An offer to lease a vegetable garden of about one aroura with a well and water-wheel at Euhemeria in the Arsinoite nome for three years at 100 silver drachmas a year. Aurelius Ploutammon addresses it to the noblewoman Aurelia Demetria, acting through a city councillor, and acknowledges receiving a cow for working the water-wheel. It is dated 23 February 239.
In English machine translation
[verso]
To Aurelia Demetria, stola-wearing matron, daughter of Aurelius Posidonios, hypomnematographos, through Aurelius Marinus, former gymnasiarch, councillor of the city of the Arsinoites,
from Aurelius Ploutammon, whose mother is Helene, residing in the village of Euhemeria.
I wish to lease, in the area of the same village of Euhemeria, 1 aroura, or however many there may be, of vegetable garden, in which there is a well and a water-wheel, for a period of 3 years from the present month Mecheir of the current year 2, at a rent for the same of 100 drachmas of silver each year, free from all deductions and risk; and I shall not be permitted to abandon the lease within the period in any way, but I shall of necessity carry out all the yearly work that is proper at the appropriate times, doing no damage whatever. From this point I have received from the honourable lady, for the drawing of water, one cow worth 100 drachmas. Whatever is needed for new construction or the supply of timber or nails or stones or pitch or carpenters' wages for the well and water-wheel and yokes, and the public charges, shall be the responsibility of the honourable lady, and […] of all kinds shall be my responsibility as the lessee. And I shall pay the yearly rent every six months in equal instalments, and after the period I shall hand back the garden planted with every kind of vegetable, just as I too received it, if you see fit to lease it.
Year 2 of Imperator Caesar Marcus Antonius Gordianus Pius Felix Augustus, Mecheir 29. Unsigned.
[recto]
A 'stolata matrona' was a woman of senatorial or high rank entitled to wear the stola; the hypomnematographos was a high Alexandrian official. The document is marked 'unsigned', so it may be a draft or copy.
Working translation of the DDbDP edition, made with Claude Opus 5.5 from the edition and the catalogue records shown below (catalogued as Affitto di terreno). It has not been reviewed by a papyrologist: check the edition before citing. Restorations follow the edition; […] marks lost text and (?) an uncertain reading.