TRANSLATED 3 leaves <through> the ground (?), a man who acts as a 6. A BOOK (mg,3.t) FOR CHASING AWAY (dr) A TERROR (sng,), fighter.! You will stand still! Where are you going with WHICH COMES TO FALL UPON A MAN IN THE NIGHT, WITH regard to me ? I will enter your belly as a fly and then I will THE FACE TURNED BACKWARDS4 see your belly from its inside. I will turn your face into the You will raise your face as well as your ba, your shapes (lrw), back of your head, the front of your feet into your heels! your corpse-like apparitions (l:p.t), your magic (ly,kJ) as well Your speech is no use, it will not be heard. Your body as your shapes (l1'W) , your forms (lfprw), oh male spirit (3!J), becomes limp, your knee becomes feeble. You will stand female spirit, male dead (mt), female dead, male opponent (g,3y), still- I am Horus, the son of Isis, <I> will leave on my female opponent in the heavens, on earth! YoU" will see, (O\,yn) feet! you will perceive (that) this is the Lord-of-all and it is those who-are (nty.w), it is Atum, it is Wedjoyet, the mistress of 4. ANOTHER ONE fear in the great bark, it is the child CfJrd) , it is the lord of Keep silent, NN born of NN! Your gullet (ly,gg) is sore, righteousness (nb m3' .t), it is the lord of righteousness, it your lips [cleave to (?)] your tongue, your mouth does not is the figure of Atum in the upper road, it is the Devourer stir, your eyes are closed; they do not see <m> e (?). Your (wnmw) made by Sia, the lord of heaven!6 backbone is stiff, your arms are limp [ ...J . Backwards, do The earth is afire, the sky is afire, men and gods are afire not leap up <against m> e (?) in your hot temper (smm) ! while you have said that you will hide yourself from it once You are kept off from heaven, you are punished in the it has come (ly)--according to that true name of hers. 7 earth. 38 You do not know things [ ... that ( ?)] the eyes see ( ?) ! Beware of the flame that has burst forth from the horizon! Words to be saiJ over this figure which has been drawn. 5. (A SPELL AGAINST PEOPLE WITH THE EVIL EYE) To be made on a piece of fine linen; to Le applied to the Sakhmet's arrow is in you, the magic (ly,kJ) of Thoth is throat of a man, until it is seen that he is quiet. in your body, Isis curses you, Nephthys punishes you, the lance of Horus is in your head. They treat you again and 7. WORDS TO BE SAID BY A MAN WHEN HE HAS A NIGHT again, you who are in the furnace of Horus in Shenwet, MARE (rsl) IN HIS (OWN) PLACE the great god who sojourns in the House of Life !2 He blinds 'Come to me, my mother Isis! Look, I see something which your eyes, oh all you people (rm!)3, all nobles (p'.t), all common is far from me, in my own city' ! people (rlfy·t), all the sun-folk (ly,nmm.t) and so on, who will 'Look, my son Horus, do come out with what you have cast an evil eye (lr.t bln.t) against Pediamunnebnesuttowi seen- so that your dumbness finishes, so that your dream born of Mehtemweskhet, in any bad or ominous (dsr) manner apparitions draw back! A fire will leap out against the thing (!cd) ! You will be slain like Apap, you will die and not live that frightened you. Look, I have come to see you that for ever. I may drive out your vexations (g,w.t), that I may annihilate (wly,s) all ailments (1ms.w),. 4 TEXTS TRANSLATED TEXTS TRANSLATED 5 Hail to you, good dream! May night be seen as day! May death of a crocodile, death of a lion, [death of a] ... ,12 death all bad ailments brought about by Seth, the son of Nut, of a snake (M3W), death of a scorpion (g,l), death of any lion, be driven out. Victorious is Re' over his enemies, victorious death of the thrust of the horns of any [ ... bull (1)], death am lover my enemies! of any corpse (!J3.t), death of being killed by a bronze (weapon), . T~is spell is to be said by a man when he has a nightmare death of being buried, death of not being buried, death of III hIs (own) place. Psn-breads should be given to him in falling off a wall, death of drowning ('g3), death of a being (his) presence, as well as some fresh herbs, which should that acts as a shadow (SW.t),13 death of his loins, death of be soakcd in beer and myrrh. A man's face should be rubbed the lung(s), death of the spleen, death of his liver, death of with it. A means to dispel any nightmarcs he has seen. the backbone (l3.t), death of the vertebrae, death of his teeth, death of the gullet ('s's) , death of his arms, death of 8. ANOTHER SPELL any breath (t3W),14 death of the breast (7J3ty), death of the Oh you four glorious spmts (31.J) there whose function is heart (lb), death of the behind (p7Jwy.t), death of a sycamore, to keep watch over Osiris! As for the watch that you have death of kJkJ-fruits, death of any rush, death of any herb, kept over Osiris, you should act in a similar way with regard death of a male who has made himself into a woman (and to NN born of NN- to prevent any male dead (mt), any vice versa), death of biting by a man, death of biting by fe~ale ~ead, any male opponent (g,3y) or any female opponent any lion, death of a sherd, death of a hewn stone (1 M~), whlCh IS anywhere in the body of NN born of NN from death of a swelling ( 1 m7J3w), death of any illness (mr), death killing him. of going under (hrp), death of the bone of a bird, death of < The figures of the four spirits> 8 and the name of the the bone of any fish,15 death of hastening, death of the seven <spirits>. throat ( 1 b3~.t), death of his feet, death of his hands, death <of> any striking (7Jwl), death of any stabbing, death 9. ROYAL DECREE (wg,-nsw) OF OSIRIS KHONTI[AMEN- of any stone, death of falling, death of any club (!Jt), death TIU ......] , great of concealment in the Treasure House in of his oppression (g3W), death of the palate (1 'g,3), death Busiris, covered in secrecy in Rosetau, who causes to stand of the throat ( 1 b3~.t), death of starving, death of thirsting, up [ ......] foremost one of the field ...... drive away a male death of breast-feeding (sdl), death of being turned upside dead (mt), a female dead and so on, to wit any dead one whose down (s1.Jd), death of a harlot ( 1 1.Jnmt.t),16 death of premature name is 'countcr-of-face(s)' (7JSb-7J1·)9 [ ... , ... ]. .. of any god, giving of birth (h3l m lwr.t), death of weariness (nnl), death the influence (s.t-') of a god, the influence of a goddess, to of going < -to>-one's-lca,17 any death which comes about wit a male dead, a female dead; as death of his head, death by men and gods: a male person who has made his shape of his eyes, death of his belly, death of his backbone (l3.t), irrecognizable, a female person who made her shape irrecogniz [death] of a male 'alchu,1o death of a female 'alchu, death able, anything that penetrates NN born of NN. of the entering of Re',ll death of (some) moment by day, If the removal of an enemy (1.Jfty) , fiend (pfy), male dead,