A loan contract in which Pkalios, Phibis, Mathias and the other landowners of the village of Tachoi jointly acknowledge a debt in gold solidi to a representative of Asphatourios, duke of the Thebaid, promising repayment at a new moon on the security of all their property. It was drawn up at Hermopolis in the reign of Heraclius, around 610-619.
In English machine translation
[† In the name of the holy and consubstantial Trinity], † Father and Son and Holy Spirit, in the reign of the most divine
[and most serene and God-crowned our master Flavius] Heraclius, the eternal Augustus, Emperor and greatest
[benefactor, year …], […] indiction, at Hermopolis in the Thebaid.
[To …]ou, who also fills the place of (?) the person of Asphatourios, the most glorious
[patrician, dux and augustalis of] both Thebaids, through Sergios
[…] of all, from the village of Tachoi, through us, Pkalios son
[of Taurinos, mother …, Phibis son] of Viktor, mother Maria, and Mathias son of Phoibammon,
[mother …, and … son of …, mother] Isis, and the other landowners of the same village
[Tachoi …]. We, the aforementioned Pkalios and Phibis and
[Mathias and … and the other landowners of the] same village of Tachoi, jointly and severally liable,
[…] each of us being bound and held
[… for the] repayment of the debt set out below at our own
[risk …], acknowledge that we owe and are indebted
[…] clear and absolute, of gold
[solidi …, less] 9 carats each, of full weight on the Hermopolis standard,
[… which we will] provide to your holiness at the new moon
[of the month … of the …] indiction, without any delay or dispute,
[… on security] of all our property, present and future,
[specifically and generally, by way of pledge and] by right of mortgage, as if by a court judgment, and […] [in answer to the formal question we have agreed].
† We, Aurelius Pkalios son of Taurinos and Phibis son of Viktor and Mathias
[son of Phoibammon and …], the aforesaid, have made this deed as set out above.
† I, Aurelius Theodoros […], wrote on their behalf since they do not know letters.
† † I, Aurelius …re…s son of Christodoros, from Hermopolis, [witness the deed].
† I, Aurelius Menas son of Heraklammon, from Hermopolis, witness the deed.
[…] witness the deed, having heard it from the parties.
[…]
The creditor is addressed as 'your holiness', suggesting a cleric acting for the duke; the amount of the loan is lost. Each solidus is 'less 9 carats', a common way of reckoning reduced-weight gold coins.
Working translation of the DDbDP edition, made with Claude Opus 5.5 from the edition and the catalogue records shown below (catalogued as Loan of Money). It has not been reviewed by a papyrologist: check the edition before citing. Restorations follow the edition; […] marks lost text and (?) an uncertain reading.