Fragment of a petition
A fragment of a petition, probably addressed to Zenon. The petitioner complains of being wronged by Hedylos. He had been taken to prison and from there appeals to Zenon to make an inquiry and procure his liberation.
One text, 3 sources · Trismegistos-Text 1255
Petition complaining of wrongs by Hedylos and imprisonment TM 1255Kharabet el Gerza (ancient Philadelphia)Before 253 B.C.
The same ancient text or artifact as recorded by 3 records across 3 independent projects, recognised as one entity by its TM-Text identifier. View on Trismegistos →
Fragment of a petition, probably addressed to Zenon at Philadelphia before 253 BC, in which the petitioner complains of being wronged by Hedylos and others who set upon him and had him taken off to prison. Invoking the king, Queen Berenike and the health of Apollonios, he begs for an inquiry so that he may not be ruined.
In English machine translation
[… lines lost …]
[…] to you […]
[…] I am wronged by Hedylos […]
[…] and when you ordered […]
[…] being present, having gone away […]
[…] and to measure out […]
[…]
[…] to inspect […]
[…] when I arrived
[…]okles so that I might receive from Aristokles […], they set upon me together and compelled […] having given me 10 days
[…] so that I might be led off (to prison)
[…] having done what is just
[…] of the time […]
[…] and they have done […]
[…] to ruin also the rest
[…] previously they shut up
[…] not wishing to take
[…] hostages (?) […]
[…]. I therefore beg you […]
[…] saviour, adjuring you
[by the king] and Philadelphos
[and Queen Bere]nike and the [health] of Apollonios, to inquire into these matters, [if] […], so that it may not happen to me
[…] to be ruined
[…] of safety
[…] having been led off
Farewell.
The addressee, probably Zenon, is not preserved; Apollonios is the finance minister whose estate Zenon managed. The verb rendered 'led off' (apago) is the usual term for being taken to prison.
Working translation of the DDbDP edition, made with Claude Opus 5.5 from the edition and the catalogue records shown below (catalogued as Fragment of petition). 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.cair.zen.4.59623
[… ? lines lost …] […]ων σοι συν…[…] […]ἀδικοῦμαι ὑπὸ Ἡδύλου […] […]…ημαι, σοῦ δὲ συντάξαντος[…] […]… παρόντος ἀπελθόντ[…] […]σθαι καὶ παραμετρεῖν …[…] […]……αδετα[…] […]αι ἐπισκεψα[…] […]ινι παραγενομένου μου […]οκλῆν ὅπως ἂν παρʼ Ἀριστοκλέους λάβω[…]μον, ἐπισυστάντες ἠνάγκασαν[……