Proceedings before a Praeses

In the consulship of our lords Constantinus Augustus, consul for the 6th time, and Constantinus, the most illustrious Caesar, consul for the 1st time, on the 3rd day before the Nones of June, that is, the 9th of Pauni, in the city of the Arsinoites, at the court. [... Leontius said:] ". . . from the village of Theadelphia in the Arsinoite nome, acting through Arion who is present here in court, they prefer charges," and he subjoined: ". . . on account of the census . It is only he who is 1eft, and two more with him, since the village is utterly deserted, ... their fields .... Now already in the past Alypios ... a canal bringing water to the plain ... and had caused a stone bed, what is called a 'channel', to be constructed, so that ... the improvement of the irrigation (cf. BL 8.300). But the inhabitants of the village of Andromachis of the desolation ... and ruin our clients; for not only their beasts carrying ... dam up the channel and prevent the water from flowing on unrestrained, but they also ... of the ancient custom which prescribes this. I beg, since he too . . . from flight ... , that the persons who dammed up the mouth of the canal be forced to clear it up." The most eminent Tziper, praeses of Herculian Egypt, said: "The praepositus of the pagus and the district dyke inspectors will discover those who have blocked the place with dirt and immediately take stringent measures to force them to clear up the said place, so that the water may follow its habitual course." Leontios said: "Manos' associates and his brothers, who are our superiors (cf. BL 8.300) and possess twenty arourae on the plain, are blocking up the channel and preventing the water from being sent on to us. Now inasmuch as ... , it is only proper that they either allow us to have the water, in which case we gladly undertake to discharge the dues of the twenty arourae, or else, if they insist on blocking the water, take over our land -- and we cede it to them herewith." The most eminent Tziper, praeses of Herculian Egypt, said: "The praepositus of the pagus will see to it that they against whom this charge is brought after having drawn sufficient water in proportion to the land they possess will send on the remaining water to your clients' land, so that they too may be able to irrigate their own land." (Note: at this point in the text, the praeses' two Latin pronouncements, which are identified by the letters alpha and beta, are translated to Greek.) alpha: The praepositus of the pagus and the district dyke inspectors will discover those who have blocked the place with dirt and immediately take stringent measures to force them to clear up the said place, so that the water may follow its habitual course. beta//: The praepositus of the pagus will see to it that they against whom this charge is brought after having drawn sufficient water in proportion to the land they possess will send on the remaining water to your clients' land, so that they too may be able to irrigate their own land.