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One text, 2 sources · Trismegistos-Text 21964

Letter of Philosarapis to the former strategos Apion TM 21964Oxyrhynchosca. 200

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 courteous private letter from Philosarapis, a serving hieropoios (sacrificial official) of Antaiopolis, to Apion, a gymnasiarch and former strategos of the Antaiopolite nome. He assures Apion that the people and gods of his home town remember him fondly and offers to carry out any commissions for him there; it dates to about AD 200 and was found at Oxyrhynchus.

In English machine translation

[recto] Greetings, my lord Apion. I, Philosarapis, salute you, praying that you are safe with all your household and prospering. That not only we remember you but also our ancestral gods themselves, this is clear to all; for our whole generation carries you in its heart, remembering your good disposition. Concerning anything you need from your home town, my lord, write to me, as I am glad to do it, for I shall receive your commands most gladly as favours. I salute the most estimable gymnasiarch Horion. I pray for your health, my good and most noble lord Apion, prospering throughout life together with those with whom you gladly live. [verso] To Apion, gymnasiarch, former strategos of the Antaiopolite nome, from Philosarapis, hieropoios in office of Antaiopolis.

The letter was written from Antaiopolis but found at Oxyrhynchus, where Apion presumably lived. A hieropoios was a municipal official charged with sacrifices and religious festivals.

Working translation of the DDbDP edition, made with Claude Opus 5.5 from the edition and the catalogue records shown below (catalogued as Letter to a Gymnasiarch). 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.oxy.14.1664

Papyri.info — DDbDP (Duke Databank of Documentary Papyri) — text · ca. 200 · Oxyrhynchos

[r] χαῖρε, κύριέ μου Ἀπίων, Φιλοσάραπίς σε προσαγορεύω εὐχόμενός σε σώζεσθαι πανοικησίᾳ καὶ εὖ διάγειν. ὅτι οὐ μόνοι ἡμεῖς μεμνήμεθά σου ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐτοὶ ἡμῶν οἱ πάτριοι θεοί, τοῦτο δῆλον ἅπασιν, πᾶσα γὰρ ἡμῶν ἡ ἡλικία ἐν τοῖς στέρνοις σε περιφέρει, μεμνημένη τῆς ἀγαθῆς σου προαιρέ…