W/W: Love Magic, Suppl. Magic. I.42.43-46

Like Pompeiian graffiti, recovered papyri are an excellent source for voices otherwise lost to history. There are numerous examples of magical spells in the ancient world, with topics ranging from wishes, curses, and love spells.  The following papyrus fragment preserves a love spell that asks to attract one woman to another 

 May Gorgonia [whom Nilogenia bore] be bound to Sophia [whom Isara bore]. May Gorgonia visit Sophia’s bathhouse; Burn her! Burn her! Burn her heart, liver, and breath of Gorgonia [whom Nilogenia bore] with love for Sophia [whom Isara bore].

ΑΛΛΑ ΠΟΙΗΣΟΝ,  ΓΟΡΓΟΝΙΑ, ΗΝ ΑΙΤΑΙ-

ΚΕΝ ΝΙΛΟΓΕΝΙΑ, ΚΑΤΑΝΑΓΓΑΣΟΝ ΑΥΤΗΝ ΒΛΗΘΗΝΑΙ ΣΟΦΙΑ, ΗΝ ΑΙΤΕΚΕΝ ΙΣΑΡΑ, ΕΙΣ ΤΟ

ΒΑΛΑΝΙΟΝ ΑΥΤΗ, ΚΑΥΣΟΝ, ΠΥΡΩΣΟΝ,

ΦΛΕΞΟΝ ΤΗΝ ΚΑΡΔΙΑΝ, ΤΟ ΗΠΑΡ, ΤΟ ΠΝΕΥΜΑ ΓΟΡΓΟΝΙΑ, ΗΝ ΑΙΤΕΚΕΝ ΝΙΛΟΓΕΝΙΑ, ΕΠ’ ΕΡΩΤΙ

ΚΑΙ ΦΙΛΙΑ ΣΟΦΙΑ, ΗΝ ΑΙΤΕΚΕΝ ΙΣΑΡΑ, ΕΠ’ ΑΓΑΘΩ.

 

Sed facias ut Gorgonia [quem Nilogenia peperit] Sophiae [quem Isara peperit] vinciatur; facias ut illa ad eius balneas adeat; uras, cremes, inflammes amoris flammis cor, iecur, pneuma Gorgoniae [quem Nilogenia peperit] erga Sophiam [quem Isara peperit].

--Suppl. Magic. 1.42.43-46; Translated into Latin by K. Masters

 The Supplementum Magicum are a collection of texts that deal with magical topics. This spell,  Suppl. Magic.1.42, was found in Egypt and it dates to the 3^rd or 4^th century CE.