Category:
1 Introduction
[…] A Ring for Every Purpose (PGM 12.201–269)
2 Translation
Phylactery protecting the body from daemons, from apparitions, from every disease and suffering. Written on a leaf of gold, silver or tin, or on hieratic papyrus, and carried as a seal, it works in the manner of a seal. For it is the name and seal of the power of the great god. And (the name) is as subjoined:
“Kmēphis, Chphyris (‘Scarab’), IAEŌ Iahō AEĒ Iahō OŌ Aiōn IAEŌ, BAPHRENEMOUN OTHILARIKRIPHIAEUEAI PHIRKIRA LITHANYOME NERPHABŌEAI.”
These are the names; and the drawing is as follows: let there be a serpent devouring its own tail (ourobóros), and the names in the middle of the serpent, and the characters as subjoined:
[see in the Greek text]
And the whole shape is as subjoined. (The words to be said are,) “Protect my, so-and-so’s, body, my soul entire.” And once you have consecrated it (with these words), carry it.
[The text in the actual drawing (see in the Greek text) does not line up very closely with the instructions, indicating a fairly broad spectrum of acceptable realizations; it runs as follows]
[Around the snake (no equivalent in text above)]
TARĒOĒĒNOUPHIBRINIAGĒNŌPHEIBINOKYLĒAIAOBZTHBABAIME [some letters lost] OĒOPIOUM [some letters lost] MOĒAŌPHI
[Within the snake]
Knēphis [!] Chphyri IAEŌ BAPHRENEMOUN OTHI LARIKRIPHIAEU EAIPHIRKIRA LITHONYOMEN ERPHABŌEAI [two characters] BOU [characters: see in the Grek text] Protect my, so-and-so’s, body, my soul entire. (And add) the usual (to this formula).
3 Greek text
Φυλακτήριον σωματοφύλαξ πρὸς δαίμονας, πρὸς φαντάσματα, πρὸς πᾶσαν νόσον καὶ πάθος· ἐπιγραφόμενον ἐπὶ χρυσέου πετάλου ἢ ἀργυρέου ἢ κασσιτερίνου ἢ εἰς ἱερατικὸν χάρτην φορούμενον σφραγιστικῶς ἐστιν. ἔστιν γὰρ δυνάμεως ὄνομα τοῦ μεγάλου θεοῦ καὶ σφραγίς. ἔστιν δέ, ὡς ὑπόκειται·
“ΚΜΗΦΙϹ ΧΦΥΡΙϹ ΙΑΕW ΙΑW ΑΕΗ ΙΑW ΟW ΑΙWΝ ΙΑΕW ΒΑΦΡΕΝΕΜΟΥΝ ΟΘΙΛΑΡΙΚΡΙΦΙΑΕΥΕΑΙ ΦΙΡΚΙΡΑ ΛΙΘΑΝΥΟΜΕ ΝΕΡΦΑΒWΕΑΙ.”
τα[ῦ]τα τὰ ὀνόματα, τὸν δὲ χαρακτῆρα οὕτως· ἔστω ὁ δράκων οὐροβόρος, τὰ δὲ ὀνόματα μέσον τοῦ δράκοντος καὶ οἱ χαρακτῆρες οὕτως, ὡς ὑπόκειται·
τὸ δὲ σχῆμα ὅλον οὕτως, ὡς ὑπόκειται, ὅτι· ‘διαφύλασσέ μου τὸ σῶμα, τὴν ψυχὴν ὁλόκληρον ἐμοῦ, τοῦ δεῖνα.’ καὶ τελέσας φόρει.
ΤΑΡΗΟΗΗΝΟΥΦΙΒΡΙΝΙΑΓΗΝWΦΕΙΒΙΝΟΚΥΛΗΑΙΑΟΒΖΘΒΑΒΑΙΜΕ [some letters lost] ΟΗΟΠΙΟΥΜ [some letters lost] ΜΟΗΑWΦΙ [two characters] ΒΟΥ [other characters]. διαφ[ύλασσέ μου] τὸ σῶμα, [τὴν] ψ[υ]χὴν [ὁλόκλη]ρον ἐμοῦ το[ῦ δε]ῖνα. κοινά.
SARTRIX 