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Letter from Anatolios to his patron Sarapion excusing his delayed visit TM 21121Hermopolis (?)

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 private letter from Anatolios, apparently a priest of Hermes, to his patron Sarapion, apologizing for not visiting. He cites his daughters' illnesses and his religious duties during the festival processions of the month Pharmouthi, and promises to come afterwards.

In English machine translation

[recto] To my master Sarapion, Anatolios, greetings. You know, my lord, how I pray both to behold you face to face and to address you, since you are my patron and the admirable patron of patrons (?); often indeed, when I was eager to do so in deed as well, unavoidable reasons kept me from coming to you: on the one hand the illnesses of my daughters, for one of the gods sent these upon me out of spite, yet may he relieve them; on the other hand the unavoidable duty of worship of the guardian god Hermes. So I was on my way, and now too I have a fine companion on the journey, well suited to your unswerving character, since my lord brother Theophanes the wise is about to travel abroad, in whom I trust […] everywhere […] master […] the worship of the holy month of Pharmouthi being at hand, in which many continuous processions take place in due order, at which it is necessary to be present for both reasons, both for the service of the divine and in order to obtain at the right season the best of the prayers for your health and glory. I shall come, with the gods' help and if they grant me the ability, after the season of worship in Pharmouthi. May you prosper throughout, my lord, and may the gods grant you all that is dear to you. [verso] To my master Sarapion, Anatolios […]

Written in a polished rhetorical style; the Theophanes mentioned is probably the well-known Hermopolitan official of the early 4th century AD. The kōmasiai are religious processions in which the god's image was carried.

Working translation of the DDbDP edition, made with Claude Opus 5.5 from the edition and the catalogue records shown below (catalogued as Letter from Anatolius to Sarapion). It has not been reviewed by a papyrologist: check the edition before citing. Restorations follow the edition; […] marks lost text and (?) an uncertain reading.

DDbDP-text Full record →

p.herm.2

Papyri.info — DDbDP (Duke Databank of Documentary Papyri) — text · Hermopolis (?)

[r] τῶι δεσπότηι μου Σαραπίωνι Ἀνατόλιος χαίρειν. οἶσθα ὡς εὔχομαι, κύριέ μου, καὶ κατʼ ὄψιν σε θεάσασθαι καὶ προσειπεῖν, ἅτε προστάτην ὄντα ἐμὸν καὶ προστατῶν τὸν ἀξιάγαστον· πολλάκις γοῦν προθυμούμενόν με καὶ ἐν ἔργωι, τῆς ὥς σε ἀφίξεως ἐπεῖχον προφάσεις ἀπαραίτητοι, ἔνθεν μὲν …