Extracted Text

Koine Greek

Κλαυδίω[ι Ξεν]οφῶντ̣[ι τῷ κρατίστῳ ἐπισ]τ̣ρ̣α̣τήγωι
παρὰ Ὀρσ̣[ε]ν[ούφεω]ς τοῦ [Ὀρσενούφεως ἀπὸ] κώμης
Τεπτύνε̣ως [τ]ῆς Πολ̣έ̣[μωνος μερίδος τ]οῦ Ἀρσι-
νοείτου νομοῦ. κατ̣ʼ ἐ̣π̣[ήρειαν ἀναδ]ο̣θεὶς [εἰ]ς̣
πρακτορίαν ἀργυρικῶν κα[ὶ] κ̣[λ]ηρωθεὶς ὑπό γε σ[οῦ]
ἀπὼν ἠνηγκάσθην
(*) [διὰ τῆς] π̣αντελοῦς μου
ἀπορίας ἐνκαταλείπε̣ι̣ν̣ τὴ[ν ἰ]δίαν μὴ δυνά-
μενος ἀντιλαβέσθαι τῆς λ̣ιτ̣ο̣[υ]ργίας
(*) μεγίστης
οὔσης καὶ ὑπὲρ ἐμὲ καὶ ὑπο[νοσ]ήσαντα. ὅτι δὲ
ἄπορός ἠμει
(*) , κύριε, ῥαδίως̣ [γʼ] ἀποδείξω. τῷ γὰρ
ὀδόῳ
(*) ἔτι
(*) ἀναδοθεὶς πάλιν̣ κ̣α̣τʼ ἐπήρειαν εἰς
πρεσβυτερείαν προσέφ[ερο]ν̣ τῷ τότε διοικη-
τῇ Αὐρηλίῳ Πτολεμαί[ῳ], π̣α̣ρατιθέμενος
αὐτῷ τὴν ἀπορίαν [μου, ὃς] καὶ ἔγραψεν ἐπισ-
τολὴν τ̣ῷ τοῦ νομ[οῦ στρ]ατηγῶι ⟦φα⟧
\ἐξετάσαι καὶ κὰν̣
(*) α̣[ὐ]τ̣ὰ οὕτω ἔχῃ [ἀπολῦσ]α̣ί με, καὶ ἀφίθην
(*) ὑπὸ τοῦ στρ(ατηγοῦ). φανεὶς/
ἐπὶ στῆς̣
(*) ἐξετάσεως, ἀ[φείθη]ν̣ παντελῶς κατὰ
προτεθὲν ὑπʼ αὐτοῦ [δημοσ]ίᾳ πρόγραμμα
οὕτως ἔχων
(*) · Φω̣κ̣ίων [στρα]τ̣ηγὸ̣ς Ἀρσινοίτου
Θεμίσ̣το[υ καὶ] Π̣ολέμω[νος] μερίδων· Ὀρσενούφ[ε]ως
Ὀρσε[νο]ύ̣[φε]ως ἐντυχόντο[ς τ]ῶι κρατίστῳ δι[οι-]
κητῇ Αὐ̣ρηλίωι Πτολεμα[ί]ῳ ἐπὶ τῷ ἄπ[ορ]ο̣ν̣
ὄντα
(*) δεδόσθαι εἰς πρε̣σ̣β̣[υτε]ρείαν, ἔγραψέν [μ]οι
ἐὰν οὕτως ἔχῃ ἕτερον̣ ἀ̣[ν]τʼ αὐτοῦ εἰς τὴν χ̣[ρ]εί-
αν κατασταθῆναι. Κ̣άσ̣[τορ]ο̣ς οὖν κωμωγρ̣[α]μ-
μα̣τέως τῆς κώμης δη[λώ]σαντο[ς] τ̣αῖς ἀληθεί-
α[ις ἄ]πορον αὐτὸν εἶναι κ̣[αὶ] ἀναδόντος ἀντʼ αὐ-
το̣[ῦ τ]ὸ̣ν ὑπογε̣[γρα]μμένο[ν, δ]ημοσίᾳ προ̣έ̣θη-
κα [ἵν]α ὁ ἀ̣ν̣α̣δοθεὶς εἰδ[ῇ κ]α̣ὶ τῆς χ̣ρ̣είας ἐ̣πι-
λ̣ά[βηται] ε̣ἰς τὸ ἐν μη[δεν]εὶ
(*) μεμφθῆναι. σ̣ε̣ση-
μị̄[ω]μαι
(*) (ἔτους)
η
Αὐτοκρ̣[άτο]ρ̣ο̣ς Καίσαρος
Μάρκ[ου Αὐρηλίου] Ἀντωνείνου Σεβ[αστοῦ Ἀρμε]νιακο̣ῦ̣
Μηδ[ικοῦ Παρθικο]ῦ̣ με̣γίστου καὶ Αὐτ[οκράτορος] Καί-
σαρος Λ[ουκίου Αὐρη]λίου [Ο]ὐ̣ήρ̣ου̣ Σεβ[α]στοῦ [Ἀρμενιακ]οῦ
Μηδικ[οῦ
̣  ̣  ̣  ̣]
Γερμα̣ν̣ικοῦ̣ [Π]α̣ρθικο̣[ῦ μεγίσ]τ̣ου
Ἐπεὶφ
ζ̣
. ἔ̣σ̣τ̣ι δέ· [Ἡ]ρωδί̣ων Ἡρώδου μητρὸ[ς]
Ἡρῶτος ἔχων πόρον δραχ̣μ̣ῶν χιλί̣ων . Σερ̣απάμ-
μων ὁ καὶ Ἰσίδωρος ὑπηρέτης προθεὶς κ̣ατεχώρης
(*) (α)
Ἐπεὶφ
ιγ
. μηδεμιᾶς οὖν μοι, κ̣ύριε, εὐπορία̣ς προσ-
γενομένης̣ ἐκ τότε μέχρι νῦν, φανερῶς ἐπη̣ρε-
άσθην ὑπὸ τῶν π̣ρεσβυτέρων τῆς κώμης χειρι-
ζό\ν/των τὰ κατὰ τὴν κωμωγραμματείαν
(*) εἰς τὴν
πρακτορία̣ν̣. διὸ ἐπὶ σὲ τὸν κύριον κατέφυγον
ἀξιῶν εὐεργεσίας τυχεῖν ὅπως δυνηθῶ συνμέ-
νειν κ̣α̣ὶ τὰ δημόσια διευθύνε[ιν] ἧ[ς δι]α-
τάσσο[μ]αι δημοσίας γῆς· ἃς γὰρ ἄλλας δύ̣ναμαι
σωματ̣ικὰς χρείας ὑπομένει\ν/ οὐκ ἀναδύομα̣[ι.
⁦ -ca.?- ⁩
]
δ̣ι̣ε̣υ̣τ̣ύ̣[χ(ει).]

Latin

(No Latin text was extracted from the document.)

Translation into English

To Claudius Xenophon, the most esteemed strategos, from Orsenouphis of the village of Teptynes, of the Polémonos portion of the Arsinoite nome. Having been sent in response to a request for silver and having been chosen by you, I was compelled to...
(*) ...due to my complete lack of resources, to leave my own [situation] unable to take hold of the liturgy...
(*) ...the greatest, being both for me and for the one who suggested it. That I am in need, I will easily prove, my lord, for by the road...
(*) ...still having been sent again in response to a request to the presbytery, I presented to the then governor Aurelius Ptolemaios my need, who also wrote a letter to the strategos of the law to examine and if it should be so, to release me, and I was left...
(*) ...by the strategos. Having appeared at the examination, I was completely released according to the program presented by him publicly, thus having...
(*) ...Phocion, strategos of Arsinoite, Themistocles and Polemon's portions; Orsenouphis, having encountered the most esteemed governor Aurelius Ptolemaios regarding the need...
(*) ...to be given to the presbytery, he wrote to me if it should be so, to establish another in his place for the need. Therefore, Castor, the village secretary, having declared the truth, that he was in need and having given in place of him the signed document, I publicly presented it so that the one who was sent might know and take hold of the need...
(*) ...to not be blamed in any way. I have been...
(*) ...in the year of the Emperor Caesar Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Augustus of Armenia, of the greatest Mede and Parthian, and of the Emperor Caesar Lucius Aurelius Verus Augustus of Armenia, of the Mede...
...Germanicus of the greatest Parthian. Since...
...therefore, I have no means of prosperity from then until now, I have clearly been harmed by the elders of the village managing the affairs of the village secretary...
...therefore, I have fled to you, my lord, hoping to obtain benefits so that I might be able to manage the public affairs as I am ordered concerning public land; for I can endure other bodily needs, I do not rise...
...
(End of translation)

Extracted Koine Greek Text

Κλαυδίω[ι Ξεν]οφῶντ̣[ι τῷ κρατίστῳ ἐπισ]τ̣ρ̣α̣τήγωι
παρὰ Ὀρσ̣[ε]ν[ούφεω]ς τοῦ [Ὀρσενούφεως ἀπὸ] κώμης
Τεπτύνε̣ως [τ]ῆς Πολ̣έ̣[μωνος μερίδος τ]οῦ Ἀρσι-
νοείτου νομοῦ. κατ̣ʼ ἐ̣π̣[ήρειαν ἀναδ]ο̣θεὶς [εἰ]ς̣
πρακτορίαν ἀργυρικῶν κα[ὶ] κ̣[λ]ηρωθεὶς ὑπό γε σ[οῦ]
ἀπὼν ἠνηγκάσθην διὰ τῆς π̣αντελοῦς μου
ἀπορίας ἐνκαταλείπε̣ι̣ν̣ τὴ[ν ἰ]δίαν μὴ δυνά-
μενος ἀντιλαβέσθαι τῆς λ̣ιτ̣ο̣[υ]ργίας μεγίστης
οὔσης καὶ ὑπὲρ ἐμὲ καὶ ὑπο[νοσ]ήσαντα. ὅτι δὲ
ἄπορός ἠμει, κύριε, ῥαδίως̣ [γʼ] ἀποδείξω. τῷ γὰρ
ὀδόῳ ἔτι ἀναδοθεὶς πάλιν̣ κ̣α̣τʼ ἐπήρειαν εἰς
πρεσβυτερείαν προσέφ[ερο]ν̣ τῷ τότε διοικη-
τῇ Αὐρηλίῳ Πτολεμαί[ῳ], π̣α̣ρατιθέμενος
αὐτῷ τὴν ἀπορίαν [μου, ὃς] καὶ ἔγραψεν ἐπισ-
τολὴν τ̣ῷ τοῦ νομ[οῦ στρ]ατηγῶι ἐξετάσαι καὶ κὰν̣
α̣[ὐ]τ̣ὰ οὕτω ἔχῃ [ἀπολῦσ]α̣ί με, καὶ ἀφίθην
ὑπὸ τοῦ στρ(ατηγοῦ). φανεὶς ἐπὶ στῆς̣ ἐξετάσεως, ἀ[φείθη]ν̣ παντελῶς κατὰ
προτεθὲν ὑπʼ αὐτοῦ [δημοσ]ίᾳ πρόγραμμα οὕτως ἔχων· Φω̣κ̣ίων [στρα]τ̣ηγὸ̣ς Ἀρσινοίτου
Θεμίσ̣το[υ καὶ] Π̣ολέμω[νος] μερίδων· Ὀρσενούφ[ε]ως
Ὀρσε[νο]ύ̣[φε]ως ἐντυχόντο[ς τ]ῶι κρατίστῳ δι[οι-]
κητῇ Αὐ̣ρηλίωι Πτολεμα[ί]ῳ ἐπὶ τῷ ἄπ[ορ]ο̣ν̣
ὄντα δεδόσθαι εἰς πρε̣σ̣β̣[υτε]ρείαν, ἔγραψέν [μ]οι
ἐὰν οὕτως ἔχῃ ἕτερον̣ ἀ̣[ν]τʼ αὐτοῦ εἰς τὴν χ̣[ρ]εί-
αν κατασταθῆναι. Κ̣άσ̣[τορ]ο̣ς οὖν κωμωγρ̣[α]μ-
μα̣τέως τῆς κώμης δη[λώ]σαντο[ς] τ̣αῖς ἀληθεί-
α[ις ἄ]πορον αὐτὸν εἶναι κ̣[αὶ] ἀναδόντος ἀντʼ αὐ-
το̣[ῦ τ]ὸ̣ν ὑπογε̣[γρα]μμένο[ν, δ]ημοσίᾳ προ̣έ̣θη-
κα [ἵν]α ὁ ἀ̣ν̣α̣δοθεὶς εἰδ[ῇ κ]α̣ὶ τῆς χ̣ρ̣είας ἐ̣πι-
λά[βηται] ε̣ἰς τὸ ἐν μη[δεν]εὶ μεμφθῆναι. σ̣ε̣ση-
μί̣[ω]μαι (ἔτους) η Αὐτοκρ̣[άτο]ρ̣ο̣ς Καίσαρος
Μάρκ[ου Αὐρηλίου] Ἀντωνείνου Σεβ[αστοῦ Ἀρμε]νιακο̣ῦ̣
Μηδ[ικοῦ Παρθικο]ῦ̣ με̣γίστου καὶ Αὐτ[οκράτορος] Καί-
σαρος Λ[ουκίου Αὐρη]λίου [Ο]ὐ̣ήρ̣ου̣ Σεβ[α]στοῦ [Ἀρμενιακ]οῦ
Μηδικ[οῦ ...] Γερμα̣ν̣ικοῦ̣ [Π]α̣ρθικο̣[ῦ μεγίσ]τ̣ου
Ἐπεὶφ ζ̣. ἔ̣σ̣τ̣ι δέ· [Ἡ]ρωδί̣ων Ἡρώδου μητρὸ[ς]
Ἡρῶτος ἔχων πόρον δραχ̣μ̣ῶν χιλί̣ων. Σερ̣απάμ-
μων ὁ καὶ Ἰσίδωρος ὑπηρέτης προθεὶς κ̣ατεχώρης (α)
Ἐπεὶφ ιγ. μηδεμιᾶς οὖν μοι, κ̣ύριε, εὐπορία̣ς προσ-
γενομένης̣ ἐκ τότε μέχρι νῦν, φανερῶς ἐπη̣ρε-
άσθην ὑπὸ τῶν π̣ρεσβυτέρων τῆς κώμης χειρι-
ζόντων τὰ κατὰ τὴν κωμογραμματείαν εἰς τὴν
πρακτορία̣ν̣. διὸ ἐπὶ σὲ τὸν κύριον κατέφυγον
ἀξιῶν εὐεργεσίας τυχεῖν ὅπως δυνηθῶ συνμέ-
νειν κ̣α̣ὶ τὰ δημόσια διευθύνε[ιν] ἧ[ς δι]α-
τάσσο[μ]αι δημοσίας γῆς· ἃς γὰρ ἄλλας δύ̣ναμαι
σωματ̣ικὰς χρείας ὑπομένειν οὐκ ἀναδύομα̣[ι.]
δ̣ι̣ε̣υ̣τ̣ύ̣[χ(ει).]

English Translation

To Claudius Xenophon, the most excellent strategos,
from Orsenouphis son of Orsenouphis, from the village of Teptynis in the Polemon division of the Arsinoite nome.
Having been maliciously appointed to the office of tax-collector and chosen by lot by you while absent,
I was compelled, due to my complete poverty, to abandon my own property, unable to undertake this very burdensome liturgy,
which was beyond my means and suspicion. That I was indeed poor, my lord, I can easily prove.
For in the eighth year, again maliciously appointed to the office of elder, I appealed to the then dioiketes Aurelius Ptolemaeus,
presenting to him my poverty. He wrote a letter to the strategos of the nome to investigate and, if it were so, to release me.
After appearing at the investigation, I was completely released according to the public proclamation issued by him, which stated:
"Phokion, strategos of the Arsinoite nome, divisions of Themistos and Polemon: Orsenouphis son of Orsenouphis having appealed to the most excellent dioiketes Aurelius Ptolemaeus,
claiming poverty and appointment to the office of elder, he wrote to me that if this were true, another should be appointed in his place."
Thus, Castor, village scribe, having declared truthfully that I was poor and having appointed another in my place, I was publicly released.
Therefore, my lord, having no improvement in my circumstances since then, I have clearly been wronged by the village elders managing the village administration.
Thus, I appeal to you, my lord, requesting your favor so that I may remain and manage the public lands assigned to me.
For I cannot bear any other physical burdens.
Farewell.