την ρ̣ νος λῃσ̣[τρικῷ τρόπῳ διορύ-]ξαντές τ̣ι̣νε̣[ς τὸ ἐν τῇ δημο-] σ̣ίᾳ ῥύμῃ̣ τεῖχος τῆς α̣ὐ̣[λῆς] καὶ εἰσελθόντες ἀπήλασάν μου πρόβατα ὀκτώ . ἐπιζητοῦντος δέ μου ταῦτα, εὗρον ἐν τῷ πρὸς τῷ τῶν ἐρημοφυλάκων μαγδώ- λῳ εἱερῷ Διοσκούρων τὴν τού- τ̣ων̣ κόπρον ἐν τόπῳ τινὶ κρυ- πτῷ τοῦ ἱεροῦ, ἣν ἐπέδειξα τῷ σ̣υνελθόντι μοι πρὸς τὴν ἐπι- ζ̣ήτησιν τῆς κώμης ἀρχεφόδῳ Π̣λ̣ουτίωνι καὶ τοῖς ἐρημοφύλαξι. δ̣ι̣ὸ̣ ἀξιῶ, ἐὰν φαίνηται, διαλα- βεῖν περὶ τοῦ πράγματος ὡ[ς ἄν] [σοι] δ̣όξ̣ῃ̣ ἵ̣ν̣ʼ ὦ̣ β̣ε̣β̣ο̣η̣θημένο̣ς̣· ε̣ὐ̣τ̣ύ̣χ̣ε̣ι̣. ἔτους δευτέρου Α̣ὐ̣τ̣ο̣κράτορος Κ̣α̣ί̣σ̣α̣ρ̣ο̣ς̣ Νέρουα Τ̣ρα̣ϊ̣ α̣ν̣ο̣ῦ Σεβαστοῦ Γερμ̣ανικοῦ μ̣η̣νὸς Σεβαστοῦ Ἑρμογένο̣υ̣ς̣ ἐπιδέδωκα. Ἑρμογένης Μ̣έ̣λ̣α̣ν̣ος ἔγρα- ψα ὑπὲρ τοῦ υἱειοῦ [μου] μ̣ὴ [εἰ]δότος γ̣ρ̣άμμα- τα.
(hand 2) Ṃέλ̣ας Ἑρμογένο̣υ̣ς̣
"Having entered, they plundered my eight sheep. While I was searching for these, I found in the place of the desert guards a sacred place of the Dioscuri, the dung of these in a certain hidden place of the sanctuary, which I showed to the one who came to me for the inquiry of the village, the chief of the Ploution and the desert guards. Therefore, I ask, if it seems fitting, to take hold of the matter as you think it should be, O blessed one. May you be fortunate. In the second year of the Emperor Caesar Nerva Trajanus, of the August month of Augustus, I Melas son of Hermogenes have given. Hermogenes son of Melas wrote on behalf of my son, not knowing the letters."
την ̣ρ̣ ̣ ̣[ -ca.?- ]νος λῃσ̣[τρικῷ τρόπῳ διορύ-]
ξαντές τ̣ι̣νε̣[ς τὸ ἐν τῇ δημο-]
σ̣ίᾳ ῥύμῃ̣ τεῖχος τῆς α̣ὐ̣[λῆς]
καὶ εἰσελθόντες ἀπήλασάν μου
πρόβατα ὀκτώ. ἐπιζητοῦντος
δέ μου ταῦτα, εὗρον ἐν τῷ πρὸς
τῷ τῶν ἐρημοφυλάκων μαγδώ-
λῳ εἱερῷ Διοσκούρων τὴν τού-
τω̣ν̣ κόπρον ἐν τόπῳ τινὶ κρυ-
πτῷ τοῦ ἱεροῦ, ἣν ἐπέδειξα τῷ
σ̣υνελθόντι μοι πρὸς τὴν ἐπι-
ζ̣ήτησιν τῆς κώμης ἀρχεφόδῳ
Π̣λ̣ουτίωνι καὶ τοῖς ἐρημοφύλαξι.
δ̣ι̣ὸ̣ ἀξιῶ, ἐὰν φαίνηται, διαλα-
βεῖν περὶ τοῦ πράγματος ὡ[ς ἄν]
[σοι] δ̣όξ̣ῃ̣ ἵ̣ν̣ʼ ὦ̣ β̣ε̣β̣ο̣η̣θημένο̣ς̣·
ε̣ὐ̣τ̣ύ̣χ̣ε̣ι̣. ἔτους δευτέρου
Α̣ὐ̣τ̣ο̣κράτορος Κ̣α̣ί̣σ̣α̣ρ̣ο̣ς̣ Νέρουα
Τ̣ρα̣ϊ̣α̣ν̣οῦ Σεβαστοῦ Γερμ̣ανικοῦ
μ̣η̣νὸς Σεβαστοῦ ε.
Μ̣έλ̣ας Ἑρμογένο̣υ̣ς̣ ἐπιδέδωκα.
Ἑρμογένης Μ̣έ̣λ̣α̣ν̣ος ἔγρα-
ψα ὑπὲρ τοῦ υἱοῦ [μου] μ̣ὴ [εἰ]δότος γ̣ρ̣άμμα-
τα.
Certain persons, having broken through the wall of my courtyard in the public street in a robber-like manner, entered and drove away eight sheep belonging to me. While searching for these, I found their dung hidden in a certain place within the temple of the Dioscuri near the tower of the desert-guards, which I showed to Ploution, the village chief, who accompanied me in the search, and to the desert-guards. Therefore, I request, if it seems appropriate, that you investigate this matter as you see fit, so that I may receive assistance. Farewell. In the second year of Emperor Caesar Nerva Trajan Augustus Germanicus, month of Sebastos (August), the 5th.
I, Melas son of Hermogenes, have submitted this petition. I, Hermogenes son of Melas, wrote on behalf of my son, who does not know letters.