Letter of Alypius
This letter, which is written on the verso of P.Fay.104 is from Alypius to Heron, giving some directions about making wine.
One text, 3 sources · Trismegistos-Text 10987
Letter from Alypios to Heroninos about postponing the vintage TM 10987H�ritFourth century
The same ancient text or artifact as recorded by 4 records across 3 independent projects, recognised as one entity by its TM-Text identifier. View on Trismegistos →
A letter from Alypios, a large estate owner, to Heroninos, manager of his estate, sending the steward Herakleides to organize the grape harvest and advising a delay of two or three days because the season is late. It belongs to the Heroninos archive and was written in AD 260 at Theadelphia in the Fayum.
In English machine translation
From Alypios […]
I have sent the steward Herakleides to you, as you asked, so that he may make the arrangements for the vintage. But put it off for two or three days, so that the light wine (?) may also come together for you and the wine may turn out good; for you know that the season is now rather late, just as I did on the other small estates too. So, according to how it looks, do not trust the fruit-buyers, but carry out the vintage, and then write to me.
I have also sent you a release-order for wine for the vintage, to you alone […]
I pray for your health.
To Heroninos, manager, at Thraso (?).
Year 7, Mesore 18.
One museum record dates the letter to the fourth century, but the regnal year 7 fits AD 260 within the Heroninos archive. The meaning of 'ta koupha' (literally 'the light things') is uncertain, and 'apolysidion' is a release order for goods.
Working translation of the DDbDP edition, made with Claude Opus 5.5 from the edition and the catalogue records shown below (catalogued as Corrispondenza heroniniana - Alypios). It has not been reviewed by a papyrologist: check the edition before citing. Restorations follow the edition; […] marks lost text and (?) an uncertain reading.
p.fay.133
παρὰ Ἀλυπίου […] ἀπέστειλα τὸν οἰκονόμον Ἡρακλείδην πρὸς σὲ καθὰ ἠξίωσας ἵνα τὴν διαταγὴν τῆς τρύγης ποιήσηται. ὑπερθοῦ δὲ ἡμερῶν δύο καὶ τριῶν ἵνα καὶ τὰ κοῦφά σοι συνδράμῃ ἀλλὰ καὶ ὁ οἶνος καλὸς γένηται, οἶδας γὰρ ὅτι ὁ καιρὸς νῦν ἐστιν ὀψιμώτερος, καθὼς καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἄλλοις κτημ…