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 short Coptic letter on an ostracon from Markos, who calls himself 'the least', to his brother Moses. He asks Moses to finish a piece of work that same day and to take care with some materials, apparently leather or skins. It comes from the Theban region.
The technical words in the request (ⲡⲓϣⲁⲁⲣ 'skin', ⲡⲙⲟⲩⲥ, ⲧⲡⲟⲣⲕ 'plucking') are uncertain, so the exact task is unclear. 'Brother' probably means a fellow monk.
Working translation of the DDbDP edition, made with Claude Opus 5.5 from the edition and the catalogue records shown below. It has not been reviewed by a papyrologist: check the edition before citing. Restorations follow the edition; […] marks lost text and (?) an uncertain reading.
[r] ⲧⲁⲙⲛⲧἐλάχιστος προσκυνεῖν ⲛⲧⲉⲕἀγάπη ⲉⲧⲧⲁⲉⲓⲏⲩ ϯπαρακαλεῖν ⲛⲧⲉⲕⲙⲛⲧⲥⲟⲛ ϫⲉ ⲉⲕⲛⲁⲣ ⲧἀγάπη ⲛⲅϫⲱⲕ ⲡⲓϣⲁⲁⲣ ⲙⲡⲟⲟⲩ ϫⲉ ⲙⲡⲓⲧⲁϩⲟ ⲉⲓ ⲉϩⲏⲧ ἀλλά σπουδάζειν καλῶς ⲉⲡⲙⲟⲩⲥ ⲙⲛ ⲧⲡⲟⲣⲕ ⲛϩⲟⲩⲛ ⲛⲅⲕⲁⲁⲩ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲓⲱⲱϥ ϫⲉ ⲁⲩἀναγκάζειν ⲙ[…] ϩⲁⲣⲟϥ [v] ⲡⲁⲥⲟⲛ ⲙⲱⲩⲥⲏⲥ ⲙⲁⲣⲕⲟⲥ ⲡⲓἐλάχιστος ⲟⲩϫⲁⲓ ϩⲙ ⲡϫⲟⲉⲓⲥ †
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