An offer to lease rooms in a house at Oxyrhynchus, made by Aurelius Kopreus to the three children of Dionysios, Syros, Techosis and Asynes. The rooms had fallen to them in a written division of property; the rent is 6,000 talents a year, payable in two half-yearly instalments. Dated 19 December 360.
In English machine translation
In the consulship of our masters Constantius Augustus for the 10th time and Julian the most illustrious Caesar for the 3rd time, Choiak 23.
To the Aurelii Syros and Techosis and Asynes, all three children of the father Dionysios, from the splendid and most splendid city of the Oxyrhynchites,
from Aurelius Kopreus son of Syros, his mother being Sarapias, from the same city.
I voluntarily undertake to lease for one year from the 1st of the coming month Tybi of the present year 37 and 6, in the same city, in the Apollonios quarter, the rooms of the house allotted to you, [...] rooms, in accordance with the written division that was made, on the terms which it contains, [...] between you and your mother [...], and I will pay you as rent for these same rooms of yours and another part of the court outside the house, for the yearly period, 6,000 talents of silver of the imperial coinage, total 6,000 talents. If my undertaking is confirmed, I will necessarily pay the rent, half every six months, and I will use the rooms for the period without hindrance, after which I will hand them back as I received them, you having the right of execution against me as is proper.
The undertaking, written in two copies, is valid, and having been asked the formal question I gave my consent.
The year 37 and 6 refers to the Oxyrhynchite era years counted from Constantius and Julian. The huge rent in talents reflects the severe inflation of the 4th century.
Working translation of the DDbDP edition, made with Claude Opus 5.5 from the edition and the catalogue records shown below (catalogued as Lease of House - property). It has not been reviewed by a papyrologist: check the edition before citing. Restorations follow the edition; […] marks lost text and (?) an uncertain reading.