ιτων ἀναφο̣ίονται
πολε̣ οὕ]τως ἴσμεν τῶν πρὸς τὰς χεῖρας αν
ης τοσαύτης ἀρχῆς οἱ δυσσέβια̣[ν] ἢ ζωὴν ἐσχίστην
διαπον̣[ες] ἀδικίαις τὰς τιμωρίας εὐ̣κολ[ο] πολεμῆσαι τ
ναι βαρεῖ̣α̣ν̣ ἄ̣γ̣α̣ν̣ αὐ̣τὰ καὶ τῶν ὑπο φόβον τοιαύτης ἔτι καὶ οὕτω βαρίας
δυσσεβίας τὰ ἀνθρω̣[π] ὑπὸ νόσου λοιμώδους τινος ἄρδην διαφθαρῆναι
τολης χρῃζόντων τι̣να τὸ θεῖον ἐπινοεῖ κουφισμ̣ο[ν]
ινόηταί τι θεῖον ὁ μόνον τε καὶ ὡς ὄντως χ̣ τὴν δύναμιν.
πάντως δὲ οὐ κόμπος τ̣ο̣[ῦ]τον τ̣[ὸν τρόπον(?)] σεμνολογῖσθαι
τὴν ἐμὴν ὑπηρεσίαν πρὸς τὴν̣ ἀπὸ τῆς Βριτ’τάνοις ἐκίνης
θαλάτ’της τὸν η[τινι τ καὶ κρίτ’τ[ο]νι
ἀπωθ[ανακμ̣οιτο τὸ ἀνθρώπιον γένος η[
τν παρʼ ἐμοῦ ταῖς νοσ[εία αμ[
τῷ κρίτ’τονι ς[ν̣ αγ̣ν̣[
ἀρίστην διακονίαν [ν̣ις μ[
Apparatus
They are being referred to.
Thus we know of those who are at hand.
Of such a beginning, the impious have either the most disgraceful life.
They are punished for injustices easily, to wage war.
To be heavy, they are greatly afraid of such a heavy impiety.
Human beings are completely corrupted by some infectious disease.
Those in need of the divine think of a relief.
It is thought that the divine is the only one and as it truly is, the power.
Certainly, it is not a knot of this kind to be solemnly regarded.
My service towards the Britons from the sea.
To the one who judges and to the one who is greater.
Let the human race be driven away.
From me, to the diseases.
To the one who judges, the purest service.
ιτων ἀναφο̣ίονται
πολε̣
οὕτως ἴσμεν τῶν πρὸς τὰς χεῖρας αν
ης τοσαύτης ἀρχῆς οἱ δυσσέβια̣[ν]
]χησαν ἢ ζωὴν ἐσχίστην
διαπον̣[
]ς ἀδικίαις τὰς τιμωρίας εὐ̣κολ[
π]ολεμῆσαι τ
ειo, ως ως το
]ναι βαρεῖ̣α̣ν̣ ἄ̣γ̣α̣ν̣ αὐ̣τὰ καὶ τῶν ὑπο
] φόβον τοιαύτης ἔτι καὶ οὕτω βαρίας δυσσεβίας
τὰ ἀνθρω̣[π
] ὑπὸ νόσου λοιμώδους τινος ἄρδην διαφθαρῆναι
]τολης χρῃζόντων τι̣να τὸ θεῖον ἐπινοεῖ κουφισμ̣ο[
]ινόηταί τι θεῖον ὁ μόνον τε καὶ ὡς ὄντως χ̣[
τὴν δύναμιν. πάντως δὲ οὐ κόμπος τ̣ο̣[ῦ]τον τ̣[ὸν τρόπον(?)]
σεμνολογῖσθαι τὴν ἐμὴν ὑπηρεσίαν πρὸς τὴν̣ [
] ἀπὸ τῆς Βριτ’τάνοις ἐκίνης θαλάτ’της [
τὸν η[ ]ητινι τ καὶ κρίτ’τ[ο]νι ἀπωθ[
]ανακμ̣οιτο τὸ ἀνθρώπιον γένος η[
τ[ ]ν παρʼ ἐμοῦ ταῖς [ ]νοσ[ ]εια αμ[
τῷ κρίτ’τονι ς[ ]ν̣ αγ̣ν̣[
ἀρίστην διακονίαν [ ]ν̣ις μ[
"...they rise up...
war...
thus we know concerning those at hand...
of such great authority those who [commit] impiety...
...they had or a most shameful life...
...punishments easily for injustices...
to wage war...
...to be exceedingly burdensome, and of those under...
...fear of such and still so severe impiety...
humanity...
...utterly destroyed by some pestilential disease...
...those needing help, the divine devises some relief...
...something divine is conceived, the only and truly...
...power. Certainly it is no boast in this manner...
...to speak solemnly of my service towards the...
...from that sea near Britain...
...to the better...
...that the human race might recover...
...from me by these...
...to the better...
...best service..."
The text is fragmentary and incomplete, making a precise translation difficult. The papyrus appears to discuss themes of impiety, punishment, divine intervention, pestilence, and possibly military or administrative service extending as far as Britain ("Βριτ’τάνοις"). The corrections provided in the apparatus criticus help clarify some textual errors or variant readings.