βασιλεῖ Πτολεμαίωι χαίρειν Πάτρων. ἀδικοῦμα[ι ὑπὸ Νικοστράτωυ, ὃς ἐδευτέρευσεν Ἀντισθένει τὴν Λίμνην ἐν τῆι Λίμνηι ἐπὶ τῶν βυβλίων ἐγένετο ἦν. ἐμοῦ δὲ ἐξειληφότος παρὰ Ἀντισθένους κώμας Στοτοῦν καὶ Φερμοῦθιν, ἐπιβληθισῶν δὲ βασιλικῶν ρ[ι]ων συνα̣πο τὰ ἔρ]ια λαβεῖν παρὰ τῶ[ν ποι]μένων, [οὐκ] ἔφασαν ἔχειν ἀλλʼ ἢ εἰς συρίας, ἃ λαβὼν ἐγὼ [καὶ] κατασκευάσας ἀπέδωκα Νικοστράτωι· ὧν νῦν τὴν τιμὴν εἰσπράσσομαι. δέομαι οὖν σου, βασιλεῦ, εἴ σοι δοκεῖ, τὴν ἔντευξίν μου ἀποσταλῆναι μου τὴν ἔντευξιν πρὸς τὸν στρατηγὸν τὸν ἐν ἢ τὸν οἰκονόμον τὸν [ἐν] τῆι Λίμνηι ὄντα καὶ, ἐὰν ἐνδείξωμαι Νικόστρατον κεκομισμένον παρʼ ἐμοῦ τὰς συρίας ὧν τὰ ἔρια ἔλαβον παρὰ τῶν ποιμέν[ων] ἐμὲ μὲν ἀπολυθῆναι ἐπαναγκασθῆναι Νικόστρατον τὸ δίκαιόν μου ὑποσχεῖν ἐκκεῖνον δὲ εἰσπρακθῆναι· ὑποδέδυκεν γὰρ ὑπὸ τὸν τοὺς ὑποδύει γὰρ ὑπὸ το[ὺς] οἰκονόμους τοὺς παραγινομενένους εἰς τὴν Λίμνην, διὸ οὐ δύναμαι παρʼ αὐτοῦ τὸ δίκαιον λαβεῖν.
(ἔτους) κζ · ἐνεβλήθη Λώιου. (hand 1) εὐτύχει. (hand 2) ἔρρωσο· (ἔτους) κζ, Γορπιαίου θ.
To King Ptolemy, greetings from Patros. I am wronged by Nikostratos, who has made a second decision regarding Antisthenes at the Lake. It was in the Lake that it happened concerning the books. When I was taken by Antisthenes from the villages of Stotoun and Fermouthin, and when the royal matters were imposed, they said they had nothing but to go to the Syrians, which I took and prepared and returned to Nikostratos; of which now I am collecting the honor. Therefore, I ask you, O king, if it seems good to you, to send my petition to the general who is in or to the steward who is in the Lake, if I show Nikostratos having been received from me the Syrians of which I took the honors from the shepherds, that I may be released and compelled to promise Nikostratos my right. That one may be collected; for he has put on the steward who has come to the Lake, therefore I cannot take my right from him.
[βασιλεῖ Πτολ]εμαίωι χαίρειν Πάτρων. ἀδι-
κοῦμα[ι ὑπὸ Νικοσ]τ̣ρ̣ά̣τ̣ο̣υ̣, ὃ̣ς̣ ἐδευτέρευσεν
Ἀντισθένε[ι ...] ν τὴν Λίμνην
⟦ἐν τῆι Λ̣...⟧ ι̣ ἐπὶ τῶν βυβλίων ⟦ἐγένετο⟧ ἦν.
ἐμοῦ δὲ [ἐξειληφ]ότος παρὰ Ἀντισθένους κώμας
Σ̣τ̣οτο[...]ο̣υν καὶ Φερμοῦθιν, ἐπιβλη-
[θ]εισῶν δὲ [... βασ]ιλικῶν [...]ρ[ι]ων συνα̣π̣ο[...]
[τὰ ἔρ]ια λαβεῖν π̣[αρ]ὰ̣ τῶ[ν ποι]μένων,
[οὐκ] ἔφασαν ἔχειν ἀλλʼ ἢ εἰς συρίας [...], ἃ λαβὼν ἐγὼ
[καὶ] κατασκευάσας ἀπέδωκα Νικοστράτωι·
ὧν νῦν τὴν τιμὴν εἰσπράσσομαι ἐκ δευτέρας. δέομαι οὖν σου,
βασιλεῦ, εἴ σοι δοκεῖ, τὴν ἔντευξίν μου ἀποσταλῆναι
πρὸς τὸν στρατηγὸν τὸν ἐν τῆι Λίμνηι ὄντα, ἐὰν ἐνδείξωμαι Νικόστρατον
κεκομισμένον παρʼ ἐμοῦ τὰς συρίας
ὧν̣ τὰ ἔρια ἔλαβον παρὰ τῶν ποιμέν[ων]
ἐπαναγκασθῆναι Νικόστρατον τὸ δίκαι-
όν μοι ὑποσχεῖν
⟦ἐκεῖνον δὲ εἰσπραχθῆναι· ὑποδέδυκεν γὰρ ὑπὸ τὸν⟧
⟦... τοὺς⟧ ὑποδύει γὰρ ὑπὸ το[ὺς] οἰκονόμους τοὺς παραγινομένους εἰς τὴν
Λίμνην, διὸ οὐ δύναμαι παρʼ αὐτοῦ τὸ δίκαιον λαβεῖν.
(ἔτους) κζ· ἐνεβλήθη Λώιου.
εὐτύχει.
ἔρρωσο· (ἔτους) κζ, Γορπιαίου θ.
ἐντεύξεις καὶ ἀντίγραφα αὐτῶν.
[To King Ptol]emy, greetings from Patron. I am being wronged [by Nicost]ratus, who was second-in-command under Antisthenes [...] in the Lake district [...] in charge of the papyrus rolls. After I had received from Antisthenes the villages of Stoto[...] and Phermouthin, and when royal [...] were imposed, [...] to collect the wool from the shepherds, they said they had none except in Syria [...]. Having taken these and prepared them, I delivered them to Nicostratus. Now I am being charged the price of these again. Therefore, I beg you, O King, if it pleases you, to have my petition sent to the strategos who is in the Lake district, so that if I prove that Nicostratus received from me the Syrian sheep from which I took the wool from the shepherds, Nicostratus may be compelled to promise me justice. For he evades responsibility under the administrators who come to the Lake district, and thus I am unable to obtain justice from him.
(Year) 27; submitted in the month of Loios.
Farewell.
Be well; (Year) 27, Gorpiaios 9.
Petitions and copies thereof.