Letter of Isidora to Asklepiades
From cartonnage found in Abusir el meleq. The back is blank.
One text, 3 sources · Trismegistos-Text 18654
Letter from Isidora to her brother Asklepiades TM 18654Busiris (Heracleopolites)Oct. 3rd, 28 BC
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 →
A short letter from Isidora to her brother Asklepiades, written in October 28 BC in the Herakleopolite nome. She tells him she has sealed letters for Paniskos, asks for a quick reply because the boat is leaving, encourages him to hold out until someone arrives, and asks him to send the child's sleeping blanket.
In English machine translation
Isidora to Asklepiades her brother, greetings and good health always.
I have sealed up together for you (pl.) the letters to Paniskos. So send the reply to everything quickly, because the boat is departing. And you too, keep up your courage until he arrives, and take care of yourself so that you stay well, which is the most important thing.
Farewell. Year 3, Phaophi 5.
Send the child's sleeping blanket.
Recovered from mummy cartonnage at Abusir el-Meleq. 'Brother' may be a term of affection or refer to a husband, as often in letters of this period; the word for the child's 'sleeping blanket' (enkoimetron) is rare.
Working translation of the DDbDP edition, made with Claude Opus 5.5 from the edition and the catalogue records shown below (catalogued as Brief der Isidora an Asklepiades). It has not been reviewed by a papyrologist: check the edition before citing. Restorations follow the edition; […] marks lost text and (?) an uncertain reading.
bgu.4.1204
Ἰσιδώρα Ἀσκληπιάδηι τῶι ἀδελφῶι χαίρειν καὶ ὑγιαίνειν διὰ παντός. τὰ πρὸς Πανίσκον γράμματα συνεσφράγισμαι ὑμῖν. τὴν οὖν ἁπάντων ἀντιφώνησιν ἐν τάχει πέμψον διὰ τὸ τὸ πλοῖον χωρίζεσθαι. καὶ σὺ δὲ διανδραγάθει, ἕως οὗ ἂν παραγένηται, καὶ σεαυτοῦ ἐπιμελοῦ ἵνʼ ὑγιαίνῃς, ὃ δὴ μέγιστό…