Long Term Female Homoerotic Relationships in Suppl. Mag. 1.37 and 1.42

Long Term Female Homoerotic Relationships in Suppl. Mag. 1.37 and 1.42

Lucy Parr, Oberlin College, Class of 2020

Abstract

Both female homoeroticism and magical practices appear in the Greek and Roman literary record, but the actual practitioners of both remain elusive. This paper will focus on two female homoerotic love spells found in Egypt during Roman occupation. By analyzing Supplementum Magicum 1.42 and 1.37 and placing them in their proper context, this paper will explore female homoeroticism in antiquity, particularly with regards to cohabitation and marriage.

There are very few primary sources from antiquity that feature female homoerotic relationships, which is why the Supplementum Magicum 1.42 and 1.37 are very important texts to engage with. Both spells were found in Egypt, with Suppl. Mag. 1.42 dating to the second century CE and Suppl. Mag. 1.37 dating to between the third and fourth centuries CE. While the language of these texts may not perfectly reflect these women’s desires, the goal of each of these texts, namely for the client and the victim of the spell to enter into a long term relationship, does reflect the women’s wishes. Through careful analysis of these texts and through putting them into their proper context in antiquity, it becomes clear that these spells support the existence of female homoerotic long term relationships and even marriages.

Before analyzing the texts, however, some issues must be addressed. The first problem is that both of these texts are formulaic and were likely written by a magical practitioner these women hired. The language used bears all the hallmarks of traditional heterosexual love spells, and Suppl. Mag. 1.42 especially appears to be copied from some magical practioner’s grimoire. The major issue with the formulaic nature of these texts is that they do not accurately reflect the nature of these women’s desires, nordo they employ the language these women might have used themselves. Instead, these texts represent the power imbalance common among heterosexual or male homoerotic and pederastic relationships. 1 However, due to the wealth of love spells found throughout the Papyri Graecae Magicae, there is no reason to assume that the spells used here were chosen at random. Of all the spells magical practitioners had at their disposal, the ones chosen may have most closely reflected what the women wanted. Therefore, there is merit in examining these spells despite their formulaic nature.

Suppl. Mag. 1.42 written on an oval shaped lead tablet from Hermopolis Magna in Egypt, is sixty-two lines long, and written in a third or fourth century CE script with the first and last ten lines tapering off in order to fit on the oval tablet. 2 A woman named Sophia used this spell in order to attract another woman, Gorgonia. Side A of this tablet contains an invocation to chthonic deities, primarily a corpse-daimon, but also the Erinyes, as well as “holy

1 Ormand, Kirk. Controlling Desires: Sexuality in Ancient Greece and Rome. Westport, Connecticut: Praeger, 2009. 55 2Brooten, Bernadette J. Love Between Women: Early Christian Responses to Female Homoeroticism. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1996. 81 serpents, maenads, and frightful maidens.” 3 On side B, the spell asks a corpse-daimon to “inflame the heart, the liver, the spirit of Gorgonia, whom Nilogenia bore, with love for Sophia.” While calling upon a corpse-daimon for a love spell may be surprising to a modern reader, it actually was quite common to call upon chthonic entities such as underworld gods, corpse-daimons, and the restless dead for any type of binding spell. This spell contains language of domination and violence typical of erotic defixiones. 4

Additionally, language of enslavement, burning, and torment appear frequently in erotic defixiones. While this language is more prevalent in Suppl. Mag. 1.42 than in Suppl. Mag. 1.37, the language’s intesity when compared to most erotic defixiones is fairly average. 5 While the spell calls for the corpse-daimon to“burn, set on fire, the heart and liver [of Gorgonia],” this order is not meant to be taken literally. Violent wording such as this was often used to describe attraction in antiquity. More troubling is when the spell calls for the corpse-daimon to “torment her body night and day” until she surrenders“like a slave.” While it is still not as violent as some heterosexual erotic defixiones — calling for the woman victim to be dragged by her hair or to be prevented from sleeping by means of thorns and impalements — the language in Suppl. Mag. 1.42 is still very violent and dominating. 6 Because this spell appears to be copied from a formula, this language does not elucidate the extant power dynamics in female homosexual relationships, but rather the intesity of Sophia’s desire.

However, while the language of enslavement may not be the language Sophia would have chosen to use to describe her desire for Gorgonia, such language reveals something of her real desire: a long term relationship, perhaps even marriage. Sophia calling for Gorgonia to be like her slave follows in the tradition of other examples of erotic defixiones with language of enslavement that clearly allude to long-term relationships. 7 For example, in spell no. 36 from John Gager’s book Curse Tablets and Binding Spells

3 All translations fromBrooten, Love Between Women 4 A defixio (pl. defixiones) is a binding spell often written onto a lead tablet intended to influence, by supernatural means, the actions or welfare of persons or animals against their will. For more information about defixiones generally, see Gager, Curse Tablets and Binding Spells in the Ancient World. 5 See suppl. mag. 135, suppl. mag. 45, and PGM VII. 467-77 for examples of violent language in love spells. 6 S suppl. mag. 1.46 and 1.50, PGM 36.151-153.; Brooten, 90 7 Suppl. Mag. 38.10 and Gager, Curse Tablets and Binding Spells no. 36, pg 155

from the Ancient World, the spell calls the male victim to marry Domitiana and to “make him as her obedient slave.” 8 While Suppl. Mag. 1.42 is between two women rather than a man and a woman, the language itself indicates that the intent in this spell is likely the same. Furthermore, Suppl. Mag. 1.42 also calls for Gorgonia to give her possessions to Sophia. 9 While not their only purpose, marriage and divorce contracts in the Egyptian context were often concerned with the sharing of property. 10 Therefore, while it is not certain that this spell is calling for Sophia and Gorgonia to marry, the spell likely calls for Sophia and Gorgonia to enter into a long term sexual and romantic relationship that involves the sharing of property. Unless the practitioner only had one love spell formula, this spell designed to create a long term relationship akin to marriage would have been deliberately chosen by either Sophia herself or, more likely, the magic practitioner, to match most closely with what Sophia wanted.

Suppl. Mag. 1.37 is a much simpler text. This spell consists of two lead tablets that originally formed a diptych. Both tablets have a similar command inscribed on them. On tablet A, the spell orders that a corpse-daimon named Horion, son of Sarapous, make Nike fall in love with Paitous/Pantous 11 . Tablet B has a very similar inscription except that on tablet A, the spell specifies that Nike should fall in love with Paitous/Pantous for five months.

Before analyzing Suppl. Mag. 1.37, it is important to note that this text has a problematic history. While this paper understands it as a female homoerotic defixio, when it was first published in 1910, the name Paitous/Pantous was taken as masculine, since no other female homoerotic spells had been published at the time and the name Paitous/Pantous does not signify the gender of the client. Further obfuscating the gender is the fact that, while the relative pronoun referring to Paitous/Pantous in the defixio is ἣν, the Greek female relative pronoun, the original editor of the text, Franz Boll, suggested amending the pronoun as ὣν. Because the relative pronoun ἣν is used to refer to Paitous/Pantous, it is much more likely that the client and the recipient are female. 12

While much more brief than Suppl. Mag. 1.42 — only 12 lines on tablet A and 6 lines long on tablet B compared to the 62 lines of text comprising Suppl. Mag. 1.42 — this spell similarly contains language of domination; the section of the spell inscribed on tablet A contains the phrase “make and force.” While comparatively less violent than the language on display in Suppl. Mag. 1.42, this language of domination also demonstrates the coercive nature of these spells. More interesting, however, is the inscription on tablet B, on which is written, “Make Nike, daughter of Apollonous, fall in love with Pantous, whom Tmesios bore, for five months.” The interpretation of this line has been much contested and many scholars have tried to understand its meaning. Boll suggests that the formulary the spell was copied from may have promised re- 8 Gager, 155 9 For more erotic defixiones containing the sharing of property see Suppl. Mag. 1.45, 1.51, and 51.5 10 For an example of Egyptian marriage contracts, see Mich inv. 4526, 148-55, no. 4D and P.BM dem. 10394 11 There is some textual uncertainty about the name of the client. On tablet A, the client’s name is Paitous, and on tablet B it is Pantous. Thus I will be using “Paitous/Pantous” when I refer to her. 12 For a more thorough discussion on the work done, see Brooten, 93 sults within five months; another possible explanation put forth is that the love affair would last for five months. 13 However, Bernadette Brooden and S. Eitrem both have suggested that this specific time period refers to a trial marriage that may lead to a more permanent arrangement afterwards. 14 A trial marriage is, according to some ancient sources, a time period of five months in which a couple would live together “without a contract” and only after the period is over would the union be documented in writing. 15 While these trial marriages were traditionally for heterosexual couples, Paitous/Pantous was attempting to emulate a traditional marriage custom, especially when put into context with Suppl. Mag. 1.42, where Sophia also appears to desire a long term relationship that resembles traditional marriage. Even if Paitous/Pantous did not desire a trial marriage precisely, the magical practitioner who created the defixio chose to create this spell because it matched most closely with what Paitous/Pantous wanted. Either way, if the five months referenced in this spell does refer to a trial marriage, it implies that Paitous/Pantous wanted a long term relationship with another woman, rather than a casual one or even just a sexual encounter.

Of course, this interpretation of these spells is illogical if there is no evidence for long term romantic relationships between women. Fortunately, evidence of such relationships does exist across the ancient world. While there are scant references to female homoeroticism beyond Sappho’s own writing in Ancient Greece, in early imperial Rome, Juvenal, Seneca the Younger, Ovid, Martial, and the poet Phaedrus all reference female homoeroticism, although often in a disparaging way. 16 In the lost ancient novel written during the reign of Marcus Aurelius by Iamblichos, Babyloniaka, Iamblichos writes of Berenike’s love for the woman Mesopotamia, according to the plot summary written by the tenth century patriarch, Photios. In the novel, Iamblichos writes about how Berenike sleeps with Mesopotamia and then marries her. 17 A contemporary of Iamblichos, Lucian of Samosata, writes in the fifth of his Dialogues of the Courtesans of two women, Megilla and Demonassa, who refer to themselves as married. 18 However, this portrayal is complicated by the fact that Megilla presents as masculine, even taking on the masculine name Megillos. Both of those examples are from pieces of literature written by men, for an audience of men, but still give evidence of female homoerotic marriages in antiquity.

Literature is not the only place female homoerotic marriages appear; there are also examples found in antique art. In the British Museum, there is an Augustan era funerary relief of two women, Eleusis and Helena, with their right hands clasped in a dextrarum iunctio. While not always the case, the dextrarum iunctio is a gesture most commonly associated with married couples. In a Roman context, this symbol seems to be almost universally understood as 13 Brooten, 92 14 Brooten, 107 and S. Eitrem, Papyri Osloenes, (Oslo: Dybwad, 1931), 33 15 Brooten, 107 16 Brooten, 44-50 17 The exact phrasing of the marriage is obscure (καὶ γάμους Μεσοποταμίας ἡ Βερνίκη ποεῖται), and several scholars have argued that this line means that Berenike married Mesopotamia to another person.However, as Boswell notes, the most logical interpretation is that Berenike married Mesopotamia herself. 18 Lucian, Lives of the Courtesans 5.1-4

a gesture reserved for depictions of married couples. In Etruscan and Greek funerary art, this gesture denotes fidelity or farewell between family members, friends, or servants. However, because this funerary relief dates to the Augustan era, it is unlikely that it is referencing those motifs. 19 What is very clear from this funerary relief is that the two women had a very close connection. While its exact context is still being debated, the simplest explanation is that these women considered their relationship similar enough to a marriage to justify the depiction of the dextrarum iunctio.

The defixiones analyzed in this paper can say many things about female homoerotic desire in antiquity. While these texts can neither give us the women’s exact words nor insight into the ways in which these women themselves experienced attraction, their very existence gives a voice to some of the real women who experienced same-sex attraction in antiquity, and can even allow us to name them. When placed in their cultural context, these spells prove the existence of women with the desire to have long-term relationships with other women, and perhaps even marry them. While there is still much work to be done, and much that will remain a mystery, these texts allow us to view a portion of antiquity that is often obscured from view.

19 D’Angelo, Mary Rose. “Women Partners in the New Testament.” Journal of Feminist Studies in Religion 6, no. 1 (1990), 69

Appendix

Supplementum Magicum 1.42 20

“Fundament of the gloomy darkness, jagged-toothed dog, covered with coiling snakes, turning three heads, traveler in the recesses of the underworld, come, spirit-driver, with the Erinyes, | savage with their stinging whips; holy serpents, frightful maidens, come to my wroth incantations. Before I persuade by force this one and you, render him immediately a fire-breathing daemon. Listen and do everything quickly, in no way opposing me in the performance of this action; | for you are the governors of the earth. Alalachos allech Harmachimeneus magimeneus athinembes astazabathos artazabathos okoum phlom Ionchachinachana thou Azael and Lykael and Beliam and Belenea and sochosocham somochan sozocham ouzacham bauzacham oueddouch 21 By means of this | corpse-daimon inflame the heart, the liver, the spirit of Gorgonia, whom Nilogenia bore, with love and affection for Sophia, whom Isara bore. Constrain Gorgonia, whom Nilogenia bore, to cast herself into the bath-house for the sake of Sophia, whom Isara bore. Drive | Gorgonia, whom Nilogenia bore, drive her, torment her body night and day, force her to rush forth from every place and every house, loving Sophia, whom Isara bore, she, surrendered like a slave, giving herself and all her possessions to her, because this is the will and command of the great god, iartana ousousio ipsenthanchochainchoueoch aeeioyo iartana ousiousiou ipsoenpeuthadei | annoucheo aeeioyo. Blessed lord of the immortals, holding the scepters of Tartaros and of terrible, fearful Styx (?) and of life-robbing Lethe, the hair of Kerberos trembles in fear of you, you crack the loud whips of the Erinyes; the couch of Persephone delights you when you go to the longed bed, whether you be the immortal Sarapis, whom the universe fears, whether you be Osiris, star of the land of Egypt; your messenger | is the all-wise boy; yours is Anoubis, the pious herald of the dead. Come hither, fulfill my wishes, because I summon you by these secret symbols. achaipho thotho aie aie ai ai eia othoth ophiacha emen barasthromouai monsymphiris tophammieartheiaeaima saaooeuase enberouba amen ouralis sothalis sothe mou raktrasimour achorame chreimier moithips thabapsrabou thilbarphix | zameneth zatarata kyphartanna anne Ereschigal eplangarbothithoea diadax sothara sierseir symmytha phrennobatha oae [...]leichoiretakestreu ioxeiarneu koryneuknyoro alis sotheoth dodekakiste, swallowing the tip of the tail, sok [...] roume souchiar anoch anoch brittandra skylm [.]achal bathrael amabrima chremla aostrachin amou salenasau tat chola sorsangar madoure | boasaraoul saroucha sisiro zacharro ibibi barbal sobouch Osir ouoai Azel abadaot [..] iobadaon berbaiso chio yyy phthobal lamach chamarchoth basar batharar neaipeschioth [..] phorphor iyzze yze chych chych. Constrain Gorgonia, whom Nilogenia bore, to cast herself into the bath-house for the sake of Sophia, whom Isara bore; for her. Aye, lord, king of the chthonic gods, burn, set on fire, | inflame the heart, the liver, the spirit of Gorgonia, whom Nilogenia bore, with love and affection for Sophia, whom Isara bore; drive Gorgonia herself, torment

20 Translated by Bernadette Brooten 21 The words in italics are voces magicae or magic words which are untranslatable gibberish meant to give power to the spell and the names of daemons called upon within the spell.

her body night and day; force her to rush forth from every place and every house, loving Sophia, whom Isara bore, she, Gorgonia surrendered like a slave, giving herself and all her possessions. | Aye, lord, king of the chthonic gods, carry out what is inscribed on this tablet, for I adjure you who divided the entire universe, a single realm, Thobarabau Semeseilamps sasibel sarephtho Iao ieou ia thyeoeo aeeioyo panchouchi thassautho Soth Phre ipechenbor Sesengen Barpharagges olam boro sepansase thobaustho iaphthp sou thoou. So do not disobey my request, but cause Gorgonia, whom | Nilogenia bore, force her to cast herself into the bath-house for the sake of Sophia, whom Isara bore, for her. Burn, set on fire, inflame the heart of Gorgonia, whom Nilogenia bore, with love and affection for Sophia, whom Isara bore, for a good end. Bolchose gonsti ophthe, burn, set on fire the soul, the heart, the liver, the spirit of Gorgonia, whom Nilogenia bore, with love and affection for Sophia, whom Isara bore, because this is the will of the great | god, achor achor achchach ptoumi chachcho charachoch chaptoume characharachor aptoumi mechochaptou charachptou chachacho characho otenachocheu and sissiro sisi phermou Chmouor Harouer Abrasaz Phnounoboel ochloba zarachoa barichamo who is called bacham kehk. Force Gorgonia, whom Nilogenia bore, to cast herself into the bath-house for the sake of Sophia, whom Isara bore, for her, so that she love her with passion, | longing, unceasing love. Thenorthsi thenor Marmaraoth krateochei radardara xio chio chiocha sisembrech echberech chach psemspoi ops emphre chalach erere torchieramps mops malachermala chiberthylitha chamrabra thoboth, burn, set on fire the soul, the heart, the liver, the spirit of Gorgonia, whom Nilogenia bore, with love and affection for Sophia, whom Isara bore, --- with passion, longing, | love. Enor thenor Abrasax Mithra peuchre Phre Arsenophre abara mamarembo Iao Iaboth, drive, Sun, honey-holder, honey-cutter, honey-producer, kne[.]m Ablanathanalba Akrammachammari Sesengen Barpharagges, drive Gorgonia, whom Nilogenia bore, to love Sophia, whom Isara bore; burn, set on fire the soul, the heart, | the liver, the spirit of burned, inflamed, tortured Gorgonia, whom Nilogenia bore, until she casts herself into the bath-house for the sake of Sophia, whom Isara bore; and you, become a bath-woman.

Supplementum Magicum 1.37 22

Tablet A

Horion, son of Sarapous, make and force [drawing of mummy]

Nike, daughter of Apollonous, to fall in love with Paitious, whom Tmesios bore.

Tablet B Make Nike, daughter of Apollonous, fall in love with Pantous, whom Tmesios bore, for five months.

22 Translated by Bernadette Brooten

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