And I don't want you if you ain't for me

[sovay]

I spent a portion of this evening composing a Bath-style defixio—a Roman curse tablet, directed specifically against theft rather than any other offense for which the victim might desire redress—for a classicist friend who has COVID-19. In case anyone else should need a template:

deae Suli Minervae pro [ablative form of name] tibi dono vim et salutem et sensus qui perierunt. quicumque haec involavit, si vir si mulier, si puer si puella, si personatus si effrons, nisi quantocius supradicta ad aegram pertulerit, non redimat nisi sanitate et sanguine vitaque sua.

"To the goddess Sulis Minerva on behalf of [name], to you I give the strength and the soundness and the senses that were lost. Whoever has stolen them, whether man or woman, boy or girl, masked or barefaced, unless they restore the abovementioned to the afflicted as soon as possible, let them not pay off the debt except with their health and their blood and their life."

Defixiones are usually written in the first person, but I rendered this one from the perspective of an agent for the person actually suffering; it seemed more respectful and less likely to tempt fate. I have also taken the liberty of substituting, in the formula which covers the binary bases of a potential thief, the more relevant si personatus si effrons ("whether masked or barefaced") for the traditional si servus si liber ("whether slave or free"). The phrase may equally be read "whether dissembling or brazen," which expresses many of my feelings about the anti-mask contingent of this country, anyway.

Comments

[selkie]

I was going to ask you! Thank you for for doing that.

[nineweaving]

That is magnificent. May it prove powerful on [name's] behalf.

Nine

[sovay]

I was going to ask you! Thank you for for doing that.

Just so long as it works!

[sovay]

That is magnificent. May it prove powerful on [name's] behalf.

That's my hope.

[davidgillon]

deae Suli Minervae

Definitely Bath style :)

[selkie]

Also, you did it with style.

Nerd.

*hugs*

[anna_wing]

Oh how nice! I was in Bath in 2019 with a friend, visiting both the Roman baths and the small but beautiful Museum of East Asian Arts, which had suffered a most distressing burglary. We suggested to the museum people in the gift shop that they consult the Roman Baths people for an appropriate defixione against the thieves; we thought that in the case of a crime Sulis Minerva was probably the more appropriate Patroness of Bath to consult, rather than Jane Austen....

[ashlyme]

May this work, and work well.

*many of my feelings about the anti-mask contingent of this country*

Yep. Another maskless kid in my local shop today - it always seems to be young men. I used a bad word as soon as he'd left. At least the woman behind the counter was kind enough to let me rant for a minute.

*

[minoanmiss]

*is impressed and awed*
*copies this down*
*rummages my brain for my last scraps of Latin*

[sovay]

Definitely Bath style

Thank you! There are lots of options for gods to petition in these cases, including Mercury, Neptune, and Nemesis, but I said Bath and I meant it!

[sovay]

We suggested to the museum people in the gift shop that they consult the Roman Baths people for an appropriate defixione against the thieves; we thought that in the case of a crime Sulis Minerva was probably the more appropriate Patroness of Bath to consult, rather than Jane Austen....

I hope they did write the museum an appropriate one! And I hope it worked.

[sovay]

May this work, and work well.

Thank you. It pleases the person it was written for, which is important.

Another maskless kid in my local shop today - it always seems to be young men.

I see older men, too, but overwhelmingly men, and it's not doing anyone any favors.

At least the woman behind the counter was kind enough to let me rant for a minute.

If I had to deal with maskless customers, I'd sympathize with ranting, too.

*hugs*

Re: *

[sovay]

*copies this down*

If you ever have to use it, may it work as intended. And if you don't, may you enjoy having it!

[oracne]

That is so cool.

[ashlyme]

*It pleases the person it was written for, which is important.*

Always a good thing.

*overwhelmingly men*

Oh, I could get back on the soapbox and talk about machismo being everyone's enemy, but I think I've used up my anger rations for the day. I'll accept hugs instead. *returns them happily*

Re: *

[minoanmiss]

I just love that you made it exist. I had to put it my archives.

[sovay]

That is so cool.

Thank you. I like curse tablets.

[pameladean]

Oh, what a wonderful thing. I'm sorry it was needed and wish fervently that it will work.

P.

[sovay]

Oh, what a wonderful thing. I'm sorry it was needed and wish fervently that it will work.

Thank you.

[jesse_the_k]

That's a very pointed curse! (You're a poet in many media.)

[sovay]

That's a very pointed curse! (You're a poet in many media.)

Thank you!

[liv]

This is absolutely brilliant! I'm sorry for the circumstances where it was needed, but I am delighted with effrons, and all the rest of it.

[thanate]

Oh this is lovely; thank you for sharing it.

[thanate]

*Another maskless kid in my local shop today - it always seems to be young men.*

I see older men, too, but overwhelmingly men, and it's not doing anyone any favors

We have women who do this also around here (south Baltimore suburbs) but on the whole it's more likely to be women who have the mask covering their mouth but not their nose.

[dramaticirony]

So neat. Hope it works like a charm, and thanks for a neat rabbit hole to go down and learn more!

[sovay]

This is absolutely brilliant! I'm sorry for the circumstances where it was needed, but I am delighted with effrons, and all the rest of it.

Thank you! Please, take and adapt as needed, although I hope it may not be.

[sovay]

Oh this is lovely; thank you for sharing it.

You're welcome, and thank you!

[sovay]

So neat. Hope it works like a charm, and thanks for a neat rabbit hole to go down and learn more!

Thank you! Defixiones are worth reading about.

[asakiyume]

May your friend be restored to health.

And may the wicked man whose monstrous narcissism led to our misery suffer torments appropriate to those he's caused.

[sovay]

May your friend be restored to health.

Thank you. I will pass your wishes on.

And may the wicked man whose monstrous narcissism led to our misery suffer torments appropriate to those he's caused.

I wish I could write something strong enough to make it so.