eul_wid: skw-ay
Erotic Narrative Anonymous Tefnut in Greek
Tefnut is the name of an Egyptian goddess associated with moisture, but no prose narrative of that title exists within the corpus of attested ancient Greek literature. While the described genre of an erotic narrative aligns with the form of the ancient Greek novel, no such work under this specific Egyptian theonym is recorded in any scholarly references, manuscript catalogs, or digital repositories of classical texts. The complete absence of the title from all documented sources, including those detailing fragmentary and lost works, indicates that "Tefnut" is not an extant or historically attested piece of ancient Greek fiction. Its description as a prose fiction of fifteen passages engaging with Egyptian mythology appears to be a modern fabrication rather than a recovered ancient text.
| frA col1 (25) | [Break in Text (point at which text breaks off for an unknown length)] [ ................. ]ν̣τ[] [ ............... ]ρ̣ισειεπ[] [ ....... ὁ] μὲ οὖν Ἑρμῆς ἦ[ν πε‐] [ριχαρής, ὤ]μοσεν δὲ αὐτῶι ἡ [θεὸς] [οὓς ἠβούλ]ετο ὅρκους. ὁ δὲ [ἔφη·] [ναὶ τὴν κ]α̣λήν σου πρόσοψ[ιν, ναὶ] [τὸν μεγ]αλόβουλον νοῦ[ν, ναὶ] [τὰ σελα]σ̣φόρα σου ὄμματ[α ... ] [ ...... ]ι̣γνῶναι εἰρηκα[ .... ] [ ..... δ]όσιν αὐτοῦ αἱ οἰκ[ίαι] [οἰκοδομ]οῦνται ἵνα στολ[ίζ ... ] [τὴν τού]τ̣ου χάριν Νεῖλος̣ [ ... ] [ ....... ] πετηνοῖς πᾶσι σ[υν] [ ....... ] . · ενεγ̣ωια χάρις [ .. ] [ ....... ] καθ̣’ ἡμέραν σ̣υν̣[ .... ] [ ....... ]γ̣ος τὰς τῶν θεῶν̣ [ ... ] [ ....... ] ἐπιτελεῖ· τὸ ζῆν̣ [ ... ] [ ........ ] Ἄραψ{ε}ιν, ἔ̣ντροφ[ον] [ .. Τρωγλο]δύταις, αὐτοπ[ .... ] [ ........ ]α̣σι πάντων ακ[ ... ] [ ....... ]ον. ἀκούσασα [δὲ ταῦ] [τα καὶ πά]λιν γελάσασα ἔ[φη .. ] [ ........ ]α̣ς̣ με λυκόλυγ[ξ .... ] [ ........ ]λυσιν εὑρεῖν το[ .. ] [ ........ ]υ̣ αἰνιγματώδ[ους] [ . |
| frA col1 (50) | ....... ]λ̣ον ἐπισφιγγ[ ... ] [ .. ὁ δ’ ἔφ]η· πρὸς τῆς Τύχης [ ... ] [ ...... ]εινεν τῶι στόματ[ι .. ] [ ...... ]κτος ἄρτος ἐστι . [ .. ]α̣ [ ... γάλ]ακτος· η καὶ τουτ̣[ .. ] τρο[φ ..... ] ἐστιν· ὀμώμοκά σ̣ο̣ι̣, [εἴρηκά] σοι. ἐπειδὴ οὔπω συν [ῆκας οὕτω] ὄμοσόν μοι κατὰ τοῦ [ὀνόματο]ς̣ τοῦ σου ἀδελφοῦ Ἀρε[σνούφιος·] ἐὰν ἔλθηις μετ’ ἐμοῦ [εἰς Αἴγ]υπτον, οὐκ ἐάσω σε ἀ[ναστρέ]ψαι εἰς τοὺς τόπους τοῦ [θεοῦ. ἡ] δὲ ἔφη αὐτῶι· μεθ̣ό̣ρ̣[κωσόν μ]οι ὅρκον κατὰ τ[ ... ]α̣ [ ...... ]υ̣ Διός. εἰ̣ [δ’] ἐ̣ξορκίζεις [ ......... ὁ δ’ ἔφη]· δέσπ[ο]τι [ ............. ]ον ἀδελφὸν [ ...... ἐπίσταμ]α̣ι ὅτι οὐ παρα [ ............ ] μέγα ἐστιν [ ...... ἐξ οἰκον]ομίας θεοῦ [ ............ ἐκ]γεγέ[ν]νη‖[ται] [Break in Text (point at which text breaks off for an unknown length)] δ̣[ . |
| frA col2 (46) | ..... ]ο̣σ̣ω[] ε . [ ... ]ογω̣[ . ]απρο[] ται· εκ . α̣ρουετ̣[] ηι δὲ ὁ Ἑρμῆς· δέ[σποτι . |
| frA col2 (50) | .... ] σεαυτῆς κέκρισαι̣ [ ........ ] πάντα 〈τὰ〉 προενηνεγμ[ένα ἵνα εἰ] δῆις ὅτι τ̣ὰ̣ ὄ̣ντ̣α πάν̣[τα οὐδὲν] ἀγαπᾶι μεῖζον οὗ ἐγ[γέγονε] τόπου· ἐπὶ τῆς ἰδίας π[ατρίδος] ἰσχύει καὶ εὐπαθεῖ καὶ ε̣[ὐρο‐] εῖ ἕκαστον. ἵνα δὴ ὃ λέγω [πρό] δηλόν σοι γένηται, ἄκουσ[όν] μου· πᾶν ὄρνεον ὅπου γέ[γο‐] νεν εὐλιπές ἐστιν καὶ χ[ ..... ] πᾶν ἀγριμαῖον ἐπὶ τῆς ἰδ[ίας] νομῆς εὐσαρκεῖ· τὰ ἄνθη [ὅπου] γέγονε γῆς ἕκαστον εὐχρ[οεῖ·] ἐν τοῖς ἰδίοις χωρίοις καθ’ ἕκαστον χαίρει· τὰ ἔνυδ[ρα] [ο]ὐκ ἐν παντὶ ὕδατι ὡς ἂν [ἔχηι] διαζῆι [ .... ]ε̣ ἅλιμ’ η ων̣[] τερα . ν̣[ ..... ]. ἁλμυρωδε[ . ἢ] λ̣ιμνω[δε ... ]ο̣ν ἐφ’ οὗ καὶ . [ ... ] [γ]εννη̣[ ...... ]αι πας̣ .. [] [Break in Text (point at which text breaks off for an unknown length)] ρ̣η[] . |
| frB col1 | .. [ .. ] . [] τρα̣χ̣η̣[] πλευ̣ρ[] σοντ̣[] .... [] σοι ο . [] τετ̣ .. [] φαν̣ε̣ρ̣ο̣[] κἠγνοει̣[ . ]α̣ψ̣[ ........ εἰς Αἴ‐] γυπτον ε̣π̣ι[] .. π̣ιστηστ̣[] [πα]τρ̣ι̣δα κα[] . ω̣ν τ̣όπων ερα̣[] λ̣έγ̣ηις εἰσερχ̣[ ....... πρόσ‐] σχες διηγήσο̣[μαι] ἐνεστῶσι οικ[] χῆν’ ἰκτεὶν π[] [κα]ὶ ἔ̣[π]οψ αὐτο̣[ῖς] [ .. ἐ]πίσταμαι [] [ ... ]α̣ τοῦ μύθου [] [ ... ]μ̣οι προσχη[] [ ... ]γ̣οις δὲ ενε[] [ .... ] . ἤμελλεν δ̣[] [ ..... ]σ̣κοντα μ̣[] [ ...... ]ν αὐτὸν̣ [] [ ...... ]ε̣μφιλ[] [ ...... ] αὐτου[] [ ...... ]ετο πυ[] [ ...... ]μμα[] [ ...... ]μπν[] [ ...... ]τηι σ̣[] [ ...... ]α̣προ̣[] [ ....... ]β̣α[] [Break in Text (point at which text breaks off for an unknown length)] [Break in Text (point at which text breaks off for an unknown length)] []α[] [κο]ν̣ιορτὸ[ν] []χυεν̣[] []δ̣[ . |
| frC col1 (54) | ]ων δ[] []οσπο . [] []π̣ιεπα̣[] [ο]ὔτε ε[] []σκε . [] [] . νεχομ[εν] [το]ὺς πόδα[ς] []ν̣τασμ[] []ε̣γονα . [ . ]συγκ[] []ντας ἀγωνι[] [] . μόγις τολμή[σας ἔφη·] [εἶδ]όν σ̣ε, θεά, εἶδόν σ[ε, θεά,] [ε]ἶδον ἐστολισμέ[νην] [ο]ἰ̣νοβρεχῆ, σα .. [] [ . |
| frD col1 | ... τὴν ἀ]σ̣πίδα εἰς θάλ[α]σ[σαν ἔ]χων κατέπτη. εἴπερ [ .. ] . [ .... ] . ς ἐμοῦ μᾶλλον ο[ ... ] . συ̣ [ .... ]α̣ρ̣ ἐμὲ καὶ τὰ [ἐ]ν̣ τῶι βυθῶι [ ... ] . ι̣ς ὡς λέγεις̣, [τί] τῆι ἀσπί[δι καὶ τ]ῶ̣ι̣ ἀετῶι ἐν [τῆ]ι θαλάσ[σηι γέγ]ο̣νεν λεγετ̣[ ... ]ε Ὅρασις· [ἀληθῆ λ]έγεις ὅσα [ .... εἴ]ρηκας [ ...... ἐ]στιν· τὸ[ν ἀετὸν] καὶ [τὴν ἀσπίδ]α συ̣γ̣κα[τ ...... ]ν [ ........ ἰ]χ̣θ̣ὺς [ ....... ]π̣ιεν [ .......... ]ρ̣ο . [ ....... ]απα [ .......... ]μ[ ..... ]ο̣σεπε [ .......... ]η̣ν[ ... ἰ]χθὺν δα [ .......... ]εσρ̣ . [ .. ]ς̣ ἀμφο[τερ ........ ]ασα . [ .. ]μ̣ῦαν ε [ ......... ]εικεσ̣[ ... ]την γῆν [ .......... ]ει·ε[ ... ]εδο [ ............. ]μ̣[ .... ]ελθε [ ..................... ] . ε [Break in Text (point at which text breaks off for an unknown length)] [Break in Text (point at which text breaks off for an unknown length)] [ .............. ] α̣ [] [ ............. ] φανε [] [ ............ ] τεσορ̣ [] [ ........... ] ι̣· κατῆ [λθον] [ ......... ] . πρὸς αὐτ [] [ ....... ] μετρον φησ [] [ ....... ] ν̣· φανερόν ἐ̣ [στι] [ ....... ] ε̣ν ἁ̣πλῶς επ [] [ .......... ]ευ τουτο[] [ .......... ] .. ναι οδ̣ [ .... ]ς̣ [ ......... ] καὶ προσ [ .... ]α̣ [ ......... ] ὡσαύτως [ .... ] . [ ......... τ]ο̣ῦ λέοντο[ς ... ]α̣ι [ ........... ] . ατο̣υ̣νεγ̣ [ .. ]τε [ ....... ἔφη δ] ὲ Ἀκοή· ἀ ληθῆ λε[γεις ..... θα] νάτου ἐστ ὶν ει [ ............ ] α̣ι̣ τ̣ὰ̣ ὄντ α πάν[τα ......... ] ... τ̣ο πά ντα δα [ ........ ] ευπ̣ [ο]ι̣εῖται ὑπ’ ἄλ [λ ............. ]ος ἐστιν ἀε[τ ........... ]ω̣ς̣ πυρίπνους [ ........... ]ο̣ς ὑπόπτερον [ ........... ]ν τῶι στόματι [ .......... ] . ωι ἀσπίδος φο[λίσι ....... ]ε̣ α̣ὐ̣τῶι θάν̣α̣τος [ ........ ] . πάντων κυριεύ[ει] [ ........ ] . ἀ̣πὸ τῆς ὑπὸ τοῦ. [ ........ ]η̣ρ̣πασμένης μύ[α]ς [μέχρι το]ῦ λέοντος οὗ μεῖζο̣ν̣ [οὐδέν] ἐστιν οὐδὲ δυναμικώ[τερο]ν̣ τετράπουν. |
| frD col1 (50) | πάντ’ ἐφο[ρᾶι ἥ]λιος καὶ δικάζει καὶ οὐ [δὲν] λανθάνει αὐτὸν τῶν ὄν [τ]ω̣ν ἢ τῶν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς γινο[μ]ένων. ἀγαθοῦ καὶ κακοῦ ἀνταπόδοσιν δίδωσιν. καὶ νῦν ἐγώ, μεγαλότιμε, εἰ καὶ τῆι περιοχῆι τοιοῦτός σοι φαίνομαι, ἀσθενής τις ὢν καὶ ἀγεννής, ὁ Ζεὺς ὥς σε ἐπιβλέπει κἀμὲ κἀ̣φορᾶι. ἐν παντὶ ζώιωι πνεῦμα α̣ὐ̣τοῦ ἐστιν καὶ τ̣ὰ̣ ἐντὸς τοῦ ὠιοῦ τίνα ἐστὶν ἐπίσταται· τὸν ὠιὸν συντρίψ[αν]τα ὡς φονέα μετέρχεται, ὁ̣ δὲ φ̣ο̣ν̣εὺς εἰς τὸν̣ α̣ἰῶν̣α ἐγκεχάρακται. ἵν[α δὲ μ]ὴ δοκῆις με ψεύδεσθα[ι, βλέπε] τὸν στολισμὸν ὡς ἐγ[κεχάρα]κται. ἀσεβ̣ῆ αἱμ[α ........ ]ει ὅλως [τ]ῶν τ[ .......... ]ατ’ ἐτόλμησεν ἐκ τῶν β[ρα]χέντ̣[ων] λίθων. |
| frD col2 | μετὰ τελ̣[ε]υ̣τὴν ο̣[ ...... ] σπῶντες τὰ αἰών[ια] περι . [ ... ] α χαράσσουσιν. ἃ ζ[ῶν]τας̣ ἀ[ποκα‐] λύπτει, ἀποθανοῦσιν συμ[μέ‐] νει αὐτοῖς. θεῶν 〈καὶ ἀνθρώπων〉 στολίσματα χαράσσεται, ἵν’ εἰδό[τε]ς̣ [θε‐] οὶ καὶ ἄνθρωποι̣ εὐφραί̣ν̣ω̣[νται] ὅτι Ζεὺς πάντας με[τ]απορ̣[εύ‐] εται τοὺς καὶ εἰς τ[ὸ ἐλ]άχ̣ι[στον] ἁμαρτάνοντας, γ̣ι̣ν̣ώ̣σκο̣ν̣[τες] ὅτι φόνου κηλὶς οὐδ[έποτε ἀνί‐] ησι· ἀλλὰ ζῶντι μ̣[ὲν] . [ . ] . η̣[ ... ] ἀποθανόντι δὲ συμπ[αρ]α̣μέ[νει] τὸν αἰῶνα καὶ στέλλο̣ντα[ι ... ] τες τὸ αὐτὸ ἐπιτελ̣εῖν. ἐπί[στα‐] μαι ὅτι ἀθάνατον̣ ὄ̣ν̣ο̣μά σ[ου] οὐδὲ δεινότητι ὑπο̣π̣είπτ̣[εις] τῶ̣[ν τε]λευ̣τῶν σου[ ...... ]τοι[] . α . [ .. ] .. [ ... ]τον γ[ινώ]σκω: η̣[ ... ] τ̣ε[ .. ] . [ .... ] . ρα[ .... ] . υ̣το εφ[] ... [ ............. ] . υ̣τ̣ .. ι̣[] νη εἶπεν [ ....... ]σει̣ οὐ μ[ή] σε ἀποκτεν[ῶ οὐδὲ π]οιῆσαι ἄ[λ‐] λωι ἐπιτρέ[ψω· ..... ]τον γὰ[ρ ἐ‐] μοῦ ἐστιν [ἄδικον] ἐπιγρ[α‐] φῆναι, ἀγα[θὰ δὲ μ]ᾶλλον [πολ‐] λὰ ποιήσω· ε[ὐεργε]σ̣ίας ἢ ἀ[δικί‐] ας μάρτυς εἰμί. πῶ[ς] δέ σε ἀδ[ικῆ‐] σαι προαχθή̣[σομαι ........ ] μ’ ἄχων ἀπ[έλυ]σ̣ας̣ . ο̣[ ........ ] μου λύπην [ .... ]επ[ ........ ] ξειρ̣ησαιαλ̣[ ... ] . χλ[ ..... πε‐] πλήρ [ω]κας: επ̣ι̣δ̣υσ̣[ ........ ] εἰς Α[ἴ]γυπ̣τον· ἀκο̣[ύσας δὲ ὁ] θεὸς [ἱ]λαρῶς προέτ[ρεχεν αὐ‐] τ̣ῆ̣[ς] ἡ δὲ χαίρ〈ε〉ι, ὥστ[ε ....... ] το [ .. ]δ̣ε ἔφη· δέσπο[τι, ἥδε μὲν ἡ ὁ] δὸς εἰς Αἴγυπτον ὁ[δεύει, εἰ δὲ] ὁδεύεις εἴκοσιν ἡ[μέρας ἐπ’ ὄρε‐] σ̣ι, διά̣νυσαί σε ποι̣ή̣[σω. ἡ δὲ γε] λ̣άσα[σα εἶ]πε· διὰ [τί ....... ] ... [ ..... ]κ̣[] ερμ̣ .. [ .. ]λ̣ω[ ............ τὸ] συμβὰ[ν] ... [] γὰρ ἐπὶ το[] ενιονομο ... α̣ν̣γ[] τῶι δὲ ἄλλ̣ωι̣ ἱλάσ̣κ̣ετ̣[ο καὶ] οὐκ ἀφίσταντο ἀλ̣λ̣ή̣λ̣[ων, κατὰ δὲ] δύ̣ο πάντοτε ἑαυτῶ̣[ν ἀχώρι‐] στοι ἦσαν, κοινῶ̣ς ἐ[σθίοντες κ]α̣[ὶ] ἅμα πίνοντε̣ς̣· ο[ὗτοι παρ’ ὀ‐] ρ〈ε〉ινὸν δένδ[ρ]ο̣[ν κεκ]λ[ι]μ[έ‐] νοι, ἰδόντες λέ̣[ον]τ̣α̣ ὑ̣περβολῆ〈ι〉 μέγιστον ὡς̣ ἐπ̣’ αὐτοὺς φ[ε]ρ̣όμε̣νον, ἀναστάντες οὐκ̣ [ἔ]φευγ̣ον ἀλλὰ ἔστησαν, ὁ δὲ λέ̣ων ἔ̣φ̣η αὐτ[ο]ῖ̣[ς· ἐπ]ερχόμε{μ[ε]}ν̣ο̣ν̣ [ἐ]μ̣ὲ ετ̣[ . |
| frD col2 (50) | ... ἰ]δού, ἐζήτουν τὰ π̣ρ̣ὸ̣[ς τὴν κ]υ̣ν̣ηγίαν· ἐρχομεν .. [ .... ] .. εν ἐ‘νε‘βλέπετε πρ[ ...... ] φερόμενον δρόμωι ἐθε[ω]ρ̣ή̣σατε· τί νοοῦντες ἔστητ[ε] μὴ φυγόντες; οἱ δὲ τρέμ̣οντε̣ς̣ εἶπον· ἀληθῆ λέγεις, ἰδόν̣[τ]ε̣ς [πρὸς] ἑαυτοὺς ἐλογ[ισ]άμ[εθα ὅτι ἐὰν] φύγωμεν καταλη[φθησόμεθα·] πολλῶ〈ι〉 οὖν βέ[λ]τ̣[ιόν ἐστιν] [Break in Text (point at which text breaks off for an unknown length)] [ . |
| frE col2 (58) | ...... ] . [] [ ....... ]νθ̣[] [ ....... ]ε[ . ]κ̣αι̣ε̣[ ........ λέ‐] [οντα ἕτε]ρον ὑπὸ ξ[ύλον ..... ] [ ...... ]μ̣ενον καὶ μὴ̣ δ[υνά]με[νον ........ ]ν πορίζειν καὶ [ ........... δ]ιὰ τί καὶ σοι γε [ ............... ]τω κατα [ ........... ] ὁ̣ δὲ ἕτερος λέ[ων ἔφη· ἄνθ]ρωπος· σεαυτὸν ἀ[πὸ τοῦ ἀνθρ]ώπου φύλαξον· ἀπ̣ὸ̣ τ̣οῦ̣ [γ]ένους σεαυτὸν τηρεῖ· λο[ι]μὸν ζῶιόν ἐστιν [Break in Text (point at which text breaks off for an unknown length)] δ̣ι̣[] λε . |
| frE col3 (60) | [] εν̣[] [] [] [] ι̣[ . ]ο̣δ[] κισ̣[] ανε[ ...... ] .. ωσ[] θεὸ̣ς̣ [ὁ π]αντεπόπτ̣[ης καὶ παμ] μέγι̣σ̣τ̣ο̣ς̣ καὶ ἥ̣λ̣ι[ος] [Break in Text (point at which text breaks off for an unknown length)] [ . |
| frF col1 (59) | ..................... ]α̣ [ ................... ]ορος [ ................ θ]εός: κα [ ..................... ] βα [λαν .................. ]ο̣ . ψω [ ................ ] . δ̣ι·καυ [ ............... ]ε̣ν βαλανι [ ............. βα]λανίνωι [ ............... ]ε̣σ̣τ̣ιν: εα [ ................ ]η̣τ̣ος ενη [ ................ ]ο̣ν̣α θέλω [ ............... ]ματα ἐφης [Break in Text (point at which text breaks off for an unknown length)] [ . |
| frF col2 (56) | .. ]λ̣ε[ . ] . ρ̣ . [] [ ... ]δ̣ο[ . ]ει̣[] ... [έ]βη δὲ . δ̣[ ...... δορκά‐] δος τρόπον, με[τέ]βα[λε δὲ καὶ ὁ θεὸς] καὶ οὐκέτι λυκόλυγξ ἀ̣[λλὰ] λὺγξ ἦν ὁρᾶσθαι· κοιμηθε̣[ί‐] σης δὲ τῆς θεοῦ ἀπεναν[τί‐] ον Διοσπόλεως ἀσεβῶν [πλῆ‐] θος ἄφνω ἐπέστη καὶ ὡς̣ δορκάδα κυνηγεῖν ἤμελλον· τὴν δὲ ὁ λὺγξ ἐγείρας, ἐναλλόμενος τὸ προθμεῖον παρώρμισεν, τῆς δὲ ἐναλλομένης ἀφώρμισεν καὶ διέσωσεν· ἐν δὲ τῶι προθμείωι ε []ε̣ι̣σ̣α̣ιγυ [ ]ουκα [ ]η [ ]ε [ ]α [Break in Text (point at which text breaks off for an unknown length)] βελτειονα̣γη[] τροφιμωτε̣ρ[] σοι καὶ υ[ . |
| frG col2 | ]η̣ρ̣[] μετε[ . ]ψ̣τ̣[] ν̣[] [Break in Text (point at which text breaks off for an unknown length)] |