1 Earliest Rome

I I . T H R E A T S T O T H E R O M A N O R D E R
11.5 Curse tablets
Curses tried to mobilize supernatural power, of the gods, the dead or other
infernal beings, against the living. They were composed for three main reasons:
to ensure one's way in love (11.5a-b; cf. 11.4); to gain vengeance or justice (cf.
11.5c-d), sometimes against thieves or other malefactors; and to win compe­
titions in theatre and circus. The lead tablets on which the texts were inscribed
were placed in various appropriate locations: originally in graves (often ol the
untimely dead); later in water (wells, springs, rivers), in the house of the target,
in sanctuaries, and in stadia.
See further: Vol. 1,220, 234-5; Gager (1992) 3-41*; Graf (1994) 139-98.
11.5a A lovers binding spell (third/fourth century A.D, ?)
The tone of this love spell from Egypt is very different from the heady imagery
of 11.4. The text was written (in Greek) on a lead sheet and placed in a vase
with a female figurine pierced with needles (see p. 267). There is a striking sim­
ilarity between this text (and four other extant Egyptian cast spells) and the
prescriptions for casting a love spell given in a handbook to magic written on
papyrus (Papyri Graecae Magkae iv.335—406, translated in Betz (1986).
Extract of a different section in 11.6). The names of the gods invoked range
trom ramiliar Greek and Egyptian ones to the bizarre.
See further: Nock (1929): Moke (1975) 205-33; Gager (1992) 78-115*.
SEGXXVI.1717; R. W. Daniel and F. Maltomini (eds.), Supplementum magicum I
(Papyrologica Coloniensia 16.1, 1990) no.47
I entrust this binding spell to you chthonlc gods, Pluto and Kore Persephone Ereschigal
and Adonis also called Barbaritha and Hermes chthonian Thoth Phokensepseu
Erektathoti Misonktaik and Anoubis the powerful Pseriphtha, who holds the keys of
Hades, and to you chthonic divine demons, the boys and girls prematurely dead, the
young men and women, year after year, month after month, day after day, hour after
hour, night after night; I conjure all the demons in this place to assist this demon
Antinous. 1
Rouse yourself for me and go to each place, to each neighbourhood, to each
house and bind Ptolemais whom Aias bore, the daughter of Horigenes, so that she should
not be fucked, buggered or should not give any pleasure to another man, except to me
alone Satapammon, whom Area bore; and do not let her eat nor drink nor resist nor go
out nor find sleep except with me Sarapammon, whom Area bore. I conjure you,
Antinous spirit of the dead, in the name of the Terrible and Fearsome, the name at whose
sound the earth opens up, the name at whose sound the demons tremble in fear, the name
at whose sound rivers and rocks burst asunder. I conjure you, Antinous spirit of the dead,
by Barbaratham Cheloumbra Barouch Adonai and by Abrasax and by lao Pakeptoth
Pakebraoth Sabarbaphaei and by Marmaraouoth and by Marmarachtha Mamazagar. Do
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