One text, 2 sources · Trismegistos-Text 19419
Letter from Taus to the strategos Apollonios on his illness TM 19419Apollonopolites Heptakomias113 - 120
The same ancient text or artifact as recorded by 4 records across 2 independent projects, recognised as one entity by its TM-Text identifier. View on Trismegistos →
A private letter from Taus, apparently a household servant or slave woman, to Apollonios, strategos of the Apollonopolite Heptakomias nome. She expresses distress at news of his illness, thanks the gods for his safety, and begs him to be reconciled with the household and send for them. Written in the early 2nd century AD.
In English machine translation
[recto]
Taus to Apollonios her lord, very many greetings.
Before all else I greet you, master, and I pray always for your health. I was in no small anguish, lord, to hear that you had been ill, but thanks be to all the gods that they keep you safe from harm. I beg you, lord, if it seems good to you, to send for us; otherwise we die because we do not see you every day. Would that we could fly and come and do obeisance to you; for we are in anguish not seeing you. So be reconciled with us and send for us. Farewell, lord […] and all is well with us.
Epeiph 24.
[verso]
To Apollonios, strategos.
Taus addresses Apollonios as 'lord' and 'master', suggesting she belonged to his household staff. The phrase 'be reconciled with us' implies some earlier displeasure on his part.
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 Tays an Apollonios). 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.giss.1.17
p.giss.apoll.13
[r] Τᾶυς Ἀπολλωνίωι τῶι κυρίωι πλεῖστα χαίρειν. πρὸ τῶν ὅλων ἀσπάζομαί σε, δέσποτα, καὶ εὔχομαι πάντοτε περὶ τῆς ὑγιείας σου. ἠγωνίασα, κύριε, οὐ μετρίως, ἵνα ἀκούσω ὅτι ἐνώθρευσας, ἀλλὰ χάρις τοῖς θεοῖς πᾶσι ὅτι σε διαφυλάσσουσι ἀπρόσκοπον. παρακαλῶ σε, κύριε, ἐάν σοι δόξῃ, καὶ …