Petition of an estate overseer against a negligent donkey-driver TM 14117From Arsinoite nome5 CE

To Alkibiades, chief of police (?), from Kallistratos son of Kallistratos, the overseer of the animals of the estate of Livia and Germanicus Caesar. In Choiak of the past year 34 of Caesar I took on Pe[…]nis as donkey-driver, to look after my donkeys and to stay with them through the summer until Choiak of year 35 of Caesar, and to carry out everything that befits a donkey-driver; the said man agreed. He spent the winter of year 34 of Caesar and stayed through the summer, having snatched from the freights the donkey-driving charges set out below, disregarding what was proper. First, by neglecting the donkeys they have become weak, and by wounding it he has lost my donkey worth […] silver drachmas, the […] and having brought in […] donkey fallen […] and disregarding […] my remaining animals […] still from the month of Thoth of year 35 of Caesar he has kept three of my sacks […], not handing over to me either the pack-saddles or the other equipment of the donkeys, and as a result my donkeys have become idle. Therefore I submit this memorandum to you, so that you may secure the accused and send him to the proper authorities, and before them he may be compelled to pay me the price of the donkey, and for the idleness of the donkeys, and the sacks and the pack-saddles and the equipment, so that I may obtain what is due. Farewell.