| Description | P. Lond. 1 121; PGM VII; van Haelst 1077: Fragments of a long magical papyrus sheet
Composed of various text sections and multiple fragments, the main part of the papyrus sheet measures 2.3 m x 34 cm, containing 19 columns on the recto, 13 on the verso (of which 3 columns are not in the same hand as the recto), with 38-40 lines per column. The collection includes charms, spells, formulae, prescriptions, recipes and quotations, as well as multiple drawings and diagrams.
Two fragmentary columns (23 fragments), then Col. 1-4: 216 single lines from the Iliad and Odyssey, numbered in groups of six (Ὁμηρομαντία)
Col. 4: Recipes for keeping the house free of bugs and fleas (l. 149-154), list of days of the month favorable for divination (l. 155-167)
Col. 5-6: Non-magical recipes (l. 168-185), magical charms for common uses (l. 186-221) and a drawing, long charm for procuring dreams (l. 222-249)
Col. 7: Long charm continued, two short charms for procuring dreams (l. 250-259), charm against perturbations of the womb, mentioning angels and ending with Hallelujah and Amen (l. 260-271)
Col. 8: List of days of the month favorable for divination (l. 272-283), list of spells appropriate for different positions of the moon in zodiac signs (l. 284-299)
Col. 9-12: Spells to summon a person, for protection against danger, to summon a deity, to raise one’s double, to obtain information, and for dream visions (l. 300-369); various short charms (l. 370-428)
Col. 12-15: Invocation addressed to Osiris (l. 429-458), love charms (l. 459-490), invocations to Isis, other deities and the sun (l. 491-539)
Col. 15-17: Divination (l. 540-578), charm against demons and pain (l. 579-592). The recto ends with a drawing of a serpent biting its tail, with magical signs and words.
The first two faint columns on the verso are written in a different hand, seemingly an invocation of heavenly powers; mention of Σαβαώθ.
Col. 18 (again in the hand of the recto): Curse for controlling a woman, invoking Iaô, Adonai, Sabaoth, Pagoure, Marmorouth (Marmaraoth), Iaeô, and Michael (l. 593-619), charm for invisibility mentioning Iaô, Sabaoth and Adonai (l. 619-627)
Col. 19: Invocation of Asklepios (l. 628-642), love charm, charm for sleeplessness and charm against talkative friends (l. 643-663)
Col. 20: Charm for dream apparition (l. 664-685), invocation of the Bear constellation (ἄρτος, l. 686-702)
Col. 21: Charm for visions and a spell to make Apollo appear (l. 703-739)
Col. 22-27: General charm and a spell for dream visions, claimed to be authored by Pythagoras and Democritus (l. 740-845), incantation regarding the sun, spell addressing the moon-goddess, instructions for wearable amulets, charms against enemies, love charm (l. 846-974) |
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