The same ancient text or artifact as recorded by 2 records across 2 independent projects, recognised as one entity by its TM-Text identifier. View on Trismegistos →
A private letter on an ostracon from the quarry at Mons Claudianus, in which Ammonios tells his father Athenodoros that he has sent more men to work at the lifting machine, along with food (olives, onions and something lost) carried by Phedros. He reports damage to the garden and that a stone has not yet been turned, and sends greetings to the curator and Sarapiodoros.
The 'machine' (mechane) is probably lifting gear used to move quarried blocks. 'Father' may be a term of respect rather than literal kinship; the reading 'by salt' (hali{n}) is uncertain.
Working translation of the DDbDP edition, made with Claude Opus 5.5 from the edition and the catalogue records shown below (catalogued as Letter from Ammonios to Athenodoros). It has not been reviewed by a papyrologist: check the edition before citing. Restorations follow the edition; […] marks lost text and (?) an uncertain reading.
Ἀμμώνιος Ἀθηνοδώρωι τῶι πατρὶ χαίρειν. ἐπεὶ ἐδήλωσας πέμψαι ἀνθρώπους εἰς τὴν μηχανὴν εὐθέως σοι πλείονας ἔπεμψα. ἐπέμφθη σοι δὲ διὰ Φέδρου ἐν μαρσιππίῳ[…]μιν καὶ ἐλαῖαι τεσσεράκοντα καὶ κρομμύδια. ἴσθι δὲ τὸν κῆπον τετραυματισμένον ἅλι. οὐδέπω ὁ λίθος ἐστράφη. οὔπω οὐδὲν καινότε…
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