Material: Papyrus, ink
Date: 6th-7th century
Dimensions: 37.3 x 25.4 cm
Findspot: Egypt
Current Location: Yale University Library, Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Papyrus Collection, P.CtYBR inv. 1791
Ritual For Gaining A Good Singing Voice
White dove’s blood; calamus extract; musk (?). Writing (?): white reed (?). Write these signs on [the] base of the pristine chalice …. Hang it from your neck. White honey, white wine; Tobe water (?). Offer greetings (?) 21 times (?), … 21 times (?). This is the preperation of the chalice. (drawing) A black bowl, white kousht … the face of the father ….
Greetings, tabernacle of the father and the son and the spirit and those who dwell in it! Greetings to the seven archangels who surround the glory of [the] father! Greetings, principalities and authorities and forces on high! Greetings, church of the firstborn and those who dwell in it! Greetings to the powers! Greetings, cherubim! Greetings, seraphim! Greetings to the twentyfour elders of the heavenly church and everyone who dwells in it! Greetings to paradise and everyone who dwells in it! Greetings to the shining sun! Greetings to the twelve powers that suround it! Greetings to the moon and all the stars! Greetings, you twelve rulers in charge of the hours of the night! Greetings, you twelve rulers in charge of the hours of the day! Greetings, Harmozel, the great ruler, gathering together the heavenly and earthly beings, whose voice the heads (?) hear and it sends them after (?) him!
Now I beg you today and I invoke you, Harmozel, you of the sweet sound, pleasing like Philemon, you of the sweet voice, so that you will come to me, today, I, N. child of N., and stand upon this chalice that is placed before me, and fill it for me with a sweet, pleasing sound, [rising], falling, turning about like a …, filled with every sweet melody, drawing like a wind, without hoarseness, without shortness of breath, without spittle.
Yea, yea, for I adjure you by the left hand of the father, I adjure you <by> the head of the son, I adjure you by the hair (?) of the holy spirit, so that you will abandon wherever you are and come to me here in this place where I am, I, N. child of N., and complete for me the will of my mind and the spell of [my tongue], immediately, immediately! Yea, for I swear <by> the son’s left hand, which rules the seven stars, with twelve stars crowning his head.
Translation: Stephen Emmel in Meyer, Smith, Ancient Christian Magic (1994), pp. 247-248.
The instruction was inscribed on both sides of the papyrus.
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