Petition, Roman CE 30-35 [BPG]
To a strategos
One text, 3 sources · Trismegistos-Text 20553
Petition of Tryphon against his wife Demetrous for taking household goods TM 20553Oxyrhynchos (Oxyrhynchites, Ägypten)Roman CE 30-35 [BPG]
The same ancient text or artifact as recorded by 4 records across 3 independent projects, recognised as one entity by its TM-Text identifier. View on Trismegistos →
A petition from Tryphon son of Dionysios of Oxyrhynchus to the strategos Alexandros, complaining that his wife Demetrous daughter of Herakleides left him and took their belongings. He asks that she be summoned and made to return them, reserving his other claims; a list of stolen items begins at the end.
In English machine translation
To Alexandros, strategos,
from Tryphon son of Dionysios, of those from the city of Oxyrhynchus. I lived together with Demetrous daughter of Herakleides, and I for my part provided for her what was fitting, even beyond my means. But she, conceiving thoughts alien to our common married life, finally left and carried off our belongings, of which a detailed list is appended below. Therefore I ask that she be brought before you, so that she may receive what is fitting and give back to me our belongings. As for the other claims I have against her, I maintain them and will maintain them. Farewell.
The things stolen are:
[…] grey (?) [garment], worth 40 drachmas
[…]
Tryphon son of Dionysios is known from other Oxyrhynchus papyri, including his marriage and family records. The first listed item is only partly preserved, so its description (a grey or dark garment?) is uncertain.
Working translation of the DDbDP edition, made with Claude Opus 5.5 from the edition and the catalogue records shown below (catalogued as Complaint against a Wife). It has not been reviewed by a papyrologist: check the edition before citing. Restorations follow the edition; […] marks lost text and (?) an uncertain reading.
chrest.mitt.117
p.oxy.2.282
Ἀλεξάνδρωι στρατηγῷ παρὰ Τρύφωνος τοῦ Διονυσίου τῶν ἀπʼ Ὀξυρύγχων πόλεως. συνεβίωσα Δημητροῦτι Ἡρακλείδου, καὶἐγὼ μὲν οὖν ἐπεχορήγησα αὐτῇ τὰ ἑξῆς καὶ ὑπὲρ δύναμιν. ἡ δὲ ἀλλότρια φρονήσασα τῆς κοινῆς συμβιώσεως κατὰ πέρας ἐξῆλθε καὶ ἀπηνέγκαντο τὰ ἡμέτερα ὧν τὸ καθʼ ἓν ὑπόκειται.…