Glykera Curse Tablet (Ancient Greek curses but also hidden stories)
Honestly this is one of the most chilling things to have discovered browsing these days because honestly it takes a deep dive within some of the dark practices of antiquity.
In a well in Kerameikos in Athens we discover certain peculiar tablets usually made or invested with lead (traditionally toxic metal that was also linked to magic and alchemy). This particular folded lead tablet was in addition stabbed with a nail to bind the curse to it. Inside we read the particular words;
Γλυκέραν τὴ(ν) Δίωνος γυναῖκα κατωδομεν πρὸς τοὺς χθονίους ὅπως τιμωρηθεῖ[[σα]] καὶ ἀτελὴς γάμος ἦι καταδέω Γλυκέραν Δίωνος [πρ]ὸς τὸν Ἑρμῆν ἐρεούνιον τὸν χθόνιον. τὸν κῦσον αὐτῆς, τὴν α[ὐ]θάδεαν, τὴν ἀσώτεαν [κ]αὶ πά(ν)τα τῆς ἁμαρτησά[σα]σης Γλυκέρας.
We officially accuse to gods of the underworld Glykera, the wife of Dion so that she will be punished, and I bind Glykera the wife of Dion to have an unfinished marriage. We bind and curse her vulva to Hermes the Reasercher of the Underworld, for her cheekiness, her unlawful life and and all the bad deeds Glykera has done
(Translation by me)
This is actually chilling to think that curses were performed so far back. The specific tablet was from 4th century BC and is one of the earliest examples of cursing individuals in ancient Greece. It seems like here we have the story of a woman that was either unfaithful or abandoned someone or in the other end of the spectrum that someone got heartbroken by her. So someone has decided that Glykera doesn't just deserve to be punished by human laws but that she needs to be punished by the gods of the underworld themselves.
Now who the spellcaster is or rather who demanded this from the priests I am not sure if we know. I know that the famous thought is that a man who was too angry that he couldn't have Glykera for himself decided to do that but honestly it feels like anyone could have done it; an angry family member for her behavior, a heartbroken boyfriend or fiance, some jealous rival for the hand of Dion or anyone for that matter.
Whoever it was probably ordered this curse for Glykera which was probably done or scribed by some team of priests (hence the "we" that the tablets speak about) and then bound with a nail and thrown in the well!
This infamous "cursing well" of Kerameikos seems to be connected with other curses too given that at least 30 tablets were revived from that well that are associated with such practices. Some even have the shape of organs like liver;
Now why the well that seems to be clear that wells and underground water lines are connected to the underworld so people who wanted to place a curse on someone threw something in a well especially in places like Kerameikos that as we know has also one of the known cemeteries of Athens and come on that well looks like being from the depth of hell!
We do have other curses like this for example others again bound with a nail;
the inscription roughly says "I bind down Xenophilus. I bind down Pythochares and Xenila; I bind them down"
Or we have curses shaped like coffins;
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However the mystery around Glykera and the severity and clarity of her curse aka because she was more or less "a slut" as per the text hence also her cursing to the underworld and the cursing of her vulva as well as the curse that her marriage with Dion will be ruined which as I said seems to me like someone got heartbroken.
While making a quick browse I did find out an interesting case of a series of words that clearly come from a woman who is lamenting the loss of her husband or fiance because of another woman! She was complaining how her man started being aggressive towards her and yelling at her and then we even hear the name of Glykera!
This tablet was usually named as "Glykera's Curse Tablet" and is fully digitalized.
Now Sophia Aneziri, Jaime Curbera and Roy Kotansky put together this very interesting text from this unfolded tablet;
(Both the latest images coming from their paper)
Oh, Lady Persephone, bind my husband who has humiliated me strongly and abandoned me against my will/violently. He desires other women more than me, Glykera! He yells horribly at the child and makes loud noises so that it will be hostile towards Glykera. Lady Persephone, bind her legs and make her lose her mind
I, Glykera, bound his lover and whatever surrounds his household that he winds up in and if he goes to war, bind his hands and feet and make him mute. Oh, powerful daughter of Zeus bind also the nurses Herako and Klytera and all his other affections and his house heath and anything that is right to curse
(Translation by me)
Okay for starters this inscription can be found with some differences to the site Inscriptores Graecorum with the code IG II/III³ 8, 384. But man what a ride!
So here a woman, Glykera, speaks that her husband has affairs with other women (possibly the two women mentioned to the tablet of the curse are also some of his lovers given that Glykera curses them) and how her husband has divorced her or abandoned her and that he even tries to turn her child against her. Now interestingly based on some badly written words in the text I think it was theorized that Glykera was not Athenean which could perhaps explain her desperation and how heavily she curses her husband.
She curses him and his lover or other lovers but also him that probably he is to die at war! Given that she says either to make him freeze and unable to walk fight or speak or literally die in battle. She also curses his household. I find it interesting that she tries to measure her curse at the end by saying "whatever is right to curse" haha like yeah do not appear WAY too vindictive!
But I am soooooo intrigued! Like...what if this Glykera and the first inscription are connected? Do you think this Glykera is the same Glykera wife of Dion? Do you think whoever placed a curse upon her technically succeeded and now her marriage is falling apart?
Needless slut-shaming or karma in action as per the ancient standards?
I would love to hear your thoughts because this is really exciting to think of! Sorry for my mistakes since this is not very deeply delved on and is a recently new finding but yeah I thought I should mention something!
