Southport : Original Sources in Exploration



The Oxyrhynchus Papyri

Bernard P. Grenfell and Arthur S. Hunt (Eds.)







The Oxyrhynchus Papyri, Vol. 6, edited by Bernard P. Grenfell and Arthur S. Hunt (London: Egypt Exploration Fund, 1908)

Documents of the Roman and Byzantine Periods:

Letters: Nos. 928-943  (2nd to 7th century AD) 
[1] [2]

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No. 928.    Letter of Lucius.    10.2 x 7.3 cm.    2nd or 3rd c. AD.    (p.293)

In this kindly letter written by Lucius to Apolinarius, who is addressed as ‘brother’, the latter is warned of a plot against a girl who had lost her protector, and is asked to befriend her. The writing is across the fibres of the papyrus.

Translation from Greek: (p.293)

"Lucius to Apolinarius his brother, greeting. Since now that Zopyrus is dead there are persons making designs upon Thats daughter of Amphithales, and you once had a conversation with me on this subject, I therefore inform you, in order that if you think fit you may act before she is entrapped; for the son (?) of Sebastinus has no mother either. If you are making pickled fish for yourself send me a jar too. Greet the children from me and Isidorion. I pray for your health. (Addressed) To Apolinarius."

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No. 929.   Letter of Nicanor.   34.5 x 9.8 cm.   Late 2nd or 3rd c. AD.   (p.294)

The subject of this letter is the loss of some articles of clothing, which the writer wished his correspondent to assist him in recovering. It-is on the verso of the papyrus, the recto containing the latter parts of lines of a column of early second century accounts, of which the upper portion has been erased to receive the address of the letter....

The verso had already been once used, and has been cleaned to make way for Nicanor’s epistle. The original document began with a date of the 21st year of Commodus (A. D. 180), but beyond this only a few isolated letters are legible.

Translation from Greek: (p.295)

"Nicanor to Ninnarus his brother, greeting. Knowing your goodness to all, I ask you now to do me this one service. Please demand from Tithois the sailor a garment consisting of a brown tunic, inside which was a linen cloth, a worn towel, and some wool. All these were inside the brown tunic, and it was sealed with white clay, and with it send back to me all the other garments, making the total number six, to the Oxyrhynchite nome whence I obtained all the aforesaid articles. I write therefore to you, brother, to see if they are in some one else’s possession. Please tell me at once about this. I pray for your health. (Addressed) To Ninnarus steward of Apion, strategus (ἢ), from Nicanor."

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No. 930. Letter to Ptolemaeus from his Mother. 15 x 9.2 cm. 2nd or 3rd c. AD. (p.295)

An interesting letter from a mother to her son, whose teacher (καθηγητής) had
just left him, and who was now in the charge of his παιδαγωγός. The writer
with evident anxiety urges him to find another teacher.

Translation from Greek: (p.296)

". .. do not hesitate to write to me about anything which you require. It grieved me to learn from the daughter of our teacher Diogenes that he had sailed, for I had no anxiety about him, knowing that he intended to look after you to the best of his ability. I took care to send and ask about your health and learn what you are reading ; he said that it was the sixth book and testified at length concerning your attendant. So my son, I urge both you and your attendant to take care that you go to a suitable teacher. Many salutations are sent to you by your sisters and Theonis’ children, whom the evil eye shall not harm, and by all our friends by name. Salute your esteemed attendant Eros... (Addressed)... to her son Ptolemaeus."

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No. 931.    Letter of Theopompus to a Strategus.    Chicago.    22.0 x 10.2 cm. 2nd c. AD  (p.296)

A respectful letter to a strategus of the upper Sebennyte nome (cf. 1. 15, note) from a friend, accompanying the present of an ounce of purple. The fact that in 1. ὃ the praefect is called κράτιστος not λαμπρότατος indicates that the letter was written before the close of the second century, and the early occurrence of the formula ἐρρῶσθαί oe... εὔχομαι, which is here combined with ἔρρωσο, is noticeable ; cf. No. 287, note. The papyrus was briefly described in Part I, No. 163.

Translation from Greek: (p.297)

"Theopompus to his most esteemed Sarapion, greeting. As you wished, sir, I have
sent by the guard who brought the letter from you the ounce of purple to be presented at the entertainment to the little one [1]; for I guessed that you were in attendance upon his excellency the praefect. I pray for the health of you, sir, with your excellent sister and Cyrilla. Good-bye.° Phaophi 15. (Addressed) To Sarapion, strategus of the upper toparchy of the Sebennyte nome [2], from his friend Theopompus."

notes:
1. The young girl who receives presents (cf. Archiv, IV. p. 539) is more likely to be a youthful daughter of the praefect than of Sarapion ....

2. Usually a strategus had a whole nome under his jurisdiction, but the Arsinoite nome had two strategi for the three merides. That the Sebennyte nome was in the Roman period divided for administrative purposes into two distinct halves, the upper and the lower, with Sebennytus and Pachnamounis as their respective metropoli, was already known from Ptol. Geogr. iv. 5. 21 and 23.

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No. 932:    Letter of Thais.     9.6 x 12 cm.    Late 2nd century AD.    (p.298)

A letter from a woman to a relative or friend, giving him various instructions
about the payment of dues and other matters relating to agriculture. The sentences are loosely constructed and the meaning in consequence not always transparent.

Translation from Greek: (p.298)

"Thais fo her own Tigrius, greeting. I wrote to Apolinarius to come to Petne for
the measuring. Apolinarius will tell you how the deposits and public dues stand: the name will be that which he will tell you himself. If you come, take out six artabae of vegetable seed, sealing it in the sacks in order that they may be ready, and if you can go up to find out the ass, do so. Sarapodora and Sabinus salute you. Do not sell the young pigs without me. Good-bye."

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No. 933.   Letter of Diogenes.   Width 9.2 cm.   Late 2nd century AD.   (p.299)

A letter to Apolinarius, a legate or presbeutes, from a friend, chiefly concerning a little girl who probably was Apolinarius’ daughter and had been commended to the care of his correspondent.

Translation from Greek: (p.299-300)

"Greeting, my good Apolinarius, from your friend Diogenes. Having met with a man who is going to you I greet you most kindly, praying to all the gods for your preservation.... I came to the great festival, With regard to the little girl, I was there until she sailed, and everything was provided for her so that when you come back you will bear me witness, Have no more anxiety about your household than you would if you were present. I sent the letter to the little girl and made the night- strategus sleep on guard at the house. Salute my friend Plutogenes. I pray for your health, sir. If it is no trouble to you (p.300) inquire of Antinous whether he bought the cloak for your child, and if not, buy it. (Addressed) To Apolinarius, ... legate, from Diogenes, linen-merchant."

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No. 934.   Letter of Aurelius Stephanus.  14 x 14.3 cm.  3rd century AD. (p.300)

A letter concerning purchases of yokes and manure, and other domestic matters.

Translation from Greek: (p.301)

"Aurelius Stephanus to Aurelius Chaeremon, his brother, greeting. As I was setting forth for Alexandria I paid to the rope-weaver Petobastis in the presence of Heracleus as the price of yokes [1] 60 drachmae, and as the price of manure at Chusis [2] in the presence of Kopreus 40 drachmae, and to Kale [3]for Kopreus the 48 drachmae which I had with me. Do not fail therefore to throw the manure on the land. I agreed to pay 100 drachmae for 25 artabae, in the presence of Kopreus; you will therefore give him the remaining 12 drachmae. Do not fail to go there, both to help my wife until I return, and for the sake of the irrigation. I found Aethiopas and it is well with him. Salute all our friends, I pray for your health. (Addressed) To Aurelius Chaeremon from Aurelius Stephanus."

notes:
1. Yokes apparently in connexion with a water-wheel (the yokes of the oxen which drew it?) occur in P. Flor. No. 26.

2. Chusis: for the village of this name cf. No. 899.

3. For the place name Kale (Καλή) cf. B.G.U. 839.

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No. 935.   Letter of Serenus.    31.5 x 8.8 cm.    3rd century AD.    (p.301)

A letter from a man to his brother, chiefly concerned with the health of various members of the family.

On the recto, perhaps in the same hand, are remains of two columns of a list of persons, many of them women, the names being either in the nominative or dative case, followed in some instances at any rate by amounts in artabae. One entry is "Thaesei, female . artabae ....". another “Horo Auktou" .... The names "Praeskilla" and "Kaketos" also occur. The document appears to be a taxing-list of some kind.

Translation from Greek: (p.302)

"Serenus to Diogenes his brother, greeting. With the assistance of heaven our sister has taken a turn for the better, and our brother Harpocration is safe and well; for our ancestral gods continually assist us, granting us health and safety. I intended to come up myself on the [.]th, since Sarapion’s friends said that he was ill, I write to you therefore to ask you to write to me at once(?) about him by any messenger you may have. The transport of the bundles will be performed immediately by my father: he has already taken away those in the 1[.]| arourae. Many salutations to my sweetest brother Harpocration, Theanous, Theon, Diogenes, and Heliodorus. Many salutations to you all from Hieraciaena and her daughter Tsenesis. I pray for the health of you and all the household."

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No. 936.    Letter of Pausanias.   16.7 x 14.9 cm.   3rd century AD.   (p.303)

 This letter is noticeable for several unusual words which it contains. It is written in a fairly regular sloping uncial hand in two columns, that to the left, of which only the ends of lines remain, following that to the right. The writer apparently anticipated that he would not finish his letter in a single column, but curiously began on the right-hand side of the sheet, leaving a broad margin in front of his first column. The writing of the left column, which was no doubt considerably narrower than the other, is of a reduced size. A graphical peculiarity is a horizontal dash placed below as well as above the figures in lines 6, 11, etc.

Translation from Greek: (p.304)

"Pausanias to his father Julius Alexander, greeting. Before all else I pray for your health, and I perform the act of worship on your behalf to the gods of the country. Receive from Syrus a basket of 80 eggs and a jug with 3 choinices of mustard and half a chous of raphanus oil and a jug with half a chous of honey and the dagger. From Agathemerus receive a honeycomb and a pot of 10 cakes and 3 honey-sweet garlands; give these to my sister and salute her warmly. Receive from the bearer of the letter a basket containing 40 eggs (?) and a Canopic basket with 4 pairs of loaves and 6 pairs of... The cobbler says that he will not give up either the money or the cloak without Justus, for he says “ The cloak has not yet been redeemed, and 1 have entirely failed to find Philoxenus”, 1 went to the mother of Ammonius, and she says '1 have no food now, and the petitions have not yet been got ready'. Bring me two hides, a wrap, and a small crate . . . five years old, and some shoes.  Send me now an open work covering (?) having a ....."

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No. 937.   
Letter of Demarchus.     21 x 9.1 cm.  3rd century AD.    (p.305)

The following letter to a woman named Taor from her brother Demarchus is chiefly concerned with a stone bowl, about the safety of which the writer was anxious. The usual request for various articles and announcement of other articles on their way to the addressee form the conclusion.

Translation from Greek: (p.306)

"Demarchus to his sister Taor, very many greetings. I would have you know that you wrote to me about what Agathinus did to me. Well, if I live and come to my native land I will have my revenge. And for the present I bid you, my dear sister, go to the street of the theatre and find out about the stone bowl in the boat and warn them all there, Philocyrus and Zosimus, to keep a watch on it, lest Agathinus should determine to take the bowl. Write me a reply through the man from Antinoopolis about whom I sent to you, and write the list there, that you have received so and so. If the man from Antinoopolis wants anything provide him with it, and come with him to meet Tasoitas. Send your cloak and the jar of pickled fish and two cotylae of good oil. I pray for your health. You will receive three bags from the man from Antinoopolis who is the bearer of this letter. (Addressed) Deliver to my sister Taor from Demarchus."

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No. 938.    Letter of Demetrius.  Chicago.  8.9 x 17.8 cm. Late 3rd or 4th c. AD (p.306).

A letter from a son to his father, reproaching him for his failure to send fodder for the oxen. The papyrus was briefly described in Part I, No.161. The writing is across the fibres.

Translation from Greek: (p.307)

"Demetrius to Heraclides his father, greeting. It was an unfitting act of yours to intercept the fodder for the oxen at Senao [1], and not to dispatch it, although you had long ago been instructed to send twelve baskets of hay thither, with the result that the oxen are in danger of destruction. Since the oxen are thus in a sorry state, and the land in consequence is not being irrigated, I hasten to write to you now once more and beg you instantly to get the baskets properly laden and send them off; for you seem to be mocking my industry. I pray for your long health."

notes:
1. Senao (Σεναώ), which is presumably a village of the Oxyrhynchite nome, is not mentioned elsewhere.

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No. 939.   Letter to Flavianus.   25.3 x 17.6 cm.   4th century AD.   (p.307)

An affectionately worded Christian letter, apparently from a dependent to his master, concerning the illness of his mistress. The style, which shows the influence of the New Testament, is more polished than that of the average letter of the period, and the document ranks high as a specimen of epistolary composition. A strip containing the beginnings of lines is missing in the upper portion, but the sense is always clear though the restoration is sometimes quite conjectural.

Translation from Greek: (p.308-309)

"To my lord Flavianus from Demetrius, greeting. As on many other occasions so now even more plainly than ever has the regard of the Lord God for you been revealed to us all by the recovery of my mistress from the sickness which overtook her, and may it be granted us to continue for ever to acknowledge our thanks to Him -because He was gracious to us and inclined His ear to our prayers by preserving for us our mistress; for in (p.309) her the hopes of all of us rest. Please pardon me, my lord, and receive me kindly, though I unwillingly caused you so much anxiety by writing to you the messages which you received, I wrote the first letter when she was in much pain, and I was beside myself in anxiety that you should come to us by every possible means in your power, for this was what duty demanded; but as she seems to have taken a turn for the better I am anxious that you should receive another letter by Euphrosynus, in order that I may make you more cheerful. By your own safety, my lord, which is my first interest, if my son Athanasius had not then been ailing, I should have sent him to you with Plutarchus when she was overcome by the sickness. But now I know not what more I am to write concerning her, for her condition seems, as I have said, to be more tolerable, as she has sat up, but she nevertheless remains rather ill. We comfort her by hourly expecting your arrival. I pray my lord, to the Master of all for your continued health. Pharmouthi 6, (Addressed) To Flavianus from Demetrius."

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No. 940.   Letter to a Clerk.   10.7 x 30 cm.   5th century AD.   (p.309)

A letter containing instructions to a notarios concerning the vintage. The writing, as is usual with Byzantine letters, e.g. Nos. 941-3, is across the fibres of the papyrus.

Translation from Greek: (p.310)

"It is my desire that the flow of the wine should remain as it is for some time until the last holding is ready, that we may not seem to press hardly upon the others who have not yet gathered the grapes. Therefore, as stated above, please to delay the account taking until you learn the capacity of the other holdings, and in the meantime write to me, and thus I shall see what is to be done. Send for Phoebammon the steward, and keep him at hand together with you. (Addressed) Deliver to the most admirable Joseph, clerk, from (?) Charmoson (?)."

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No. 941.    Letter to John.   13.3 x 31.4 cm.   6th century AD.   (p.310)

In this letter the writer entreats his friend to help him in obtaining from the monastery of St. Justus a piece of ground to be used for brickmaking.

Translation from Greek: (p.311)

"Since the brickmaker says that the place of the son of Ninnous (?) is full of sherds and not adapted for brickmaking, and as he says that if you will trouble to go to the son of the steward of the monastery of St. Justus he will provide you with a small space, either opposite the martyr’s shrine, or on the left of it, or on the right, vouchsafe me the favour of going to him and speaking to him now. It is likely that he will grant you this favour, for it is close by. Say to him this: 'If you wish, we will pay you rent, only grant me the favour and God be with you(?)'  Inform me immediately by Phoebammon of his answer. Tell him that we only want a little and not much. (Addressed) Deliver to John from ....)"

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No. 942.  Letter of Timotheus.  Chicago.  7 x 30 cm.  6th or 7th c. AD. (p.311)

A letter from a man who had just arrived at Nilopolis, where he had received a letter from the addressee; in consequence of this he had resumed his journey without delay though very unwillingly. Both the writer and the person addressed bear abbreviated titles (apparently ordinarius and exceptor respectively) which are somewhat obscure but seem to be military; cf. note 2 below. The papyrus was briefly described in Part I,  No.162.

Translation from Greek: (p.312)

"We reached Nilopolis on the 13th about the 6th hour, and after we had released the animals [1] a letter was delivered to us from your brotherly excellency about the 8th hour; and God knows whether we had not released the animals, and whether we had any more to unloose. Accordingly before three hours were passed, as soon as we could leave the city we leave it, being obliged by the help of God to arrive. We were much displeased with your brotherly excellency for not explaining to us any of the consequences. (Addressed) Deliver to the lord my most excellent, most illustrious, and most beloved brother Petronius, exceptor [2], from Timotheus, ordinarius [3] of Theodotus."

notes:
1. The animals were probably donkeys rather than horses; cf. No. 922. note.

2. Exceptores were mentioned in No. 48, an account of military supplies. The exceptores were a kind of clerks, and those in No. 48 were clearly connected with the army; probably Petronius too held a military position.

3. The meaning of ordinarius is uncertain, but as ordinarius was used for a centurion and equated to taxiarchos, the term may well apply to some minor military officer.

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No. 943.    Letter of Victor.    17.4 x 34 cm.    6th century AD.    (p.313)

 A request to a chartularius (cf. No. 128) that he would send three persons in order that a decision might be arrived at on the question which of them was responsible for the dues upon a bath.

Translation from Greek: (p.313)

"May your true brotherliness vouchsafe to cause the most illustrious Menas and Serenus the most illustrious banker, and Menas the agent to come to arbitration with respect to the bath, and let not the official leave them until the one of them who owes the rent of the bath agrees with the noble house to pay it. For Serenus the most illustrious banker through the persuasion of his wife chased the most discreet Colluthus out of the bath, and having done what he was persuaded to do will not depart. As the Lord lives I do not leave the three, but they pay the rent of the bath until the deputy... (Addressed) To the most illustrious and honourable lord, by the grace of God my brother George, secretary, from Victor, by the grace of God.. ."



Footnotes:

1. [Editor's Note:]  The original textual commentaries and notes
provided by Grenfell and Hunt on passages in Greek, and on some bibliographic references,  have sometimes been abbreviated or omitted, if not essential to understanding the content of the papyri documents. Any such omissions are marked with "....", and any added words needed for clarity are placed between brackets [ ]. These elisions are separate from those used by Grenfell and Hunt in the translated text, which have not been altered.

2. [Editor's Note:] References to all other papyri from the Oxyrhynchus collections are given with their sequential number as "No. xx". Abbreviations to other papyri collections and standard historical references used by Grenfell and Hunt include the following:

Archiv.= Archiv fur Papyrusforschung.
B.G.U
. = Aeg. Urkunden aus den K. Museum zu Berlin, Griechische Urkunden.

C.I.G. = Corpus Inscriptionum Graecarum
C.I.L. = Corpus Inscriptionum Latinarum
Cod. Just.= Codex Justinianus
Cod. Theod.= Codex Theodosianus
C.P.R. =
Corpus Papyrorum Raineri, by C. Wessely.
Marcellinus =The late Roman historian Ammianus Marcellinus (ca. 330-400 AD).
P. Amh
. = The Amherst Papyri (Greek), Vols. I-II, by B.P.Grenfell and A.S.Hunt.

P. Brit.Mus. = Greek papyri in the British Museum, vol.I-II by F.G. Kenyon.
P. Cairo
= Catalog of the Greek Papyri in the Cairo Museum,by Grenfell & Hunt.
P. Grenf. = Greek Papyri, Ser. 1 by B.P. Grenfell, and Ser. II by Grenfell and Hunt
P. Hibeh = The Hibeh Papyri by B.P Grenfell and A.S. Hunt
P. Leipzig =
Griechische Urkunden der Papyrussammlung zu Leipzig by I Mitteis.

P. Leyden = Papyri Graeci Musei Antiquarii Lugduni-Batavi, by C. Leemans.
P. Tebt
. = The Tebtunis Papyri, by B.P. Grenfell, A.S. Hunt, et al.
Persius = The satirical Roman poet Aulus Perseus Flaccus (AD 34-62).
Ptol. Geogr. = The 2nd c. AD Geography by Claudius Ptolemy (AD 100-170).
Wilcken, Ost. = Griechische Ostraka, by U. Wilcken.





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