Ἀμμών̣ιος καὶ Ἡ̣ραῒ̣ς καὶ Εὔπορος Πρείσκῳ
τῷ κυρίῳ πατρὶ καὶ Θαήσει τῇ κυρίᾳ μητρὶ
καὶ Ἑρμείνῳ
τῇ ιζ τοῦ Ἐπείφ, τοῦτ’ ἔστιν χθές, γράμματα
ἐκομισάμεθα διὰ Χαιρήμο̣νος ἀπὸ τοῦ Ἀρταπάτου̣
δι’ ὧν φατὲ ὡς τὸν Κεφάλωνα τῇ ἀγνωμοσύ̣νῃ προσιόντα λέγοντα μὴ εἶναι αὐτοῦ γράμματα ἀλ̣λ̣ὰ καὶ προσελθόντα τῷ ἐπι̣στρατήγῳ·
γελυότατον πρᾶ̣γ̣μ̣α καὶ θαυμαστόν, οἱ χρεῶσται τοὺς δανιστὰς ἐκφοβοῦσι. εἰ οὖν τα̣ῦ̣τα οὕτως πέπρακται, ὡς φατέ, εὐτόνως μεταλαβέτω κατὰ τὸ νόμιμον. κἂν ἀμ̣ελήσῃ ὁ ὑπηρέτης, τῷ ἐπιστρατήγῳ αὐτὸν προσενέγκατε καὶ ἐν τῇ μεταδόσι̣ ποιείτω τὴν ἐνγραφὴν, ὡς οἱ νόμοι κελεύουσιν. καὶ εὐθέως μοι διαπέμψατε ὅπως κἀγὼ προσέλθω τῷ μείζονι. ἐξὸν γάρ μοι ἐντυχεῖν περὶ οὗ ἐὰν θέλω πράγματος. τὰ δὲ γράμματα αὐτοῦ παρὰ τῇ ἀρχῇ ἐσ̣τ̣ὶ̣ν ἐν καταχωρισμῷ ἐπὶ ὑπογραφῇ ἐμοῦ τὸ εἶναι αὐτοῦ ἰδιόγ̣ρ̣[α]φ̣α̣ ἀκολούθως τῷ διαστολικῷ.
οἴσω δ̣[ὲ τ]ῷ μείζονι τὸ ἄλλο μοναχὸν ἐνθάδε· τὸ δὲ κ̣ρειν̣όμενον τοῦτό ἐστιν, τὸ μεταλαβεῖν αὐτὸν καὶ ἐνγράψεσθ̣α̣ι. εἴπερ προῄρηται ἀγ̣νωμονεῖν, ἔχω πρὸ̣ς ἔλλεγχον πολλὰς ἀποδείξι̣ς, πρῶτον τὸ γράμ̣μα, δεύτερον ἄλλα̣ τι̣νά. καὶ μὴ ἐ̣ν τάξε̣ι δὸς αὐτῷ τῷ π̣ρα[̣] προσέλθατε, ἀλλὰ ὡ̣ς ἔχοντες τὸ α̣[ - ca.5 - ] παρ’ ἐμοῦ. καὶ ν̣[̣ ] ω μη-δε̣[ - ca.8 - ]ν ὑ(* )πολείπεσθαι αὐτ̣[ῷ] τ̣ῷ ἀγνώ-μο̣[νι πλὴν ἐ]ν̣γρα̣φῆς. καὶ ὑ(* )μεῖν τοῖς μη δε̣[ - ca.8 - ] ἄλλο οὐδὲν δύναται γενέσθαι, εἰ μ[ὴ - ca.5 - ]με̣ταλάβῃ ⟦η⟧καὶ ἐνγράψητε καὶ ποι-ήσῳ [ - ca.4 - ]μεταπ]ε̣μφθῆναι. ἔμαθον γὰρ ὅτι καὶ ε̣[ - ca.12 - ] οὐσιακῷ μεταπέμπετε αυτο̣[ - ca.10 - ]τ̣ην μητέρα αὐτῆς προσαγορεύ-σατε̣ [ - ca.11 - ] κατ’ ὄνομα. ἐρρῶσθαι ὑμᾶς θεοῖς πᾶσιν εὐχόμεθα.
Πρείσκῳ νεωκόρῳ καὶ Ἑρμείνῳ π̣λ̣ε̣ι̣στον̣είκ̣[ῃ] π(αρὰ) Ἀμμωνί[ο]υ διαστολ(έως)
(design)
(design)
Apparatus
Ammonius and Heraius and Euphorus to Priscus,
to the lord father and Thaesis the lady mother
and to Hermes,
on the 17th of Epiph, that is yesterday, we have brought letters
through Chairemon from Artapatus,
by which you say that Cephalus, being in ignorance,
says that there are no letters of his but that he has approached the general;
a most laughable and wonderful matter, the debtors are frightened of the lenders. If therefore these things have happened as you say, let him take them easily according to the law. And if the servant neglects, bring him before the general and let him make the record in the transfer, as the laws command. And immediately send me word so that I may approach the greater one. For it is possible for me to encounter whatever matter I wish. The letters of him are at the authority in a record under my signature to be his private writing according to the distinction.
I will carry the other alone to the greater one here; but the necessary thing is this, to receive him and to be inscribed. If he has chosen to be ignorant, I have many proofs for examination, first the letter, secondly some other things. And do not give him in order but as having the [ - ca.5 - ] from me. And do not leave him [ - ca.8 - ] to the ignorant one except in writing. And you remain with those who do not [ - ca.8 - ] can be anything else, unless he [ - ca.5 - ] receives and is inscribed and will make [ - ca.4 - ] to be transferred. For I have learned that you also [ - ca.12 - ] send the mother of her by name. May you be strong, we pray to all the gods.
Ἀμμώνιος καὶ Ἡραῒς καὶ Εὔπορος Πρείσκῳ τῷ κυρίῳ πατρὶ καὶ Θαήσει τῇ κυρίᾳ μητρὶ καὶ Ἑρμείνῳ τῷ ἀξιολογωτάτῳ πολλὰ χαίρειν.
τῇ ιζ τοῦ Ἐπείφ, τοῦτ’ ἔστιν χθές, γράμματα ἐκομισάμεθα διὰ Χαιρήμονος ἀπὸ τοῦ Ἀρταπάτου δι’ ὧν φατὲ ὡς τὸν Κεφάλωνα τῇ ἀγνωμοσύνῃ προσιόντα λέγοντα μὴ εἶναι αὐτοῦ γράμματα ἀλλὰ καὶ προσελθόντα τῷ ἐπιστρατήγῳ· γελοιότατον πρᾶγμα καὶ θαυμαστόν, οἱ χρεῶσται τοὺς δανειστὰς ἐκφοβοῦσι.
εἰ οὖν ταῦτα οὕτως πέπρακται, ὡς φατέ, εὐτόνως μεταλαβέτω κατὰ τὸ νόμιμον. κἂν ἀμελήσῃ ὁ ὑπηρέτης, τῷ ἐπιστρατήγῳ αὐτὸν προσενέγκατε καὶ ἐν τῇ μεταδόσει ποιείτω τὴν ἐγγραφήν, ὡς οἱ νόμοι κελεύουσιν. καὶ εὐθέως μοι διαπέμψατε ὅπως κἀγὼ προσέλθω τῷ μείζονι. ἐξὸν γάρ μοι ἐντυχεῖν περὶ οὗ ἐὰν θέλω πράγματος.
τὰ δὲ γράμματα αὐτοῦ παρὰ τῇ ἀρχῇ ἐστὶν ἐν καταχωρισμῷ ἐπὶ ὑπογραφῇ ἐμοῦ τὸ εἶναι αὐτοῦ ἰδιόγραφα ἀκολούθως τῷ διαστολικῷ. οἴσω δὲ τῷ μείζονι τὸ ἄλλο μοναχὸν ἐνθάδε· τὸ δὲ κρινόμενον τοῦτό ἐστιν, τὸ μεταλαβεῖν αὐτὸν καὶ ἐγγράψεσθαι. εἴπερ προῄρηται ἀγνωμονεῖν, ἔχω πρὸς ἔλεγχον πολλὰς ἀποδείξεις, πρῶτον τὸ γράμμα, δεύτερον ἄλλα τινά.
καὶ μὴ ἐν τάξει δὸς αὐτῷ τῷ πρα[...] προσέλθατε, ἀλλὰ ὡς ἔχοντες τὸ α[...] παρ’ ἐμοῦ. καὶ ν[...] μηδὲ[...] ὑπολείπεσθαι αὐτῷ τῷ ἀγνώμονι πλὴν ἐγγραφῆς. καὶ ὑμῖν τοῖς μηδὲ[...] ἄλλο οὐδὲν δύναται γενέσθαι, εἰ μὴ μεταλάβῃ καὶ ἐγγράψηται καὶ ποιήσῃ [...] μεταπεμφθῆναι. ἔμαθον γὰρ ὅτι καὶ ε[...] οὐσιακῷ μεταπέμπετε αὐτο[...] τὴν μητέρα αὐτῆς προσαγορεύσατε [...] κατ’ ὄνομα.
ἐρρῶσθαι ὑμᾶς θεοῖς πᾶσιν εὐχόμεθα.
(Latin text is minimal and primarily consists of abbreviations and corrections in the apparatus criticus, such as "l." for "lege" meaning "read", and "papyrus" indicating manuscript readings. These are editorial notes rather than substantial Latin content.)
Ammonios, Herais, and Euporos to Priscus, our honored father, and to Thaisis, our honored mother, and to Herminos, the most esteemed, many greetings.
On the 17th of Epeiph, that is yesterday, we received letters through Chairemon from Artapates, in which you say that Kephalon, acting in insolence, claims that the letters are not his and even approached the epistrategos (regional governor). This is a most ridiculous and astonishing matter, that debtors intimidate their creditors.
If indeed these things have happened as you say, let him be vigorously prosecuted according to the law. And if the official neglects this, bring him before the epistrategos and let him make the registration during the transfer, as the laws command. Immediately send word to me so that I too may approach the higher authority, for I have the right to petition concerning any matter I wish.
His letters are registered officially under my signature, certifying that they are in his own handwriting, in accordance with the official dispatch. I will bring the other document separately to the higher authority here. The matter under judgment is precisely this: that he be prosecuted and registered. If he has chosen to act insolently, I have many proofs for refutation, first the letter itself, and secondly certain other things.
Do not approach him in a routine manner, but as having authority from me. And let nothing remain undone against this insolent man except the registration. And for you, nothing else can be done unless he is prosecuted, registered, and compelled to appear. For I have learned that you are also summoning someone regarding property matters; address her mother by name.
We pray to all the gods for your good health.
Πρείσκῳ νεωκόρῳ καὶ Ἑρμείνῳ πλειστονίκῃ παρὰ Ἀμμωνίου διαστολέως.
To Priscus the temple-warden and Herminos the victor, from Ammonios, the sender of the dispatch.